My words of the year

What's the common thread between the terms “femicide” and “climate emergency”? Both have been declared “words of the year,” the first by French dictionary Le Petit Robert, the second by Oxford Dictionaries. How will each of us remember 2019? What are our words of the year? Which words will inspire us to build the world of tomorrow?

“Local”: that's an important word for me. By eliminating distances, technology is making local engagement more and more valuable. I observe this regularly when visiting the sites where our teams operate. A major part of our value clearly lies in the proximity of our teams, their daily presence right there with our clients and consumers. To go even further, we are actively contributing to the creation of new local ecosystems, for example a social innovation project in Clichy-sous-Bois, a disadvantaged urban area outside Paris. Partnering with various local players - city hall, representatives from the region, local associations and companies - our teams have designed and developed a unique community center around a fruit & vegetable transformation unit. Our goal is to build an inclusive new economic model with a triple impact on employment, health and social cohesion. 

Another challenge, another word: “connection” matters very much to me. It's the heart of our teams' work. Every day, their words and actions, and the care they provide, improve quality of life for our employees, clients and consumers. One example that comes to my mind is Angela, whom I met last September. She runs a call center that we manage in South Carolina. Angela and her team answer 720,000 calls per year. By offering individual coaching, dance, relaxation and much more, Angela makes sure that every employee is able to give their very best. Her results are clear: 98% of calls are processed in under one minute, while team commitment has risen to 99%. These encounters have strengthened my belief that tomorrow, even more than today, value will come from connections, not possessions.

This leads me to a third word, and one of my primary concerns: “value.” I'm thinking of our service professions. Unfortunately, they are not widely understood. They suffer from an undeservedly negative image in some countries, so much so that it's becoming harder and harder to recruit new talent. However, the need is growing. According to INSEE (the French Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies), by the year 2050 one out of every three people in France will be over 60. We will clearly need more nurses, therapists and caregivers. We must make these professions, and the entire service sector, more attractive. It’s one of the most important battles I will take on in the coming year. Sodexo serves 100 million consumers every day, and it's our goal to serve one billion per day in the future. We need to show the value of these professions, and the positive economic and social contributions they make.

I want to share one final word: “sustainability.” This term continues to be vital when thinking about the future, especially when it comes to food, which is at the heart of so many challenges – whether social, environmental or health-related. To meet these challenges, let's commit to making the right choices, a sine qua non for promoting healthy meals that preserve natural resources and support social balance. The restaurant that we developed in 2019 with fashion giant Inditex in Arteixo, Spain, is a good example. The menu is made up of 65% local products from short supply chains, often coming directly from the farm, including over 40 organically farmed products.

Without our 470,000 employees, these would be nothing but empty words. What gives them meaning and life is the extraordinary commitment shown by these women and men every single day. That's why I want to warmly thank them for the work they do every day. They have made Sodexo the great company it is today. And thanks to them, we will continue to be a great company in the future.