SODEXOS CORPORATE Citizenship Manager last night received the unique Business in the Community (BITC) “game changer” award for his contribution to responsible business.
BITC, which is celebrating its 30th year of campaigning on responsible business issues, launched the one-off ‘game changers’ accolade to honour inspirational individuals who have managed to raise standards and make a lasting impact on both the businesses where they operate and on the work, knowledge and capacity of BITC.
Thomas Jelley, who joined Sodexo in 2008, is corporate citizenship manager for the UK and Ireland business and co-author of Sodexo’s global sustainability strategy to 2020, the Better Tomorrow Plan. He is also administrator of the Sodexo Foundation, the registered charity established to provide a framework for strategic community investment as part of the company’s STOP Hunger initiative. Its objectives are to educate and provide relief from financial hardship in relation to health, nutrition and wellbeing through the provision of grants, goods and services.
BITC said the award is in recognition of all this work and the way Jelley has revolutionised the way corporate citizenship is viewed by Sodexo employees, placing an emphasis not only on core values and business operations, but the essential role external stakeholders play in the success of the business.
As a result of its 2020 plan, Sodexo has turned a corner in terms of the way in which it integrates responsible business practice into core business operations and reports on its progress.
“The Better Tomorrow Plan is a complex and challenging change management project which tests us on a daily basis, said Jelley. I have been working on it since it was first conceived in 2008 so being part of its progress has been the mainstay of my work for more than four years. Recognition as ‘game changer’ from BITC was a surprise which I am thrilled to accept. It is especially gratifying having changed careers to act on a strong conviction: corporate responsibility has been my own personal change management project since I decided to leave legal practice.”
