Within Sodexo, our network SoTogether was established to motivate female employees to take up greater challenges at work and pursue the career path they desire. And within the communities where we operate, Sodexo helps empower women from disadvantaged backgrounds to sustain a respectable livelihood.

Sophie Bellon, Chairwoman, Sodexo BoardWe believe that gender balance fosters creativity and innovation, and ultimately drives better business results. When women reach their full potential, business and society are stronger and more successful.

Sophie Bellon, Chairwoman, Sodexo Board

Denis Machuel, Chief Executive Officer, SodexoGender diversity is essential. It is beyond a moral obligation—it’s a business imperative and differentiator. At Sodexo, greater diversity and inclusiveness are part of a cultural transformation that requires time and humility.

Denis Machuel, Chief Executive Officer, Sodexo

Sodexo Gender Balance Study 2018

Our 2018 Gender Balance Study aimed to test the performance implications of a gender-inclusive work culture, as opposed to a culture in which one gender dominates over the other. 

We took a broad approach and cast a wider lens by examining women across all levels of management. Data was collected and analysed from over 50,000 managers from 70 entities worldwide. Management teams from a diverse range of functions, ranging from top leadership to site management, were all included. 

Sodexo’s previous research suggests that optimal outcomes when management teams have a gender ratio of 40% - 60% women, and this ratio was used in our 2018 study to define gender-balanced management. Other than measuring financial performance, we also examined non-financial business indicators as outcomes.

Here’s what we found