Sodexo Wins Outie Award for Workplace Excellence at Out & Equal

Oct 8, 2018 9:00 AM ET

GAITHERSBURG, Md., October 4, 2018 /3BL Media/ — Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to Quality of Life, announced today that it has won an Outie Award for Workplace Excellence at the Out & Equal Workplace Summit in Seattle. This award recognizes Sodexo for the organization’s historic and ongoing commitment to pursuing and executing workplace inclusion and equality for LGBT employees.

“We are so proud of this recognition, which pays homage to our work in advocating for and advancing workplace equality for LGBT employees at Sodexo,” said Rolddy Leyva, VP, Global Diversity & Inclusion, Sodexo.  “The Workplace Excellence award serves an important milestone in our journey toward inclusion and equality for LGBT individuals around the world.”

Sodexo’s commitment to workplace excellence through diversity & inclusion is reflected in a comprehensive suite of LGBT-focused initiatives including Sodexo’s global employee business resource group--People Respecting Individuality, Diversity and Equality (PRIDE)-- whose mission is to advance LGBT awareness and inclusion across Sodexo’s global footprint. Led by PRIDE, Sodexo developed “Connecting Through Stories,” a 90-minute session for LGBT employees and their allies to learn how to tell their stories in ways that foster understanding, acceptance and action.  Additionally, in 2013 Sodexo produced an LGBT Conversation Guide, available in four languages, to help facilitate constructive manager/employee dialogue on LGBT issues and topics in the workplace.

Sodexo is an award-winning employer and is consistently recognized by notable publications for its leadership in diversity & inclusion. This year, Sodexo was named a Top Company for LGBT employees by DiversityInc for the second consecutive year. Additionally, Sodexo earned a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2018 Corporate Equality Index, marking its 10th consecutive year earning a 100 percent ranking and a designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.

The Out & Equal Outie Awards are presented at the Out & Equal Workplace Summit, a three-day conference featuring workshops, panels, community advisory roundtables, networking mixers, and inspirational plenaries focused on building community and advancing LGBT awareness, inclusion and development in the workplace.   Sodexo is proud of its longstanding relationship with Out & Equal and is a Presenting Sponsor of the 2018 Workplace Summit and co-sponsor of the Night Out, held at the Seattle Aquarium, a Sodexo Sports and Leisure account.  

About Out & Equal
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates is the world’s premier nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer workplace equality. The organization partners with Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies to provide executive leadership development, comprehensive training and consultation, and professional networking opportunities that build inclusive and welcoming work environments.

About Sodexo North America
Sodexo North America is part of a global, Fortune 500 company with a presence in 72 countries. Sodexo is a leading provider of integrated food, facilities management and other services that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life for millions of customers in corporate, education, healthcare, senior living, sports and leisure, government and other environments daily. The company employs 150,000 people at 13,000 sites in all 50 U.S. states and Canada and indirectly supports tens of thousands of additional jobs through its annual purchases of $9.2 billion in goods and services from small to large American businesses. Sodexo is committed to supporting diversity and inclusion and safety, while upholding the highest standards of corporate responsibility and ethical business conduct. In support of local communities across the U.S., the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation has contributed close to $32 million over the past 20 years to help feed children in America impacted by hunger. To learn more about Sodexo, visit SodexoUSA.comSodexoInsights.com and connect with us on FacebookInstagramLinkedInTwitter and YouTube.