A spokesman said Sodexo coffee outlets only serve Fairtrade, organic and Rain Forest alliance certified coffee supplied to them by United Coffee.
Sodexo Prestige has also launched the ‘premier cru bean’ which will be sold exclusively across its restaurants, cafes, offices and unique venues including Churchill War Rooms and leading international law firm Shearman & Sterling.
The spokesman added that the UK coffee market had seen sales double since 2005 to reach annual turnover of £2.1bn and the demand for great quality coffee in the workplace was higher than ever.
“By enrolling all catering staff on to the Barista School, Sodexo can ensure only high quality coffee is produced in the workplace, resulting in staff using catering facilities provided by Sodexo rather than venturing out on to the high street.
“The barista school programme involves an introduction to coffee, educating participants about how the growth of coffee beans depends on the soil type and about varieties of coffee available in its outlets.
“Staff will also be taught about the short shelf life of a bean, how they can lose freshness rapidly and how to counteract this.”
Across the company’s London sites all coffee machines are being calibrated to produce a shot of coffee containing 18 grams, much higher than most in the industry, meaning that each customer gets more coffee per shot without any increase in price.
The aspiring Prestige baristas are also being taught how to treat coffee beans with respect, to use correct techniques for heating milk and how to create the best latte finish.
After completing the first day of training, participants receive a certificate and a Prestige Guide to Coffee and will go on to take part in the second round, focussing on front of house training.
Staff will then hope to take their new-found skills to the barista challenge at the Sodexo UK Salon Culinaire in October.