Quality of life Sodexo

QUALITY OF LIFE

With new initiatives and developments in its drive to offer “quality of life” services, Sodexo continues to expand rapidly in Ireland and the UK. Abigail Saltmarsh reports.

Healthy workforces and solutions to improve the quality of daily life – Sodexo has a broad portfolio, which continues to expand as its services are increased and its offer improved. As a group, its divisions act as strategic partners for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and employee well-being across the world. Its aim is to continue to offer a new form of service business that contributes to the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates, as well as the fulfilment of its employees.

A world leader

The Sodexo group was founded by Pierre Bellon in 1966. By the early 1970s, international expansion had started with a contract in Belgium and then the development of the Remote Site Management business, first in Africa, then in the Middle East. By 2006, Sodexo was the world leader in food and facilities management services, and was able to look back on four decades of extraordinary growth – growth which transformed a small family business into a global market leader with €15.3 billion consolidated, 380,000 employees and 34,000 sites in 80 countries.

On-site solutions

In Ireland and the UK today, Sodexo designs, manages and delivers on-site service solu-

tions for its clients across a wide range of businesses, from corporate offices and factories to schools, hospitals and Ministry of Defence garrisons and prisons. Its solutions include services such as cleaning, security, reception and food-services to building maintenance, laboratory services, space management and technical services.

In Ireland, it operates at 214 sites across the country. Its head office in Dublin is supported by branches in Belfast and Cork and it employs about 2000 people.

New initiatives

In the UK, developments are also occurring at a pace. Recent moves include Sodexo relaunching its Healthworks offer and launching Horticultural Services, formerly known as Land Technology, which will help establish a stronger position in the market as a specialist provider of all external and internal grounds maintenance.

It has also re-launched the Delifresh range - its own brand of sandwiches, wraps, sub-rolls and paninis – to include calorie labelling and GDAs (guideline daily amounts) with a traffic light system that reinforces the nutritional value and has developed its first Student Survival Guide App, which is available now to download for iPhones and androids. New contracts

Contracts in both countries are being signed, taking Sodexo’s “quality of life” services to even more people. It has, for example, recently signed a new contract with Altrincham Grammar School for Girls in Cheshire, UK, worth more than £3.5m in total turnover. Sodexo will provide catering services at the school as well as cleaning, which it has been already providing for four years.

It has also won a 10-year deal to provide all horticultural services for Gosport Borough Council in Hampshire. This contract is worth more than £8 million.

Working in partnership

In another development, Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust have announced that Integrated Pathology Partnerships (iPP), a joint venture between Sodexo and Labco, is their preferred bidder to help them deliver improved pathology services across the county.

The collaboration between the Trusts and iPP, which is in the final stages of completion, will result in a joint venture under which they will deliver the full range of laboratory services together. Clinical interpretation and clinical advice functions will continue to be provided by the Trusts’ medical staff who will remain employed by the NHS. The partnership is expected to last 20 years.

Plans for a multi-million-pound state-ofthe-art laboratory in Taunton to house the new pathology service are already underway. It will be located on a brand new site near the M5 and designed to allow high quality and efficient processing of routine and non-urgent testing.

Long-term success

As the drive for growth continues at Sodexo, the company has appointed a new chief financial officer for its UK and Ireland business. Phil Andrew was most recently employed as managing director for Sodexo Justice Services, Sodexo’s prison business in the UK.

He will be responsible for leading the negotiation of complex contracts and will have a significant role to play in business and corporate development. Alongside Aidan Connolly, chief executive officer, he will seek further growth opportunities for the company.

Aidan Connolly said: “I am delighted to be welcoming Phil to his new role in which he will undoubtedly make a significant contribution to the long-term success of the UK and Ireland business.” n