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so innovative, so caring, so successful,
so inclusive, so collaborative, so different,
so sodexo |
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Industry Trends |
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Keeping an Eye on Tomorrow with Sodexo’s Sustainability Coordinator
By Kerry Noone, Marketing Communications Manager
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Christian Ryan Downing, Sodexo Sustainability Coordinator at Western Kentucky University and and Al Allen, President, Education Facilities Services |
Sodexo is committed to developing and implementing new and more effective ways to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, conserve water, promote responsible waste management, and reduce the use of toxic chemicals. One way we are able live up to this commitment is by hiring skilled professionals into sustainability roles to help facilities measure and lower their carbon footprint. These professionals not only manage facility-wide recycling and energy conservation programs, they also are educating their colleagues on the values of various green initiatives and promoting sustainable development on site and in the surrounding communities. Read more »
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Diversity |
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Sodexo Executives Celebrate Black History Month via Guest Blogging
By Kerry Noone, Marketing Communications Manager
During the month of February, we celebrated Black History Month, a federally recognized, nationwide celebration that provides the opportunity for all Americans to reflect on the significant roles that African Americans have played in the shaping of U.S. history. Read more »
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Being Disabled Is Not a Disadvantage at St. Ambrose University
By Monica Zimmer, Director of Public Relations
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Sodexo General Manager Stephen Finn, St. Ambrose University Dining Services, Foodservice Manager Caroline Rasmussen and Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge |
Early in her Sodexo career at St. Ambrose University Dining Services, Foodservice Manager Caroline Rasmussen partnered with Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services and other disability employment programs in Davenport to hire and foster disabled workers. Later, Rasmussen experienced first-hand Sodexo’s support for its disabled employees.
Now in a wheelchair from her spinal cord injury and with limited hand function, Rasmussen and the Sodexo St. Ambrose University team extended their support to about a dozen disabled employees, more than 10% of the 80-person dining services workforce. Read more »
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New Mexico State University Student Wins Sodexo Scholarship
Katie L. Guitierrez, a hospitality student at New Mexico State University, is the 2009 recipient of a Sodexo scholarship presented during the annual conference of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH). The $1,500 scholarship was presented Feb. 14 at the NSMH Awards Gala Dinner in Greensboro, NC. Read more »
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Sodexo in the News |
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DiversityInc. Recognizes Sodexo as a Top Company for Diversity
 Sodexo was ranked No. 6 on The 2009 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list, announced March 12.
A total of 401 companies, an increase of 14 percent from last year, vied for the honor this year, underscoring the increasing emphasis on diversity management among progressive companies.
"Sodexo's steady rise up this list in recent years and increasing reputation as a trendsetting diversity leader are attributable to strong CEO commitment and the company's consistent focus on measuring the return on investment from its diversity initiatives, thus documenting how valuable they are to the business," said Luke Visconti, CEO of DiversityInc.
Key factors in Sodexo's success were its diversity-training and employee-engagement metrics, its trendsetting mentoring programs, its full complement of progressive work/life programs, and its external communications and partnerships that brand it as a diversity leader.
The list was unveiled March 12 in New York City. On hand from Sodexo to accept was Jodi Davidson, Director of Diversity Initiatives. Read more »
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Sodexo Recognized as a Top Employer
By Arie Ball, VP, Sourcing and Talent Acquisition
 Experience.com Recognizes Sodexo as Top 20 Best Places to Work!
Sodexo was recognized as a top employer of entry-level college graduates by Experience.com. Citing our best practices in outstanding Generation Y recruiting, hiring and retention strategies, Experience.com included Sodexo on its 2009 list of the top 20 Best Places to Work. Sodexo is the only firm in our industry to receive this recognition. Other well-known firms, such as Accenture, Target and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, were also recognized.
 Black Collegian Magazine Includes Sodexo in Top 100 Employers of the Class of 2009!
Sodexo was included in The Black Collegian’s list of the Top 100 Employers of the Class of 2009. The Top 100 Employers of the Class of 2009 will be featured in The Black Collegian’s Second Semester Super Issue and on The Black Collegian Online.
