Global services company Sodexo is a founding member of the Fair Chance Business Alliance and continues to play an active role in supporting the development of the Fair Chance Charter and the wider movement to normalise the recruitment and progression of people with criminal records.
Sodexo has fair and proportionate recruitment practices, such as Ban the Box, along with criminal record disclosure handled only where relevant and assessed on an individual, risk‑based basis.
Across six UK prisons, supporting around 7,000 prisoners, Sodexo works with prison leavers to provide skills, training and pathways, including its Starting Fresh programme, into meaningful employment, supporting successful reintegration into communities and helping to reduce the risk of reoffending.
Paul Anstey, chief executive of Government & Energy at Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: “As an organisation, we are uniquely positioned, combining our role as a prison operator with that of a large-scale employer. We’re proud to be the first organisation in the UK to achieve gold‑tier accreditation of the Fair Chance Charter.
“This recognition reflects our commitment in ensuring that fair chance principles are embedded across our entire business. We hope it sets a benchmark for employers across industry on what inclusive, responsible recruitment can look like in practice.”