Sodexo wins Sourcing honour for its work promoting health and wellbeing

Sodexo, the world’s largest services company, was recognised for its commitment to promoting and providing health and wellbeing solutions as well as varied and balanced food options with reduced levels of salt, fat and sugar at the 2014 Health & Vitality Honours.

Sodexo was the recipient of the Sourcing honour for its approach to health and wellbeing which is now central to its business.

The company has its own Healthwise philosophy which along with its adoption of Government guidelines sees it on an ongoing basis, work with regulators and suppliers to reduce levels of salt, sugar and fat in its products and recipes.

In 2011, Sodexo became a founding partner of the UK Department of Health’s Public Health Responsibility Deal, and continues to support the ongoing development of the Responsibility Deal through its membership of the steering committee for the health at work network and the food network.

In August 2013 the company signed up to an additional nutrition pledge on calorie reduction and have committed to reducing levels of saturated fat. In total Sodexo has now signed up to all the food network pledges, as well as pledges related to Nutrition and Physical activity from other networks.

These include; –

Reduction of salt – Out of Home Calorie labelling – Removal of Artificial Trans Fats – Calorie Reduction – Promotion of Fruit and Vegetables – Reduction of Saturated Fat – Healthier staff restaurants – Physical activity in the work place

Claire Morris, marketing director at Sodexo said, “We are thrilled that the work we have done behind the scenes to improve the health and wellbeing of those we serve has been recognised.

We will continue with our work on improving the ingredients and products we use in our business, which goes hand in hand with our own Healthwise philosophy and the pledges to which we have signed for the Responsibility Deal.”

Some examples of the changes and subsequent savings made include:

 Switching from butter to Flora Buttery within around 2,400 recipes. For every 10,000kg of butter converted to Flora Buttery, Sodexo has inevitably removed 3,700,000g of saturated fat and saved 12,500,000 calories.

 By moving to 1% milk instead of semi-skimmed milk at all Sodexo offices, has taken away 4,346,173g of fat each year.

 By moving from 3g to 2.5g fair-trade sugar sachets reduces sugar levels by 5,077,250g each year.

 By switching sunflower spread to sunflower light, in 2013 a total saving of 8,126,000g of total fat and 191,200g of salt was made.

 Reduced salt and reduced sugar baked beans have been specified for use across the business.

 The size of salt sachets has been reduced by 2.5g which will result in a reduction of more than 45 tonnes of salt a year being consumed.

In addition to the above Sodexo has invested in a significant upgrade of its central database of recipes which now allows its catering staff to provide reports on the nutritional content of its dishes.

The Honours were hosted by nutritionist, writer, journalist, consultant and principle ambassador and judge of the Health & Vitality Honours, Amanda Ursell. Judges were Dr Susan Jebb, Chair of the Department of Health’s Public Health Responsibility Deal Food Network; Amanda Owen, Bupa’s Global Wellbeing, Health & Safety and Diversity Director; Professor John Stein from Oxford University; LACA chair Anne Bull and TUCO chair Julie Barker. The Health and Vitality Honours were organised by Foodservice Footprint Magazine and created to establish a platform for foodservice businesses to showcase healthy best practice.