Pressing for Progress on Gender Equality
Our global gender balance strategy is a key driver in ensuring that both women and men have equal access to growth and opportunities in our workplace. Our research shows that gender-balanced teams perform better, and so we are working to have women represent at least 40 per cent of our leaders by 2025. This important goal won’t be met overnight, so we have established a gender strategy to help us to do this.
At Sodexo, we carry out a wide range of initiatives to achieve our commitments:
SoTogether, The Advisory Board for Gender Equality
The cornerstone of Sodexo’s gender strategy is SoTogether (formerly SWIFt), an advisory board dedicated to promoting women's advancement. The advisory board is made up of 28 women and 7 men from 17 nationalities who are dedicated to ensuring better gender balance at all levels of the organization. Its objectives are clear:
- Reach 40% women among Senior Leaders by 2025
- Increase the number of women in talent pipeline
- Increase the gender balance in management teams
- Increase the number of women in operations
- Create a culture of inclusion
Pressing for Progress on Gender Equality
In celebration of 2019 International Women’s Day, we are launching the SheWorks program, a Sodexo’s global day of job shadowing. This will connect women in the community with Sodexo employees in a one-day program to learn about Sodexo’s business and job opportunities.
For that occasion, Cathy Desquesses, Sodexo Chief People Officer and Rohini Anand, Senior Vice President Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer Sodexo, have engaged in a joint interview.
Over the past 20 years, as workplaces have become more gender balanced than ever before, one thing is clear: the numbers aren’t adding up.
A 50:50 ratio is not helping women achieve equal pay, climb the career ladder and reach leadership positions. Make no mistake, this isn’t only bad for the human condition — the quality of life for half the professional workforce — gender imbalance at the most senior levels is downright bad for business.
- Simon Seaton, CEO Onshore Energy and Head of Middle East at Sodexo, on Gender Balance, Gulf News.
Case study
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