Sodexo UK & Ireland’s sustainability director, Claire Atkins Morris has been recognised by industry peers at the 2025 Footprint Awards receiving the Special Achievement Award for individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to sustainability and the environment.
Appointed as sustainability director in 2021, Claire is responsible for delivering Sodexo’s social impact commitments in a collaborative and meaningful way. She is focused on embedding sustainable practices to make Sodexo’s Net Zero 2040 plan a reality and is passionate about setting realistic and achievable targets to decarbonise the business.
Claire has spearheaded a scientific and realistic approach to Sodexo’s net zero plans and leads the company’s relationship with SBTi – the Science Based Targets initiative – which drives ambitious climate action by enabling companies to set science-based emissions reduction targets, in line with a 1.5 degree future.
Charlie Miers, co-founder of the awards said: “Claire is a standout candidate for the Special Achievement Award this year. She is true leader in her field; making decisions she genuinely believes to be right for her organisation and the industry at large. In so doing she has often set precedents for others to follow. We’re sure she will continue to be a leading light.”
Under Claire’s leadership Sodexo’s achievements have included:
- Significant progress, 23.4%1, in the reduction of absolute Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions against its 2017 baseline.
- Reduced food waste by 45% (as at March 2025) through its Waste Watch programme and on course to meet its goal of 50% reduction by 31 August 2025, five years ahead of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 2030.
- The implementation of an award-winning2 net zero supply chain engagement strategy.
- The founding of a sustainability community of practice in partnership with Future Planet. Since its inception in 2023 the group of sustainability leaders from client and supply partner organisations has grown from six to become a network of over 50 spanning a multitude of industries.
- The introduction of green skills training through a partnership with the Institute of Environment Management & Assessment (IEMA).
- Through the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation in the year to 31 August 2024 some 2.8 million people received support from the redistribution of more than 160,000 meals and projects targeting the root causes of food insecurity, of which 56% of the Foundation’s funding is dedicated3.
Claire was also recently named in the Workplace Leaders Top 50 2025, a list of inspiring leaders, innovators, pioneers, and changemakers of the workplace today; nominated by their peers and selected by a panel of judges.
Patrick Forbes, Managing Director, Tech & Services, Sodexo UK & Ireland and Chair of Stop Hunger Foundation said: “We are delighted that Claire has received this recognition from industry peers. Her drive to ensure we are authentic and transparent in our journey to net zero 2040 is unwavering. Her leadership and passion in the tackling food waste and addressing the root cause of food insecurity through the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation is inspiring our teams across the business to make a difference, every day. Congratulations Claire.”
2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the Stop Hunger Foundation. Over the last two decades, the Foundation has supported more than 9.6 million beneficiaries through 230 charity partners across over 56 cities and regions, distributing more than £6.4 million in grants. Thanks to Sodexo’s financial support, 100% of the donations made to Stop Hunger are directed towards charitable partners.
