Local Communities

Our commitments to local communities include:

• tackling hunger
• supporting local community development
• sourcing fairtrade products

Sodexo Foundation and STOP Hunger
STOP Hunger is a global Sodexo initiative that is active in 39 countries and reflects our heritage in foodservice.  In 2005, it was launched in the UK & Ireland to tackle poor nutrition in our local communities and provide a central focus for our community related charitable activities.

STOP Hunger consists of three main components:

• Financial donations thanks to employee fundraising
• Sharing of Sodexo knowledge with our charity partners
• Employee volunteering through our charity partners

"About a billion people around the world suffer from hunger. As a company, Sodexo is committed to tackling hunger and its impact in the communities we serve. We know that by acting collectively, we will make a stronger contribution towards a world free from hunger and malnutrition."
Thomas Jelley, corporate citizenship manager and administrator of the Sodexo Foundation

In the UK, the Sodexo Foundation is the driving force behind our local STOP Hunger initiative. The Sodexo Foundation trustees meet quarterly and are all senior employees, including our chief executive and several other board members, together with legal and finance support. (Registered charity number: 1110266)

It provides a framework for charitable giving in a systematic and thoughtful way, and receives the majority of its contributions from employee fundraising with Sodexo covering all associated administration costs.

In Ireland, STOP Hunger is administered on the Sodexo Foundation's behalf by the Community Foundation for Ireland (Registered CHY 13967).

We support charitable organisations that:

• provide healthy food to those in need
• promote healthy eating and healthy lifestyle education
• deliver basic life skills education to those in need e.g. cooking on a budget, basic cooking skills, basic food hygiene and health and safety

We do this by engaging with our employees, customers, clients and suppliers to:

• provide financial and in-kind support
• share expertise
• volunteer time

"Cooking skills and healthy eating education are central to so much of our work at Sodexo, it is always very satisfying when we can contribute to local communities by sharing our craft expertise. In addition to gaining additional life skills, such programmes do encourage those from disadvantaged backgrounds to consider the hospitality and catering industry as a viable option for their future."
David Mulcahy, craft and food development director, Sodexo

Our commitment as a corporate citizen supports the goodwill and energy of our employees who contribute to a healthier and happier society, starting with their own engagement and wellbeing.

"Throughout the year, Sodexo employees commit their time, energy and imagination to the Sodexo Foundation STOP Hunger campaign in all manner of weird and wonderful ways that demonstrate what an important part of our business ethos STOP Hunger has become."
Phil Hooper, corporate affairs director, Sodexo, and chair of the Sodexo Foundation

A network of charity champions across our business organises a wide range of fundraising events and supports the administration of funds. Beyond fundraising, the annual Sodexo Foundation Dinner is used as an opportunity to recognise exceptional contributions through two awards, the Charity Champion Award and the Merit Award.

"This is the second year I've been responsible for raising funds to help STOP Hunger in my part of the business and I have to say it's been hard work but a lot of fun. At the end of my two-year stint, there's no denying it: giving is good for the soul."
Neil, Charity Champion Award winner 2010

Charities we have recently supported include:

Breast Cancer Haven, for the nutrition programme at its havens in London, Hereford and Leeds.

 
Clubs for Young People (Scotland) for a community sport leaders' programme.

Edinburgh Cyrenians for Good Food Programme cooking classes for the disadvantaged. 

FareShare, with whom we enjoy a long-standing relationship, works to tackle food poverty and redistribute surplus fit for consumption food to local community organisations like centres for homeless people, refugee centres, rehabilitation centres, hostels and youth centres. FareShare also provides training and education around the essential life skills of safe food preparation and nutrition, and warehouse employability training. Sodexo supports FareShare by volunteering time and expertise, donating money and encouraging suppliers to partner with FareShare too. Our prepared food business, Tillery Valley,routinely sends its surplus fit for consumption food to FareShare.

"Seeing what Sodexo fundraising supports has been incredibly worthwhile.
For example, FareShare gets top-quality food from leading manufacturers
and supermarkets: it's all fresh and amazingly well controlled. They are
such a professional team and the experience of volunteering for the day
surpasses any expectations I had before I came."
Chris John, managing director, Sodexo Prestige

The Kids' Cookery School 'on Wheels' project delivers cookery workshops to schools, community groups and special needs groups in Greater London.

Northern Ireland Hospice cares for adults, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.

 
The Outward Bound Trust and Sodexo co-deliver a Health Matters programme for secondary school pupils in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The Prince's Trust (Wales) 'Get into Hospitality' programmes were supported with a donation from the Sodexo Foundation and in-kind support from Sodexo Education.

 
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (Ireland) cares for those in need and helps them to help themselves.

SSAFA Forces Help's 'Homelessness Welfare Fund' for ex-service men, women and their families.

  

Information for charities
If you are a charity and wish to apply for funding or become a charity partner, please read the eligibility criteria and application process.

Sodexo Foundation is a UK registered charity (number 1110266)
In the Republic of Ireland, the Sodexo Foundation STOP Hunger initiative is administered by the Community Foundation for Ireland (Regd. CHY 13967)

For more information please view our latest Corporate Citizenship Report.

To make a secure online donation, please click on the link below: