Connexions Philippines 10 years

Hello and welcome to the first issue of our FY24 newsletter!

This new Fiscal Year, Sodexo Philippines stands at the threshold of fresh opportunities and possibilities as it marks its 10th anniversary in the country. This is a significant milestone in our decade-long journey to provide quality-of-life services to our expanding customer base, and a celebration of the strength of our partnerships with various clients and stakeholders that has sustained our business over the years.

Let us take a moment to reset, refocus and reaffirm our commitment to greater excellence, reinforce the zero-harm mindset, aim for sustainable growth, and achieve even greater heights in the months ahead.

Together, let us harness the power of Team Spirit, navigate challenges with agility and grace, create greater positive impact and never forget to celebrate victories along the way.

Cheers to a great new Financial Year 2024!

 

Message from the Managing Director

Dear Colleagues,

With great pleasure, I announce that our company has had a fantastic financial year 2023, with outstanding results that met all expectations. I express my gratitude for your hard work and dedication throughout the year. Our success is a direct result of the tireless efforts and commitment of each of you.

 

 

 

 

 

We kicked off the new financial year with a Town Hall that gathered the Senior Leaders and Managers from different job families both in-person and virtually to reinforce the company's culture of open communication, and our commitment to our shared goals and values.

Paul Debaprateem together with the Country Leadership Team (CLT) addressed the Town Hall, expressing his gratitude for the team’s dedication and their contributions to the company’s success in FY23. He also shared about Sodexo’s Ambition, fostering a sense of shared purpose and alignment within the organization.

Meanwhile, Samir Vithlanie, CFO, and Ross Torio, Head of Commercial Finance and Growth Support, presented a full overview of the company’s performance highlighting our key achievements, financial results, and growth opportunities. Hats off to all the teams for hitting our FY23 overall targets! We look forward to continued growth, innovation, and success as we move forward together.

Together with the Country Leadership Team (CLT), Paul took a moment to engage with employees, expressing his appreciation for the team’s efforts and contributions to the company’s achievements in the recent financial year.

Paul highlighted that Sodexo’s journey in the coming year will be marked by the pursuit of new financial milestones, forging stronger partnerships, fostering the growth of employees, and elevating client experiences.

 

 

 

 

Welcome the two newest members of the Country Leadership Team.

 

We kick off FY24 with the launch of a global initiative to supercharge our safety performance: the Zero Harm Mindset program. This is an invaluable opportunity to inspire and empower employees with knowledge and tools, and ultimately contribute to a real step change in safety performance within Sodexo. We count on your engagement to reach 100% by the end of FY25.

October 10 is World Mental Health Day!

In APAC, Sodexo celebrated this occasion all month long to demonstrate our continuous journey of collaboration and empowerment, working towards shaping a better every day for everyone.

QHSE Program Manager APAC, Erika Dalangin, emphasized the crucial role of Psychological Safety and a Zero Harm Mindset in promoting good mental health.

A simple first step is to know and share your personal "why" and expressing your dedication to safety - a fundamental first step in cultivating a proactive safety culture. Watch the video.

 

 

This November, SuccessFactors will replace Ingenium for all talent and performance related activities, including setting your objectives, performing the year-end review, and giving and receiving feedback.

We are also launching a new HR portal Access, where you can find HR resources. Watch the video from Anusoorya and Aniruddh to learn more about these exciting developments.

 

With great pride, we welcomed new accounts into our portfolio. These achievements reflect our commitment to exceptional quality of services. We are excited about these new partnerships, and we are fully committed to delivering exceptional results and contribute to their success. These new wins reinforce our position as a leader in the industry and showcase our dedication to providing top-notch solutions. Hats off to our exceptional team members whose hard work and expertise made this victory possible.

 

HR Recruitment Drive in Iloilo City.

The government center of the Western Visayas region, Iloilo City is a thriving business landscape, which provides an important function in trade and commerce, education, research and tourism. Sodexo's newest site in Iloilo helps create job opportunities for its local citizens, thus contributing to its local economy. To our HR team, well done for the successful recruitment drive.

Celebrating a Remarkable Global Win!

Our warmest congratulations to our colleagues from Division 3 for bringing home the Innov Challenge - Global Food Waste and Innovation award!

Pictured: Rohan Kichlu, Division Director and Mark Marcelo represented Sodexo PH in the Global Innov Challenge held in Paris, France. They presented the concept, Grease to Goodnes, a local initiative that transforms waste oil into soap which is then distributed to underserved communities like Tondo.

An average of 540 litres of used oil is generated in our site kitchens every month. Used oil cannot be disposed down the drains as it may cause clogs. Used oil has to be hauled from our sites, generating carbon emissions. By using inexpensive oil solidifiers, transportation of used oil can be reduced or even eliminated. To promote circularity, the used oil can further be utilised as compost to grow plants. Kitchens can avoid clogged sinks and pipes that take time and cost money to repair.

Congratulations to the team: Mark Marcelo, Aionvon Recto, Larice Adem and Dana Imbing for this incredible achievement and your contributions to the organization. Here’s to many years of sustainable growth.