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Corporate Citizenship |
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In the Spirit of Service, Sodexo Gives Back
By Tami Carter-McNulty, Senior Recruiter
As the National Day of Service was observed on January 19th, the day prior to the presidential inauguration, President Obama reminded all Americans of the importance of volunteering and participating in service projects. At Sodexo, giving back to the community is a way of life. With the Spirit of Service that is a part of our corporate culture, and through the many initiatives of the Sodexo Foundation, the charitable arm of Sodexo, Inc., we support innovative programs to help children and families who are battling problems such as poverty, unemployment, lack of education and food insecurity. Programs range from nutrition for children to job training for adults and affordable housing for families. Since its founding in 1999, the Foundation has provided more than $11 million in grants to fight hunger. One great example is Sodexo’s Feeding Our Future lunch program. The Sodexo Foundation provides grants to purchase food for the meals, and local Sodexo employees donate time and labor to prepare the meals each day. Employees work closely with local community organizations that distribute the meals to children at more than 72 feeding sites across the country. Read more »
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Sodexo Jump-Starts Careers in Culinary Arts and Food Service
By Scott Sherman, Executive Recruiter
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Over two challenging and rewarding years, ProStart students experience classroom study, mentored work experiences, and local and national competitions. |
The National Restaurant Association's ProStart program is a special program for high school students offering the opportunity to learn about culinary arts and foodservice management by training with professional chefs and foodservice managers through in-unit and classroom instruction. According to the National Restaurant Association, the number of jobs in the restaurant and foodservice industry is projected to increase by 1.8 million from 2009 to 2019. That includes approximately 47,000 management positions. ProStart is already working for 78,000 student participants in 1,650 schools, across 47 states, territories and districts. Read more »
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My Career/My Way |
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Inside Park at St. Bart's with Sodexo Executive Chef Matthew Weingarten
By Kerry Noone, Marketing Communications Manager
Sodexo is well known as a world leader in Food and Facilities Management services, but that is just one side of Sodexo. Sodexo also operates in a high-end, fine dining environment.
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Sodexo Executive Chef Matthew Weingarten |
I experienced this first-hand when I recently attended a wedding in New York City. The wedding was held at St. Bartholomew's Church on Park Avenue, and the reception was held next door at the restaurant, Inside Park at St. Bart's. The wedding was beautiful, and the reception was even more memorable with a fabulous meal created by Sodexo Executive Chef Matthew Weingarten, former Chef de Cuisine at Savoy in New York. This was fine dining at its best.
Located in the transformed Great Hall of the Community House at St. Bartholomew's Church, Inside Park at St. Bart's officially opened its fine dining historic doors on September 23, 2008. Read more »
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Sodexo’s Alumni Provide Extraordinary Value: Welcome Back to Executive Chef Beni Velasquez!
By Cathy Mannis, Senior Recruiter and Michelle Thomas, Senior Manager, Diversity Recruiting
Sodexo is proud to welcome Executive Chef Beni Velasquez, one of our most recent Sodexo "Alumni rehires," back to the company. Chef Beni recently rejoined Sodexo as Executive Chef at Stanford Medical Center. Earlier in his career with Sodexo, Chef Beni had the honor of cooking and serving the company’s CEO, Michel Landel, along with other dignitaries throughout the world. As noted by General Manager Bob Figy, Beni is already performing beyond expectations: "It seemed like a daunting challenge searching for the right Executive Chef for an account like Stanford Medical Center. Finding a rehire like Chef Beni Velasquez with his background and previous experience was an unexpected pleasure. He's brought a wealth of knowledge, talent and energy to the team here, and he hit the ground running at full throttle! We are delighted to have him back with Sodexo and especially here with us." Read more »
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Improving the Quality of Daily Life Begins with Our Employees
By Amy D. Brooks, Recruitment Manager, Environmental Services and Kerry Noone, Marketing Communications Manager
At Sodexo, we believe employees who effectively balance work and life demands achieve enhanced personal and professional well-being. Therefore, Sodexo has launched a Flexible Work Arrangements initiative geared towards our exempt employees. Sodexo’s Work/Life Effectiveness Flexibility Initiative allows our employees to align their careers with their personal priorities, and this allows Sodexo to engage and retain a highly skilled and committed workforce.
"With a young child and a husband who travels, I would not be able to work full-time if Flexible Work Arrangements were not an option for me.” That is what Kate Wester, Senior Manager of Communications for the Office of Diversity had to say regarding how she strikes better balance with Sodexo. Read more »
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