Sodexo and AstraZeneca extend partnership

Global, science-led biopharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca, has extended Sodexo’s food and facilities management services contract in the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway for a further five-years.

The collaboration between the two companies began in 2008 in the UK with a first food and facilities management contract.

In 2012, the contract was extended to additional sites and scope of services in the UK, as well as in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway.

As of 1 October 2023, the partnership is now based on the Vested® business model, developed from award-winning research conducted by the University of Tennessee College of Business Administration. In this case, both parties commit to a high level of transparency and collaboration, starting with crafting the agreement together. Incentives are built to drive mutual business success, driven by a ‘What’s in it for we’ mindset. The agreement aims to increase innovation, reduce long term cost, increase efficiency in FM, improve employee engagement and encourage alignment on sustainability and productivity goals.

Through this highly collaborative Vested® agreement, Sodexo will continue to provide services across the global portfolio, including food services, as well as workplace services, cleaning in GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and quality-controlled lab areas, technical services, grounds maintenance and waste handling.

To support AstraZeneca’s activities and teams, drive efficiencies and spark further innovation, Sodexo is implementing key initiatives aligned to its 2025 ambition to deliver excellent client and consumer experience, including the implementation of:

• Global food brands, suitable for both manufacturing and office environments, such as Kitchen Works and Modern Recipe, delivering delicious food in stylish and welcoming spaces that foster a sense of belonging and cultivate collaboration
• Proven solutions to reduce Astra Zeneca’s environmental impact:
  – WasteWatch initiative to track, analyze and limit food waste with the objective of reducing food waste by 50 per cent by 2025;
  – “Reusable Food Box” tracked by a personalised QR code to avoid single-use packaging waste;
  – Carbon labelling on menus to drive consumers towards sustainable choices
• Tech & data solutions to support a consumer-centric approach with the evolution of the existing ‘Everyday’ consumer app, enabling consumers to pre-order meals, as well as benefitting from a digitised grab and go food offer.

The partnership will also benefit from further digitisation concerning other critical areas such as health & safety, financial performance, quality and compliance through Sodexo’s global Wando app. This app generates data and insights to ensure consistency and transparency that enable informed solutions, acting as the central reporting platform to drive KPIs.

Johan Stellingwerf, Sodexo Chief Operating Officer for Global Strategic Accounts said: “We are very pleased to have extended our long-lasting partnership with AstraZeneca. Together, we share a mutual commitment to nurturing healthy people, healthy planet and healthy society within our workplaces. We will continue to enhance AstraZeneca’s best-in-class workplace by delivering sustainable experiences every day for everyone. Together with our teams, we will continue generating value, supporting both companies’ strong commitments around Sustainability, Safety, Quality & Compliance, Innovation and People.”