We planted trees to offset carbon emissions. This initiative was spearheaded by HSE team in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Our teams visited the province of Silang in Cavite, on a drive to harness the climate-fighting power of trees to alleviate carbon emissions. As part of this environmental program, we have initially planted 100 seeds and we look forward to planting more for a greener future. The activity reinforced employee engagement, fostering a sense of unity, and demonstrating Sodexo’s commitment to a #BetterTomorrow.

To learn more about our team's CSR activities, click here.

 

CLT Engagement with Farmers

Amidst the busy schedules, some members of the Country Leadership Team together with our NGO partner, AGREA, visited a farming community to engage personally with the farmers in Majayhay, Laguna.

Paul Debrapateem, Managing Director and Baltazar Lajom II, Supply Director, addressed the local farmers, highlighting the company’s strong position to empowering women, providing employment opportunities, and supporting small local businesses. The CLT’s recent engagement activity demonstrates our commitment to empowering the local community.

A remarkable Servathon 2023!

Our Servathon this year was truly a game changer! For the first time, we organized it across four locations, partnering with several NGOs to support their beneficiaries, especially the underprivileged children. We are immensely proud of our teams for generously sharing their time and resources to make a positive impact on the lives of those in need. The team's volunteering efforts and generous contributions did not only fuel the annual Servathon program but also served as a beacon of hope for the targeted beneficiaries. Click here to know more:

We recognize the importance of having good nutrition. It is not just about eating for physical health but also for overall wellbeing. Proper nutrition can impact mental health and emotional health, energy levels and even longevity. Therefore, making informed and balanced food choices is a key component of a healthy lifestyle.

Last July, we marked the Nutrition Month in alignment with the National Celebration for Nutrition. Miko Daos, RND, delivered a talk, inspiring consumers to develop good eating habits and healthy lifestyles.

Celebrity chef Bruce Lim also conducted a cooking demonstration featuring plant-based meals that illustrated his passion for good food inspired by locally sourced ingredients and culinary skills. Chef Bruce did not only showcase his culinary skills but also engaged with the audience, answering questions, and sharing knowledge about sustainable eating. His passion and expertise were evident, leaving the audience with the exciting flavors of plant-based food.

Great news! We have hit a good mark in the Voice Survey 2023, and we're pleased to see how aligned our employees feel with our mission, vision, and values.

The 2023 Voice survey helped the senior leaders in the organization identify steps towards improving employee satisfaction by revisiting our policies and processes, making them more people-centric, and creating various employee engagement activities to enhance our productivity, health, safety, and emotional well-being. This remarkable result we achieved in FY23 is a testament to the exceptional talent we have within the organization.

Now let's take a moment to look back on the highlights of this year's engagement activities that showcased our Team Spirit!

Building stronger teams together!

Our diverse teams took the weekend away from the city to have a nice break from regular work to bond together, be recognized for their hard work, and become more aware about our country roadmap and ambition for FY24. The teambuilding activity was also a way to enhance our wellbeing and to demonstrate the 3 pillars of our Employee Value Proposition (EVP): Belong. Act. Thrive.

We marked our achievements with delicious food and a live band, creating a vibrant atmosphere of celebration and enjoyment. Memories were created, bonds were strengthened — indeed a testament to the power of unity and collaboration. Let's carry this momentum forward. Watch the video.

The team spirit each of us brought to our engagement activities was truly inspiring. Together, we embraced challenges, built stronger connections, and fostered a sense of unity.

Embracing the Team's Uniqueness

In support of the LGBTQ+ community, we continue to create an environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging and feels valued internally and outside the workplace.

The joyful colors of the rainbow indeed provide an impressive backdrop for celebrations marking the PRIDE Month 2023 across our food sites. It shows our commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ community, their beautiful identities, dignity, and equality within the company. The celebration was highlighted with the kickboxing activity held at Ayala Triangle Park, in partnership with our HMO, Medicard. Watch the video

 

Get ready to celebrate a decade of success, growth and unforgettable memories with our clients! On this important occasion, Sodexo PH will put the spotlight on our people and clients whose dedication, commitment and loyalty to the company have brought us to where we are today!

 

Returning for its fourth run, the 2023 APMEA People’s Award recognizes individuals and teams who demonstrate Sodexo’s core values as well as uphold Sodexo EVP pillars to meet and/or exceed financial (excluding any local or Government subsidies and tax reliefs), client service, efficiency, and innovation target.

The 2023 APMEA People's Award will be announced at the APMEA Senior Leaders Conference to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Good luck to our nominees!

Have a Safe Day Award is back!

Sodexo will recognize our teams that have made significant contributions to improving our Zero Harm Mindset culture and performance in people safety. Who will travel to Paris in 2024? Stay tuned.

 

 

Cyber Awareness Campaign

Cyber awareness campaign will be kickstarted and rolled out in the weeks to come to protect Sodexo and our employees from cyber-attacks. Stay tuned.