GAITHERSBURG, Md.—Sodexo, a leader in food service and facilities management, proudly announced that it received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality.
Sodexo joins the ranks of over 840 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year. This marks fifteen year that Sodexo has achieved a 100 percent on the CEI.
“Our adoption of the pro-human approach ensures that we honor the distinct cultural and social identities of our team members. As an out leader and executive sponsor of our LGBTQ+ & Ally community, PRIDE, I am proud the HRC recognized Sodexo as one of the Best Places to Work. It demonstrates that our teams are safe, valued, and encouraged to bring their authentic selves to work,” said Tony Tenicela, Sodexo vice president, diversity, equity, and inclusion and PRIDE USA executive sponsor.
Damien Calderini, Global CEO of Entegra, Sodexo subsidiary offering performance improvement services, and PRIDE USA executive sponsor and ally said, “Entegra partners with organizations all over the world. This recognition provides us an opportunity to demonstrate LGBTQ+ and ally team members’ contributions to the service we provide our clients every day.”
Sodexo’s greater diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are consistently recognized by external organizations and notable diversity publications. In 2021, Sodexo was rated a best place to work for disability inclusion, receiving 100 percent on the Disability Equality Index, was honored as one of Seramount’s Best Companies for Multicultural Women, and was named to Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index as well as FORTUNE’s list of the World’s most Admired Companies.
The results of the 2022 CEI showcase how 1,271 U.S.-based companies are not only promoting LGBTQ+-friendly workplace policies in the U.S., but also for the 56 percent of CEI-rated companies with global operations who are helping advance the cause of LGBTQ+ inclusion in workplaces abroad. Sodexo’s efforts in satisfying all of the CEI’s criteria earned a 100 percent ranking and the designation as one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality. The full report is available online at hrc.org/cei.
About Sodexo North America
Sodexo North America is part of a global, Fortune 500 company with a presence in 56 countries. Sodexo is a leading provider of integrated food, facilities management and other services that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life for millions of customers in corporate, education, healthcare, senior living, government, Sodexo Live! and other environments daily. The company employs 125,000 people at thousands of sites in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Puerto Rico and Guam, and indirectly supports tens of thousands of additional jobs through its annual purchases of $20B in goods and services from small to large businesses. Sodexo is committed to supporting diversity, equity, inclusion and safety, while upholding the highest standards of corporate responsibility and ethical business conduct. In support of local communities across the U.S., in 2021, the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation mobilized more than 11,000 volunteers to distribute 1.8 million meals to help 2.5 million children and adults meet their immediate food needs. Since 1996, the Stop Hunger Foundation has contributed $38 million to help feed children in America impacted by hunger. To learn more about Sodexo, visit us.sodexo.com, and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.
