Sodexo UK & Ireland has been recognised as one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality for the third consecutive year, underlining its sustained commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace.
The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality is the UK’s most highly profiled and well-established listing of employers taking action to create workplaces where everyone, regardless of their gender, can thrive. The process is designed and assessed by Business in the Community and promoted by The Times.
The annual awards process recognises employers that are embedding gender equality into all levels of their organisations, and it reflects the continued commitment of leading employers to drive meaningful change. It continues to set the benchmark for responsible business practice, celebrating organisations that are not only making progress within their own workplaces but also helping to drive wider change across sectors.
This year’s recognition reflects Sodexo’s continued focus on using enhanced data and insight to drive accountability and improve outcomes for its employees across the business.
Jean Renton, CEO Sodexo UK & Ireland said: “Creating opportunities for everyone to succeed is fundamental to who we are at Sodexo. Being recognised in The Times Top 50 for a third consecutive year reflects the progress we are making to build a more inclusive workplace, with women now representing 45% of our UK & Ireland senior leadership team and 36% of our operational leadership roles.
“While we are proud of this progress, we know there is more to do. We remain committed to removing barriers, widening opportunities and ensuring every colleague has the chance to thrive.
“Diverse and inclusive teams bring different perspectives, stronger ideas and better decision-making, helping us drive growth, deliver better outcomes for our clients and create a positive impact in the communities we serve across the UK and Ireland.”
Sodexo is committed to fostering a diverse workplace and continues to work to understand where change is needed and introduce support to increase inclusion and help employees into or back to work. This includes:
- introducing a stronger external benchmark on access and progression through the Social Mobility Employer Index. Sodexo was the first organisation in its sector to do so.
- strengthening family‑friendly and inclusive policies, including parental leave and paid carers leave to support retention and progression.
- supporting employees at key life stages remains a priority, with targeted support including menopause and endometriosis policies and paid carers’ leave. Sodexo is an accredited Carer Confident and Menopause Friendly employer, and a member of the Endometriosis Friendly Employer scheme.
- amplifying employee voices through its SoTogether gender equity network, which provides practical support including a financial wellbeing toolkit to build confidence, resilience and progression.
- increasing governance and accountability, with pay gap insights informing action planning and tracked through annual Social Impact reporting.
- building on its work to support colleagues affected by domestic abuse. Globally, Sodexo was the first in its sector to sign a joint intent with the International Union Federation (IUF), committing to action to help prevent domestic abuse worldwide.
- continued investment in structured development pathways for all employees to support progression and improve representation at all levels. The company is already ahead of its ambitions for female representation in senior leadership.
Ndidi Okezie OBE, Chief Executive of Business in the Community says: “The case for gender equality in business is unequivocal. Now, more than ever, employers must continue to take action on gender equality, creating workplaces where employees can reach their true potential.
“Progress on gender equality is not only vital for fairness, but for business performance and long-term economic growth. I want the TT50 to help businesses recognise that gender equality has multifaceted benefits. It isn’t just about businesses doing good – it’s about the fact that doing good makes you do well.”
In the UK & Ireland Sodexo employs more than 30,000 people. The company uses its scale to drive positive change through its Social Impact Pledge 2030, which includes a dedicated ‘People’ pathway focused on creating workplaces where everyone can belong, thrive and progress.
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