Intentional innovation to support the military

Sodexo helps ministries and agencies find new and better ways to support their missions. We support innovation for military management services that is purposeful, thoughtful, and methodical – in order to deliver expected outcomes while controlling costs and risks. Sodexo’s quality of life approach to innovation is guided by mission requirements, consumer preferences, performance metrics and data-driven adaptation. Our goal for innovation is the same as yours: to align to your key priorities and challenges whether that be education, health and fitness or recruitment and retention of service personnel.

Phase 1: Collect data and input

Innovation is always a means, never an end. We start by defining the outcome we intend to realize. We assess the current situation. We seek the perspectives of stakeholders that innovation will affect. We identify compliance requirements. To support the US Marine Corps, Sodexo developed a smartphone app that puts easy-to-understand, nutritional information in every Marine’s pocket. As we developed the new Charge app, we considered:

• Consumer insights to maximise adoption with features USMC personnel find highly useful
• Mission requirements to prioritize capabilities that had the greatest impacts on outcomes
• Budget and operational realities to ensure we stayed within cost, time and security constraints

Phase 2: Design, deliver and test

Innovation can take many forms, including process optimization, emerging technologies or entirely new strategies driven by unique requirements. In each case, we apply an iterative approach and best practices based on our global experience. To help the UK Defense Infrastructure Organization (DIO) positively impact their recruitment and retention goals, we developed a solution to drive a sense of belonging and create a community that was inclusive for all at Worthy Down Station. We partnered with the Station to:

• Deploy a joint vision for building community and connections among personnel
• Design the Village with zones incorporating a restaurant, café, bar, micro theatre and gaming area
• Incorporate technology, evens and activities that boost morale by reducing isolation and boredom

Phase 3: Operate, manage, assess and adapt

Innovation is never done. As we operate and manage a facility, we monitor our key performance indicators (KPIs) and feedback from consumers. Based on this data we work continuously to enhance our impact on people and communities and to sustain successful outcomes for our customer. We’ve deployed our WasteWatch powered by LeanPath program, a military food waste management solution, at many of our government sites. With WasteWatch we:

• Make it easy to capture food waste data at key points throughout a food service facility 
• Detect and eliminate process issues that contribute to food waste, inefficiencies and higher costs
• Save millions for our customers by reducing wasted food, energy, emissions and staff time

Want to learn more about how we help ministries and agencies do business?

Defence services