Sodexo UK & Ireland has relaunched its Grow with Sodexo Academy with a new pioneering dual-provider model, bringing together two providers, GLP Training and HIT Training, to strengthen leadership capability, improve workforce agility and support long-term career progression.
Bringing together hospitality and FM into one connected pathway, the newly launched Grow with Sodexo development programme will provide participants with clearer picture of the progression routes Sodexo offers as well as a more consistent development experience across FM and hospitality and level 2, 3 and 4 apprenticeships.
The new programme will see GLP Training, Sodexo’s FM training partner and HIT Training, its hospitality training partner provides an enhanced development programme focused on delivering specialist skills alongside multiskilling, problem solving, leadership and change management.
This new approach also supports earlier engagement in learning – particularly among entry-level and younger employees – while responding to business needs. It provides Sodexo’s employees with broader cross-segment exposure, enabling them to better understand the scale of Sodexo, and see clearer progression routes and opportunities across the business. This supports workforce agility, internal progression and stronger leadership capability.
Pete Siddle, Director of Talent and Learning at Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: “It is our belief that everyone should have the opportunity to succeed. By bringing together our two specialist training providers into a single, integrated programme allows us to offer both deep technical skills and broader, transferable capabilities to help our people build clearer career pathways while supporting the future agility of our workforce. Our success is driven by our people and by investing in our people and creating clearer, more structured pathways, we are helping our colleagues build the skills and confidence to progress, while strengthening capability across our business.”
The Grow with Sodexo Academy provides structured development pathways designed to improve progression and representation at all levels, the new dual-provider approach to the programme offers a more cohesive learner journey by bringing together specialist expertise into a single, integrated approach.
Gemma Parsons, CEO GLP Training, said: “The future of workforce development lies in breaking down traditional silos and creating learning pathways that reflect how modern organisations operate. Sodexo’s vision for a connected apprenticeship programme is a powerful example of what’s possible when employers and experienced specialist training providers collaborate to rethink talent development. As proud stakeholders in this dual-provider model, we believe it not only builds specialist expertise, but also develops the adaptable, confident leaders businesses need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.”
Matthew Robinson – Chief Commercial Officer – HIT Training added: “We are incredibly proud to partner with Sodexo and GLP on this ground-breaking programme. Together, we have created a pioneering model that makes the absolute most of the Growth and Skills Levy to deliver real value. This approach gives existing frontline teams much better opportunities to grow, while creating a brilliant pathway to attract new people into the sector. By joining forces as two specialist providers, we are proving that collaboration is the best way to help people progress their careers and drive long-term success for Sodexo.”
Apprenticeships play a central role in Sodexo’s social impact strategy. The organisation considers all vacancies and roles as apprenticeship opportunities wherever possible, demonstrating its commitment to creating varied career pathways and promoting social mobility.
Sodexo’s commitment to its people and for driving social mobility was recently recognised at the 2026 British Business Awards, where it was awarded Employer of the Year. Sodexo was also included, for the third consecutive year, in the recently published Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality. Led by Business in the Community the list is the UK’s most highly profiled and established listing of employers taking action to create workplaces where everyone, regardless of their gender, can thrive.
