Gaithersburg, Md., May 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- During the 20th annual Top 50 Companies for Diversity event hosted by DiversityInc, the producers of the gold standard in the U.S. for ranking companies for diversity, equity, and inclusion, announced that this year, Sodexo, a leader in food service and facilities management, was listed in DiversityInc’s Hall of Fame and named #9 on the Top Companies for Black Executives list and #2 on the Top Companies for Talent Acquisition of Women of Color list. This is the thirteenth consecutive year Sodexo has been honored by DiversityInc.


“Being recognized by DiversityInc fuels our ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” explained Mia Mends, Global Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer and CEO, Impact Ventures, Sodexo North America. “Instilling a culture of belonging drives business performance and helps us to realize our quality of life mission.”

Sodexo’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is longstanding. In 2020, Sodexo was named to NAFE’s Top Companies for Executive Women by the National Association for Female Executives, Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index, and FORTUNE’s list of the World’s most Admired Companies. In 2021, Sodexo launched various initiatives – rooted in inclusivity – including a $10M scholarship program, for Sodexo employees and their dependents to attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and a new partnership with Women Back to Work, designed to help bridge the employment gap for women looking to re-enter the workforce.


“Sodexo’s induction into the Hall of Fame affirms our long-standing dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion," explained Sarosh Mistry, Region Chair for Sodexo North America and CEO, Home Care Services Worldwide. "But our work — and the work of so many other companies — is more than the right thing to do, it is necessary for growth. Incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts enables us to fulfill our quality-of-life mission and show up as a good corporate citizen. More importantly, bringing forward diverse backgrounds and perspectives feeds our strategy and fuels our creativity. Our focus on DEI allows us to serve our clients, consumers, and the communities we serve on a deeper level.”

“In an era of reckoning, there is no way around standardized measurement to remain competitive and identify gaps impacting a company’s ability to attract, retain, develop, and engage diverse talent,” says Carolynn Johnson, DiversityInc, Chief Executive Officer. “For twenty years, major U.S. employers have trusted our extensive research to measure their progress, provide actionable insights, validate their progress, and identify opportunities.”

 

The DiversityInc Top 50 rankings are empirically driven and based on 2020 company-submitted data in six key areas: Leadership Accountability, Human Capital Diversity Metrics, Talent Programs, Workforce Practices, Supplier Diversity, and Philanthropy. To view the entire Top 50 list and specialty lists, visit http://www.diversityinc.com/top50.

 

About DiversityInc

The mission of DiversityInc is to bring education and clarity to the business benefits of diversity. The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list began in 2001, when many corporations were beginning to understand the business value of diversity management initiatives. The 2021 Top 50 Companies for Diversity results will be featured on ‪DiversityInc.com. DiversityInc is a VA certified veteran-owned business and a Disability:IN certified business owned by a person with a disability.


About Sodexo North America

Sodexo North America is part of a global, Fortune 500 company with a presence in 64 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, sports and leisure, government and other environments daily. Sodexo is committed to supporting diversity and 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 2020, the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation mobilized 10,000 Sodexo volunteers to distribute 4.1 million meals to help 5.9 million children and adults meet their immediate food needs. Since 1996, the Stop Hunger Foundation has contributed $36.7 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.

 



Attachment

  • 2021_Top50_Hall-of-Fame_Logo-scaled_

Heidi Bullman
Sodexo
Heidi.Bullman@sodexo.com