Sodexo facts for kids
 |
|
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Formerly
|
Société d'Exploitation Hotelière |
|---|---|
| Société Anonyme | |
| Traded as | Euronext Paris: SW CAC Next 20 component |
| Industry | Food Service |
| Founded | 1966 in Marseille, France |
| Founder | Pierre Bellon |
| Headquarters |
,
France
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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| Services | Foodservice, facility management, service vouchers |
| Revenue |  €28.12 billion (2023) |
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Operating income
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€699 million (2023) |
| €137 million (2023) |
|
| Total assets | €18.99 billion (2023) |
| Total equity | €3.17 billion (2023) |
|
Number of employees
|
522,000 (2023) |
| Subsidiaries | Sodexo Justice Services Sodexo USA |
Sodexo is a big French company that helps run things smoothly for many organizations. It provides services like preparing meals and managing buildings. Its main office is in Issy-les-Moulineaux, near Paris, France.
As of 2023, Sodexo had 522,000 employees. It works in 55 countries around the world. Every day, it serves about 100 million customers. Sodexo is the second largest company of its kind in Europe.
In 2023, Sodexo earned €28.1 billion in revenue. Its operating profit was €699 million. The company's value in the market was €11.5 billion in October 2023.
Sodexo works with many different places. These include private companies, government offices, and schools. They serve students from preschool to university. They also work with hospitals, care homes for seniors, and military bases. Sodexo even helps manage some prisons. For example, its branch, Sodexo Justice Services, helped run services in 122 prisons in eight countries in 2016.
Contents
The Story of Sodexo
How Sodexo Started
Sodexo was started in 1966 by Pierre Bellon in Marseille, France. At first, it was called Société d'Exploitation Hotelière. This means "Hotel Services Corporation" in English. The company began by serving meals in company restaurants, schools, and hospitals. Today, Sodexo is one of the biggest companies in the world. It is also the second largest employer among French international companies.
Growing Around the World
Throughout the 1970s, Sodexo grew a lot. It expanded across France and then to other countries. First, it went to Belgium, then to Africa, and later to the Middle East. In 1983, Sodexo offered its shares to the public on the Paris Bourse (stock exchange). After that, it continued to grow into North America, South America, Japan, South Africa, and Russia.
In 1994, Sodexo began working in India. As of 2023, Sodexo India has over 40,135 employees. Its main office is in Mumbai.
Big Changes and Mergers
In 1997, the company's main holding group changed its name to Sodexho. It also teamed up with Universal Ogden Services. This company was a top provider of services in remote areas in the U.S.
On January 11, 1995, Sodexo S.A. bought a food company called Gardner Merchant Ltd.
In 1998, Sodexho joined with Marriott Management Services. Marriott was one of the biggest food service companies in North America at the time. This partnership helped Sodexho become one of the largest food service providers in the United States. In 2001, Sodexho took full control of Sodexho Marriott Services.
Sodexho was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2002. However, the company removed its listing in 2007. As of 2017, Sodexo's shares are traded on Euronext Paris.
In 2006, Sodexho made a deal with Magic Johnson. He is a famous retired basketball player and a businessman. They formed a new company called SodexhoMAGIC, LLC. Magic Johnson owned 51 percent of this new company.
In 2007, Sodexho started its catering service in schools in the United Kingdom. They used the brand name "For you...".
A New Name: Sodexo
In 2008, Sodexho changed its name to Sodexo. They dropped the letter 'h' to make the name easier to say in many languages. The company's logo also changed from five stars to just one star.
In August 2009, Sodexo bought Comfort Keepers. This company provides non-medical care for adults and seniors at home. It is a worldwide franchise system.
In 2010, Sodexo was ranked number one by DiversityInc. This is a leading group that checks how well companies manage diversity.
Also in 2010, Sodexo started two new partnerships. One was with United Coffee, which supplies coffee machines and fair-trade coffee. The other was with Numi, for organic teas.
In 2011, Sodexo signed an eight-year contract with the U.S. government. Under this contract, Sodexo provides food services to 51 United States Marine Corps dining halls.
Company Leaders
In 2005, Michel Landel became the Chief Executive Officer. He took over from Pierre Bellon, who remained the Chairman of the Board.
In January 2016, Lorna C. Donatone became the head of Sodexo's North American business. She also became the CEO of its school operations worldwide.
In 2018, Denis Machuel replaced Michel Landel as CEO.
After Pierre Bellon passed away in 2022, his daughter Sophie Bellon took over his roles. She became both the chairwoman of the board and the CEO.
In February 2025, Michael Svagdis was named CEO for campus and government services in the U.S.
What Sodexo Does
Sodexo offers many services. These include:
- Food services: They run staff restaurants, provide catering, and offer vending machines. They also deliver meals.
- Building management: This includes "soft services" like reception, cleaning, and managing waste. It also includes "hard services" like taking care of heating and cooling systems, electrical systems, and plumbing. They also manage projects and equipment maintenance.
Payment Services
Sodexo also provides payment services using vouchers and cards. These services are partly supported by Freedompay.
Animal Welfare Efforts
Sodexo works with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). They have been partners since 2010. Their goal is to make their supply chain more environmentally friendly. Sodexo aims to get all its fish and seafood from sustainable sources by 2025.
Sodexo has also promised to use only pork from pigs that can move freely by the end of 2025. This means no more pigs kept in small gestation crates. They have started to buy pork from farms that follow these rules.
In 2016, Sodexo said it would get all its eggs from cage-free hens by 2025. Organizations like the International Council for Animal Welfare (ICAW) are working to make sure Sodexo keeps this promise.
See also
In Spanish: Sodexo para niños
