Unit Code; 69EG4306 - Sustainable Development

Assignment One Sustainability Briefing Paper

Graeme Heyes 09978658

Sodexo UK & Ireland:

A model of sustainable growth?
Justification
of
Sodexos
sustainable development

Sodexo UK & Ireland; a model of sustainable growth?

organisational

commitments

towards

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Unit Code; 69EG4306 - Sustainable Development

Assignment One Sustainability Briefing Paper
Graeme Heyes 09978658

The concept of sustainable development (SD) has won global appeal due to its lack of a rigid, single definition.
The ambiguity of the term has allowed for general acceptance that something needs to be done to bring the world
out of poverty, whilst enhancing ecological conservation. While this wide acceptance was undoubtedly important
in the early stages of SD, there is a growing need for a deeper understanding of the concept. The vagueness of
the term means that it can be used for environmentally and socially undesirable policies (Connelly, 2007). This is
important in an age where scientific technique is an increasingly more powerful weapon in the legal culture of
appeal and decision making (ORiordan, 2000). It can also be argued that if an organisation does not know what
SD looks like, how can it reasonably be expected to achieve it?
In their 1997 paper titled Mapping out Fuzzy Buzzwords, Palmer et al tackles this ambiguity, their methods based
around the four key principles of SD identified by Mitchell (1995):
futurity
environment
equity
public participation
As Figure 1 shows, these principles are closely linked, the arrows reflecting how each component inter-relates
with all others (Palmer et al, 1995). This represents perhaps the clearest way of demonstrating the complexities of
the SD debate. It encompasses the need for protection of the environment, whilst considering intra- and
inter-generational equity, and illustrates the need for the social and cultural changes necessary to ensure
continued SD, via public participation.

Figure 1 The principles underlying sustainable development (adopted from Cooper, 1995)

This multi-faceted approach to SD provides more granularity, allowing the term to describe a range of approaches
to SD, both ecological and social in nature, allowing one to appreciate where they lie on the scale of the weak and
strong sustainability ideologies, summarised in Table 1.
Table 1; Detailing the differences between Weak and Strong Sustainable Development, developed by Daly
and Cobb (1989)
Based on non-declining natural capital, where human-made capital cannot
Strong Sustainability
substitute for natural capital (Dresner, 2002)
The worlds resources cannot be used to create wealth. Furthermore, there
must be equity in terms of quality of life both inter and intra generationally.
Built on a rule of non-declining total capital, where human-made capital can
Weak Sustainability
substitute for natural capital (Dresner, 2002)
Using resources to create wealth is acceptable. There is no focus on equity for
any generation.

Sodexo UK & Ireland; a model of sustainable growth?

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Unit Code; 69EG4306 - Sustainable Development

Assignment One Sustainability Briefing Paper
Graeme Heyes 09978658

By expanding the four key principles, Palmer et al created a means of mapping different perspectives on SD.
Each of the principles is graded from zero to five, with a higher number representing stronger commitment. Figure
2 illustrates how weak and strong sustainability fit into this map, weak sustainability clearly identifiable by limited
commitment to futurity and the environment. No acknowledgement is given to equity or public participation
whatsoever. Strong sustainability is recognisable by its attitudes to futurity, the environment and equity.

Figure 2 Charts mapping different kinds of commitment to sustainability (weak on the left, strong on the right).
(Adapted from Palmer et al, 1997)

Noticeable in each chart is a lack of public participation. This is important to note as public participation is a vital
step in bringing about the cultural shift necessary for SD to take place, ensuring widespread support for the
process of change (Palmer 1997).
The analytical strengths of Palmers model should make it an important tool for the corporate sector, helping
decision makers to understand where their actions put them on the SD debate, and to then compare this with the
desires of their stakeholders. A business may for example find that it is falling behind customer expectations and
thus amend policy and redirect resources towards more sustainable operations.
Does Palmers model work in the real world and is the assumption that public participation is lacking in the
corporate environment correct? It is to these areas that we now turn.

Case Study; Sodexo UK & Ireland

Sodexo UK & Ireland operate in the catering sector, with a 2008 annual turnover of 1.1 billion. The company
forms part of the Sodexo Group with a turnover 13.6 billion. Chapter one of the 2008 Group Annual Report is
titled The Sodexo star, a model of sustainable growth. So, to what lengths is this true of Sodexo UK & Ireland?
Sodexo UK & Irelands Corporate Citizenship Report 2009 lists several objectives pertaining to sustainability
(detailed in Table 2 and summarised below). Based on this information, it can be argued that Sodexo could be
mapped on the Palmer model as in below.

Figure 3 An attempt at mapping the commitments towards sustainable development by Sodexo UK & Ireland

Sodexo UK & Ireland; a model of sustainable growth?

