SODEXHO ALLIANCE Act as a corporate citizen Report 2005-2006

Vision and strategy Profi le Overview of our initiatives Overall performance
Our clients Our customers Our employees Our suppliers Our shareholders Host countries
DIALOGUE WITH…
Daniele Viola, Director, Workplace
Mediation Offi ce, Anffas Milan Onlus.
We’ve worked with Sodexho in Italy for
several years and appreciate the company’s
efforts to integrate the intellectually disabled
into the working world. Training sessions,
internships, support programs and workplace
integration initiatives have been organized
for the past ten years, thanks to Sodexho’s
fi rm commitment to providing the disabled
with real opportunities that help them
overcome the obstacles to full integration
into society and the working world.
This partnership is based on a public service
agreement signed by Anffas Milan,
the Province of Milan and Sodexho.
Sodexho in Italy has demonstrated a great
deal of sensitivity in its handling of such
an extremely delicate issue: dealing with
the handicapped and their needs, openly
discussing the negative experiences of
handicapped employees and improving
working conditions for the disabled within the
company. This constant focus on the disabled
has defi nitely helped avoid crises and kept
employees from quitting in despair. These
positive relations with Sodexho have made
the company a benchmark in integrating
our students into the workplace.
United States
WiNG, the Women’s Employee
Network Group, has been focused
on providing personal and
professional developmental
opportunities for Sodexho
Employees in the United States.
Through this group members
are provided with networking
opportunities and formal training
in managing their careers
as well as balancing their out of
work commitments. In the United
States, Sodexho continues to strive
to provide fl exible work
arrangements that help all
employees, including women,
meet their personal and professional
obligations. Acting on feedback
from WiNG, in 2004 the company
established a formal Breast-Feeding
Policy Companywide, as well as a
state of the Art Lactation Room at the
Corporate Headquarters, to support
nursing mothers.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES
Wherever we operate, Sodexho
implements initiatives to facilitate
the integration of employees
from varied cultural and national
backgrounds into the company
and society.
The Netherlands
Through a government pilot project
to facilitate integration, Sodexho,
which employs 57 nationalities,
arranges for selected employees
to take courses and exams in Dutch
language, cultural behavior and
work skills. Participating employees
attended two courses a week and
were supported by Sodexho
personnel and a coach. In June
2006, the fi rst 15 employees
graduated with good results.
42
United States
Sodexho supports 5 Employee
Network Groups:
• AALF - African American
Leadership Forum;
• PANG - Pan Asian Network Group;
• PRIDE - People Respecting
Individuality, Diversity
and Equality;
• SOL - Sodexho Organization
of Latinos;
• WiNG- Women’s Network Group.
The network groups play a strategic
role in enlisting grass roots support
for the overall diversity strategy
as well as in providing personal
and professional development
for members. In the past year
network groups have:
• Hosted National Meetings and
Developed Business Plans that
support the Diversity Strategy;
• Raised funds in support
of various charitable causes;
• Hosted a Cross Network Group
Professional Development
Conference;
• Provided informal mentoring
programs for members;
• Sponsored education and
awareness events in support
of Federal Heritage Months;
• Provided programming
on a regional basis to support
the personal and professional
development of members;
• Partnered with a variety of
community based organizations
in support of business
development and recruitment.