Sodexo reveals ambitious commitments to drive meaningful change in its Social Impact Pledge 2030
Sodexo has today published its Social Impact Pledge 2030, setting out new clear and ambitious commitments to create meaningful impact for its people, planet, places and partners in the UK over the next five years.
2025 marks ten years since the publication of Sodexo’s first social impact pledge and transparent reporting of its progress and success. Over the course of the last decade, Sodexo has evolved its commitments in line with the changes in legislation and in business and societal priorities.
Today’s publication of its Social Impact Pledge 2030: everyone, every day, everywhere represents the next phase in the company’s social impact strategy, recognising how much more there is still to do, building on the foundations of the last ten years, how complex societal challenges are and how its understanding of those challenges has deepened.
Sodexo recognises that addressing these, by delivering on the commitments within its Social Impact Pledge 2030, requires every one of its 30,000 employees in the UK and Ireland to embrace them and take action every day.
Split into four impact pathways, Sodexo’s 2030 vision is:
People: Sodexo will nurture inclusive and equitable workplaces, measuring its progress through its position on the Social Mobility Employer Index.
As a large employer, Sodexo knows it has the power to be a driver of social mobility everywhere that it operates. Sodexo will continue to promote equitable opportunities with examples of its work in this area including providing access to apprenticeships; driving sustainable employment for individuals with criminal convictions and supporting veterans, reservists and military families find employment opportunities.
Planet: Sodexo will continue to decarbonise its business, staying on track for Net Zero 2040.
The business will do this by following the science, taking steps such as re-baselining, as its knowledge and systems evolve and its understanding of the data and how it is used continues to improve. Sodexo’s near-term target to reduce its emissions across all three scopes by 55% is 31 August 2030.
Acknowledging it can’t achieve this alone, Sodexo supports its supply partners, who account for 38% of its emissions, through its award-winning engagement programme. Tackling food waste remains a high priority and Sodexo remains committed to incorporating sustainable procurement into its sourcing strategies. The company also continues to take a world-leading role in encouraging the adoption of sustainable eating and low-carbon meals.
Places: By 2030 the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation will have supported more than 12.5 million direct and indirect beneficiaries**
The Foundation celebrates 20 years in the UK & Ireland in 2025 and is committed to working with a diverse range of charity partners, supporting national and regional projects, large and small.
As the Foundation’s strategy continues to evolve, it anticipates having a more transformational impact with a further 2 million beneficiaries expected over the next five years. Its work will remain focused on fundraising, grants giving, providing meaningful volunteering opportunities to Sodexo colleagues and fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing with its extensive network and charity partners.
Partners: We will increase diversity in our supply chain and spend over £1 billion with SMEs and diverse suppliers by 2030.
Sodexo will continue to support its supply partners in their journeys to net zero through its engagement programme. As pioneers of the BSA Modern Slavery Council, Sodexo will play a key role in evolving and expanding this into Ireland to further reduce risk and raise awareness through radical collaboration.
When Pierre Bellon founded Sodexo, he understood that people’s daily environment – whether at work, in school or in hospital – has a profound impact on their wellbeing, productivity and happiness. He created a business to provide services that add true value to those daily environments. From serving nutritious and sustainable meals, to delivering welcoming and functioning spaces. It’s just how we do business.
Through our new Pledge, which launches nearly 60 years later, we are building on that legacy to add ever more value for the people, businesses and communities whose lives we touch.
Today we face new complex societal challenges, and it is right that our commitments evolve to reflect those. Our Social Impact Pledge 2030 illustrates our mission to foster a more sustainable, equitable and inclusive future, with every one of our 30,000 colleagues playing a role every day in delivering this positive change.
I truly believe that if we accomplish what we have set out today, we have every reason to be confident of a better tomorrow.
I would like to congratulate Sodexo on the impact it has had since the launch of its first pledge 10 years ago, and on these ambitious new commitments.
It is so important for businesses such as Sodexo – as a major UK employer – to take the lead on issues such as social mobility and sustainability.
This is what makes them such valued members of the National Social Value Taskforce. I have long been impressed by the company’s purpose-driven ethos, and how this manifests throughout their business practices – from their supply chain, through to their client sites. I look forward to seeing Sodexo deliver on this pledge.
Sodexo’s purpose has always been to contribute positively to communities in which it operates.
** Direct beneficiaries receive the benefit of Sodexo’s programme first hand, indirect beneficiaries are those who benefit from the support/training given to direct beneficiaries.
Read Sodexo’s new Social Impact Pledge 2030