Our ethical principles:
For 50 years, Sodexo's ethical principles have deeply united our teams around the world and are a major strength compared to our competitors.
- Loyalty: Sodexo places trust at the heart of its relationships with both clients and employees.
- Respect for people: Sodexo values respect, dignity and consideration for all people regardless of their background, age, gender, beliefs and life choices.
- Transparency: We ensure that our customers, employees and shareholders are informed accurately and clearly about our products and services.
- Business integrity: With an international presence, Sodexo condemns all practices that are not based on honesty, integrity and fairness.
All of our ethical principles are set out in our Code of Conduct, "Business Integrity Guide". Its role is to ensure integrity in the conduct of our business.
This Code reflects the practices imposed by responsible business conduct. Each employee understands and shares this commitment to the fight against corruption and unfair competition.
In the interest of constant progress, Sodexo is a member of major associations and institutes and refers to their expertise:
- Institute of Business Ethics
- Business Ethics Circle
- European Business Ethics Network
In 2011, Sodexo decided to appoint a Group Ethics Officer, who is reporting to the Group Chief Executive Officer, to promote our ethical principles and disseminate our responsible business conduct program. Indeed, all our employees are made aware of the principles of integrity and good practices promoted in our "Business Integrity Guide".
Ethics & Compliance Committee
At Sodexo, we have chosen to set up an ethics and compliance committee to ensure responsible business conduct. Since 2010, the members of this ethics committee have been gathering at quarterly meetings, which also include members of Executive Committee.
The Ethics and Compliance Committee is composed of people from various teams:
- Ethics
- Human Ressources
- Corporate Responsibility
- Legal
- Internal control
- Internal audit
- Supply management
Its main missions:
- Reviewing and making recommendations to deploy an “Ethics and Compliance culture” throughout the Group
- Reviewing and making recommendations as the design of global compliance programs, based on Group risk mapping and local existing program
- Validating and cascading group policies and other procedures
- Identifying and analysing ethics and compliance matters which require implementation of specific procedures
- Animating the regional network of Ethics and Compliance Committees
- Ensuring coordination and coherence of deployment of Ethics programs among all countries
- Reviewing any other specific issues brought to the attention of the Committee
Responsible Business Conduct Program: We Are All Responsible
Our Responsible Business Conduct integrity program is based on three pillars:
- Sodexo communicates its founding principles and values and encourages its employees to follow them at all levels of the group
- Sodexo raises awareness among all its employees through various training campaigns related to responsible business conduct
- Sodexo Speak Up Ethics Line offers Sodexo employees and partners a confidential way to report activities or behaviors that are contrary to our Code of Conduct or illegal. All reports will be carefully reviewed by Sodexo.