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Sodexo has achieved re-accreditation as a Disability Confident Leader under the UK Government’s Disability Confident scheme.
Sodexo first recieved Disability Confident Leader status in 2018 and successfully renewed it for a further three years in 2021.
The Disability Confident scheme helps employers recruit and retain talent, challenge attitudes, and increase understanding of disability. It enables employers to draw from the widest possible pool of talent, secure high-quality staff and improve employee morale and commitment by demonstrating fair treatment. The scheme also identifies those employers who are committed to inclusion and diversity in the workplace.
Disability inclusion is a key pillar of Sodexo’s DEI strategy, and globally, the company aims to ensure that by 2025, all its employees will have access to programmes that support people with disabilities.
The company’s Ability employee network in the UK and Ireland plays a vital role in fostering disability and neurodiversity inclusion by encouraging awareness and action across Sodexo’s workforce, clients, and consumers. Employees with disabilities, carers, and allies are all welcomed to participate in the network, which is dedicated to raising awareness about disability, challenge misconceptions and promoting inclusive practices within the workplace.
In April 2024, the network introduced its Neurodiversity Café, a space designed by neurodivergent colleagues to support discussions on neurodiversity. The Café hosts quarterly expert events and monthly casual drop-ins to inspire conversations around neurodiversity and encourage a more inclusive culture.
Other initiatives Sodexo has implemented include continuing to partner with external organisations, such as Ways into Work, Foxes Academy and Project Search, and clients to support young adults with disabilities to develop employability skills and secure employment, as well as sponsorship of Business Disability Forum’s Procurement Kit and the Disability Confidence Award at the Springboard Awards.
Raj Jones, Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: “Inclusivity is central to our values, and we are very proud to have retained our accreditation as a Disability Confident Leader. We are committed to ensuring that all our employees with disabilities can thrive, and we’ve put various programmes in place to make this happen.
“The accreditation has provided a robust assessment of our practices as well as providing direction on where we can further advance our work in this critical area. Supporting other organisations in becoming disability confident has also been an important part of our journey, enabling us to collectively work towards a more disability inclusive society.”
