Sodexo employs over 1000 staff at numerous venues across Scotland where it provides catering and other services to a range of public and private sector bodies including schools, hospitals, remote sites, courts and sports venues.
The results of the employee engagement survey carried out by specialists Learnpurple found that 70% of Sodexo Scotland employees strongly agreed that the company had good management, and 67% strongly agreed the business was committed to fairness and teamwork.
Nicola McKay, human resource manager at Sodexo Scotland, said: "I am absolutely delighted to have won this award three years running. It shows the dedicated commitment that we give to the learning, development and well-being of our employees in Scotland.”
Ian Burke, director of Caterer.com, which sponsored the awards at Edinburgh’s Prestonfield House Hotel, said: “The comments that were submitted by employees in this year’s awards remind you of why hospitality is such a wonderful place to work. They also create excellent testimonials for each employer to share with future employees. After all hospitality isn't about a 9-5 day job, each day is different and memories are created for both the customers and team members.”
John Howie joined Sodexo in the lowly position of kitchen porter at the age of 16. In October, although working in the contract catering sector at the Thales optronics plant in Glasgow, Howie, 30, made it to the final of the Craft Guild of Chefs Chef of the Year competition, where he was up against seven of the UK’s most talented cooks.
He said: “Sodexo have been extremely supportive of me throughout this.” Howie’s boss, Sodexo Prestige in Scotland account manager at Thales UK, Jim Doolan, said: “John started right at the bottom a kitchen porter. For a contract caterer to reach that kind of level in competition with chefs of this calibre is a remarkable achievement.”