Ethics & Business Integrity

Sodexo’s business integrity is central to everything we do. We are committed to providing our clients with Quality of Life services with the highest level of ethics and integrity. All of our employees—our leaders, executives, managers and front-line employees—are expected to adhere to these standards. We are all responsible.

– Sarosh Mistry, CEO, Region Chair for North America 

 

Promoting Integrity

To stay true to our principles and to keep ethics and business integrity at the forefront of our business, our approach is integrated, holistic, adaptive and constantly evolving. Sodexo promotes ethics and compliance on many different levels, in many different ways and treats them as living things that need vigilant attention and maintenance to grow.

Our Approach

• Set high ethical standards and expectations of our employees.
• Provide resources to support these expectations and our employees.
• Train, communicate and maintain awareness.
• Audit, monitor, analyze, assess, develop and evolve.
• Respect employees and provide an open environment.
• Live our mission, values and ethical principles.

Commitments

Sarosh Mistry, Region Chair North America and CEO, sets the tone for the ethics and compliance program. He actively communicates a commitment to conducting business with integrity and expects every manager to do the same.

Doing Business the Right Way

Uncompromising ethical standards are central to everything we do. We seek to do business with others who uphold the same standards. This translates to providing clients, customers and everyone with whom we do business with the highest quality of service—with excellence and integrity.

Compliance Office

The Office of Ethics, Compliance and Privacy is responsible for the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the Legal and Ethical Compliance Program. The compliance office continuously reviews and updates, as appropriate, program components.

The Ethics and Compliance Committee has oversight responsibility for the Legal and Ethical Compliance Program. The program was developed in alignment with the U.S. Federal Sentencing guidelines. It also has oversight responsibility for other company policies and procedures established to maintain legal, policy and ethical compliance, and to prevent business abuse.

Conduct

Business operations are conducted in accordance with uncompromising legal and ethical standards. We are clear about our expectations and provide employees with the right tools and resources to conduct proper business and to embody our values. We are also committed to communicating those expectations to those with whom we do business.

Operations and Strategies

Sodexo is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, the leading framework for ethical businesses. Operations and strategies are aligned with the Compact's ten universal principles for human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption.

Expectations

Employees are expected to maintain the highest standards of legal and ethical conduct. The ethics and compliance program is managed with the intent of supporting these expectations.

Employee and Management Support

Managers at all levels support the Legal and Ethical Compliance Program by being knowledgeable about the program, modeling appropriate behavior and maintaining an open door policy. Employees at all levels support the program by embodying Sodexo values and ethical principles every day.

People and Culture

Sodexo culture is rooted in our people and their understanding that ethical behavior and compliance with our policies and standards is integral to our success—as individuals, as a group and as a community. Consequently, we seek to hire people with integrity who value integrity.

Commitment To A Better Tomorrow

Better Tomorrow 2025 is our global commitment to sustainability and a roadmap for the future. It includes 9 commitments with measurable targets that we work toward achieving.

Ethical Conduct Policy

The Policy That Guides Us

The Ethical Conduct Policy is one of the cornerstones of the ethics and compliance program. It has been guiding us since the inception of Sodexo.

The Policy That Guides Our Relationships With Others

The Supplier Code of Conduct sets forth expectations of those with whom we conduct business. This code reflects our respect for people, the environment and for business integrity. We are committed to these principles and expect our contracted suppliers, and their suppliers throughout the supply chain, to conduct business with integrity.

Ethics and Compliance Every Day

Business integrity is embedded in our daily operations and interactions. Ethics and compliance encompasses a broad range of disciplines including finance, safety and health, supply management, information protection and privacy, federal government contracting, human resources and employee relations, and ethical conduct.

Finance

To maintain financial records carefully and accurately, there is an integrated financial compliance program covering accounting, auditing, internal controls and risk management. Consequently, we report financial conditions and results of operations honestly, promptly and in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and accounting.

Supply Management

We source the right portfolio of products and services to create value. We expect our supplier partners to be committed to the same high ethical standards we expect of ourselves.

Health and Safety

Good health and safety practices are critical to providing the right products and services to clients and customers. By providing continuous training and having auditing and monitoring processes in place, we are able to maintain a first rate safety program.

Food Safety

Providing high quality, safe food service is one of our highest priorities. Consequently, we continuously monitor the safety and security of our food supply and worldwide events and issues impacting food safety.

Information Security, Information Protection and Privacy

Sodexo is committed to protecting and safeguarding the information entrusted to us by our clients, customers, employees and others with whom we conduct business—as well as our own confidential, sensitive and proprietary information.

Federal Government Contracting

The compliance program we have implemented demonstrates our understanding of, and commitment to, the expectations of our Federal Government clients. We are also proud members of the Defense Industry Initiative and the only company of our kind that is a member.

Human Resources and Employee Relations

Employees are at the heart of improving Quality of Life for our clients, our customers and everyone with whom we do business in the communities we serve. Consequently, we are committed to complying with all applicable labor and employment laws and regulations, and to treating our employees with the utmost respect.
 

Reporting Ethics and Business Abuse Concerns—Ethics Line

The Ethics Line provides a way for employees, clients, vendors and the community to express their concerns about any Sodexo workplace activity that is illegal, unethical or unsafe. When contacting the Ethics Line callers have the option to remain anonymous.

Sodexo prohibits retaliation against anyone for making a good faith report of a suspected violation of a Company policy, unethical conduct or other business abuse.

Ethics Line: 800-422-7358
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.