Applicants with a disclosed criminal conviction who also meet the job criteria and pass the required screening will now be guaranteed an interview, giving them a vital opportunity to re-enter the workforce and rebuild their lives.
Several Sodexo sites have already embraced this initiative, successfully hiring individuals into a variety of roles across its food services and facilities management business and seeing the benefits first-hand. During the year to date, Sodexo has employed 96 people with disclosed criminal convictions.
Mark Goodyer, human resources director at Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: "At Sodexo, we believe in the power of second chances and the untapped potential within every individual, where all can belong, act and thrive.
“By guaranteeing interviews for people with disclosed criminal convictions, we are not just opening doors to employment within our business but also breaking down barriers to opportunity. This initiative reflects our commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce while making a meaningful impact on individuals, businesses and communities alike.”
Sodexo’s Starting Fresh programme was created to support more employers in proactively recruiting trained and qualified prison-leavers – from any prison, not just the six prisons operated by Sodexo.
In the last year, Sodexo’s Prison Employment Leads have placed more than 700 prison-leavers into sustainable employment in industries such as retail, hospitality and construction.