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Unit Code; 69EG4306 - Sustainable Development

Assignment One Sustainability Briefing Paper
Graeme Heyes 09978658

Justification and recommendations

Whilst the report does not specifically mention SD, one of the companys strategic pillars is described as acting
as a corporate citizen through nutrition, environment, diversity and local communities. This illustrates that the SD
is taken into some consideration in decision making.
Environment
Sodexo have made several commitments towards reducing fuel and water usage, carbon dioxide emissions and
commercial waste. The company is going beyond compliance with regards to their supply chain, an area they
appear to be focused on performing well in, likely due to micro-social influences. Whilst this illustrates clear
commitment to the environment, many of the projects taking place are only happening at site level, leading to
limited results. Large scale implementation of some of the more successful win-win projects would bring about
greater results. Implementation of a business wide Environmental Management System, rather than a few sites is
vital to accomplish this.
Futurity
The environmental projects demonstrate the fact that Sodexo is looking towards the future. Whether the goal is t
legislative compliance, or an actual desire to operate sustainably, is unknown. Environmental learning and
development programs show Sodexo is attempting to build a knowledgebase into its workforce that is capable of
delivering on environmental agendas in the future. Further inclusion of SD issues in company decision making
would strengthen their performance in this area.
Equity
Sodexos mission statement states Our mission is to improve the quality of life for the people we serve. Local
and international community programs back this statement up and the company appears to understand a need to
eradicate poverty. Whilst this indicates a willingness to contribute to the wider society, the mission statement does
specifically identify the people we serve, i.e. customers and not the wider world. To become a leader in SD
greater emphasis should be placed on global equity.
Public Participation
Sodexo acknowledges that they are part of a society and accountable to many stakeholders; furthermore large
scale stakeholder engagement is evident. This suggests good public participation, highlighted by the development
of a suppliers packaging forum aimed at reducing waste and emissions from suppliers. The company does not
however engage with, or educate, the public on any issues directly relating to SD.
Summary
The Sodexo mapping clearly shows that public participation is an important part of their decision making process,
contrary to the suggestion of Palmer et al. This is no doubt due to the increasing micro and macro-social
influences regarding environmental issues since the publication of Fuzzy Buzzwords in 1997, and the realisation
in the corporate world that understanding the needs of stakeholders is vital to commercial success.
Sodexos approach to SD is better-rounded than the weak and strong sustainability ethics. Although they are not
operating at best practice in any area, they appear to be working towards this. Just as in the wider world,
corporate cultural change cannot happen overnight, particularly in a company of Sodexos size. It is for this
reason why it can be argued that Sodexo is a model of sustainable growth. They are not at best practice yet but
given time instigate appropriate internal changes and they may well be.

Sodexo UK & Ireland; a model of sustainable growth?

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Unit Code; 69EG4306 - Sustainable Development

Assignment One Sustainability Briefing Paper
Graeme Heyes 09978658
Word Count (excluding titles, tables, headings and bibliography); 1097
Table 2; Summarising evidence of commitments towards sustainable development
Evidence

Environment

Futurity

Recognition of the companys responsibility to the environment

Commitments to; reduce fuel consumption of vehicles by 8% below 2006 levels, reduce electricity usage by 7% below 2006
levels, reduce CO2 emissions by 12% by 2010, recycle or re-reuse 50% of waste.

Development of an environmental learning and development strategy

On-site employee engagement on environmental issues in the form of energy efficiency week at one office with resulting
out-of-working-hours energy consumption decrease of 14%

Environmental Management System (EMS) in place at several sites and ISO 14001 accreditation at two sites

Waste management systems with 54 managers trained in Environmental Management NVQ level 4.

Development of a carbon footprint model to monitor and reduce carbon output in the future

Energy efficiency; 23% of electricity from good quality combined heat and power

Local and regional sourcing of food stuffs

Food miles reduced through minimum orders and delivery consolidation

Supplier code of conduct on environmental standards

Sustainable procurement strategy across non-food services water, electricity, waste management

Commitment to reduce packaging by 15% by 2010 from a 2007 baseline

Sodexo Foundation, STOP Hunger and Fareshare programs to assist those living in poverty in the UK and Africa. Programs
both organisation and employee driven and include work with the public.

Equity

Public
Participation

Acknowledgement of the existence and importance of understanding the needs of a wide range of stakeholders

Effectively engaging with all stakeholders through a variety of mediums, the highlight being a suppliers packaging forum and
a subsequent commitment to 40+ packaging reduction initiatives

Clear labelling of food origin on products to give customers knowledge to make choices when making purchases

Unit Code; 69EG4306 - Sustainable Development

Assignment One Sustainability Briefing Paper
Graeme Heyes 09978658
Word Count (excluding titles, tables, headings and bibliography); 1097

Bibliography
Baker, S. Kousis, M. Richardson. And Young, S. (Eds) The Politics of Sustainable Development: Theory, Policy
and Practice within the European Union, Routledge, London (1997)
Connelly, S. Mapping Sustainable Development as a Contested Concept. Local Environment Vol.12, No. 3, 259278, (2007)
Dresner, S. The Principles of Sustainability. Earthscan Publications, London (2002).
ORiordan, T. Environmental Science for Environmental Management. (2000).
Palmer J. Cooper I. Van Der Vorst R. Mapping out fuzzy buzzwords Who sits where on sustainable
development. Sustainable Development, Vol 5. 87-93 (1997)
Sodexo Ltd Corporate Citizenship Report 2009. (2009) Available online (accessed 26th September 2009);
http://uk.sodexo.com/uken/corporate-citizenship/reports/reports.asp