Sodexo Support for LGBT Employees Earns Top Marks for the 8th Consecutive year on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index

Sodexo Earns 100 percent on Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Fourteenth Annual Scorecard and recognition as Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality

GAITHERSBURG, Md., – Sodexo, a leader in delivering integrated facilities management and food service operations, earned a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2016 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workplace equality. The survey is administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. 

Among its industry-leading efforts, Sodexo provides equivalent spousal and same-sex partner benefits, offers medical coverage for gender affirmation surgery and recognizes sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in its Equal Employment Opportunity Policy. The company also sponsors an LGBT employee business resource group and actively engages LGBT-certified vendors as part of its supplier diversity program. In addition, Sodexo continues to develop its managers to be more inclusive through innovative, award-winning resources like the LGBT Conversation Guide. 

“American workers still lack reliable employment protections in 29 states due to their sexual orientation; 32 states because of gender identity,” said George Chavel, president and CEO, Sodexo. “While the vast majority of Fortune 500 companies include sexual orientation and gender identity protections in their workplace policies, too many businesses do not, or they operate in states where such protections do not currently exist.”

Sodexo has committed its support for the passage of the Equality Act. The Equality Act is legislation proposed in the United States Congress that would establish explicit, permanent protections against discrimination based on an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity in matters of employment, housing, access to public places, federal funding, credit, education and jury service.

The 2016 CEI rated 1,027 businesses in the report, which evaluates LGBT-related policies and practices including non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs, and public engagement with the LGBT community. Sodexo’s efforts in satisfying all of the CEI’s criteria resulted in a 100 percent ranking and the designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality.

For more information on the 2016 Corporate Equality Index, or to download a free copy of the report, visit hrc.org/cei. 

Sam Wells

Director, Public Relations, Sodexo

About Sodexo North America

About Sodexo

Sodexo in North America 
Sodexo, Inc., leading Quality of Life services company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, delivers On-site Services in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government, and Remote Site segments, as well as Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation, an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $25 million in grants to end childhood hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at SodexoInsights.com. Visit Sodexo on Facebook and follow on Twitter @SodexoUSA.

Sodexo Group 
Founded in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the global leader in services that improve Quality of Life, an essential factor in individual and organizational performance. Operating in 80 countries, Sodexo serves 75 million consumers each day through its unique combination of On-site Services, Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services. Through its more than 100 services, Sodexo provides clients an integrated offering developed over nearly 50 years of experience: from food services, reception, safety, maintenance and cleaning, to facilities and equipment management; from Meal Pass, Gift Pass and Mobility Pass benefits for employees to in-home assistance and concierge services. Sodexo’s success and performance are founded on its independence, its sustainable business and financial model and its ability to continuously develop and to engage the commitment of its 420,000 employees throughout the world.

Contact

9801 Washingtonian Blvd Gaithersburg, MD 20878

301 987 4000

[email protected]

www.sodexousa.com