Let’s Talk Social Value - Social Impact
Sodexo and Their Social Impact Approach
Sodexo is a global leader in food services and facilities management, employing over 30,000 people in the UK and Ireland. With a deep commitment to social impact, Sodexo embeds social value into its core operations rather than treating it as an add-on. Instead of running isolated projects, they integrate social value across their services, ensuring a lasting and meaningful impact.
Their Director of Social Impact, Angela Halliday, plays a key role in guiding the company’s approach. Rather than delivering social impact directly, Angela acts as an internal consultant - educating, enabling, and empowering Sodexo’s workforce to drive change. Her philosophy revolves around the “Four E’s”: Educate, Engage, Enable, and Empower, ensuring social impact is the responsibility of all employees, not just a single department.
Listen in to explore key insights, including:
Why embedding social value into business operations is more effective than standalone projects.
How Sodexo measures social impact beyond numbers.
The commercial benefits of social impact, from employee retention to brand reputation.
How companies can create inclusive hiring practices to tap into underutilized talent pools.
In this episode, Angela Highlights:
Measuring social impact is complex, and while data collection is important, numbers alone don’t tell the full story. By focusing on lived experiences rather than just statistics, they ensure that their social value efforts are making a tangible difference.
As a Ban the Box employer, they actively recruit individuals with criminal records, offering guaranteed interviews where possible. This approach not only helps reduce reoffending rates but also unlocks untapped talent, bringing valuable skills into the workforce.
Social value requirements in public procurement have influenced Sodexo’s journey, but their commitment goes beyond compliance. Rather than treating social value as a contractual obligation, they apply a “baseline offering” to all clients, regardless of whether it’s explicitly required. Angela also calls for more flexibility and early engagement in public sector procurement, allowing suppliers to co-create solutions that better serve communities.
“We don’t do social impact projects - we embed it into everything we do. If you treat social impact as an add-on, you’ll never create lasting change.”
Find out more:
Creating Lasting Social Value at Scale.
The evolving role of social value in both public and private sector bids.
Common challenges bidders face – and how to overcome them.
What makes a compelling social value bid response.
What’s Next?
Sodexo launched its Social Impact 2030 Pledge, setting long-term commitments in four key areas: people, places, planet, and partners. By refining their focus and aligning social impact with business goals, they aim to drive even greater change over the next five years.
Find out more about Sodexo’s Social Impact 2030 Pledge and their commitment to meaningful, measurable social value in business.
Need Social Value Support?
Samtaler works with organisations to strengthen social value delivery, strategy, and bid performance. Whether you’re just starting out or want to boost your scores, we’re here to help. 📧 hello@samtaler.co.uk
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