Sodexo mentor program focuses on diversitySodexo mentor program focuses on diversity

Lisa Jennings

On-site facilities management company Sodexo Inc. was recently named the “Top Company for Executive Development” by Diversity Inc. magazine. The company was recognized in particular for its “Spirit of Mentoring” program, which DiversityInc. described as “the most well-developed, measurable and effective cross-cultural mentoring program in corporate America.”

Jodi Davidson, Sodexo’s director of diversity and inclusion initiatives at the company’s Gaithersburg, Md., headquarters, explained to NRN how the program works.

What is the Spirit of Mentoring?

It’s a three-pronged program with the objective of developing and retaining a diverse leadership team and helping people fulfill their potential.

The first program is called IMPACT. It’s a formal program with a limited number of participants, structured across cultural and divisional lines, with a focus on leadership. More than 50 percent of our executive team participates each year, which contributes to the prestige of the program for our mentees.

How do you select mentors and mentees?

We have a team responsible for matching participants based on the development needs of mentees and abilities of mentors.

Once matched, we bring them together for a full-day launch session. They learn how to participate in their respective roles and they meet their partners and establish goals for the yearlong commitment. We expect them to meet monthly, either face-to-face or virtually. They have structured interactive webinars at various points, which they do together. At the end of the year, there’s a closing networking session affirming the accomplishments of the individual.

When did IMPACT start?

In 2004, and the first group had 45 partners. We’re just getting ready to launch Impact 2010, and we’ll have 115 pairs. We’ll also include our business divisions in Canada, the first region outside the U.S. to participate. For 2010 we got 500 applications for the 230 or so slots.

What’s the second prong?

Our BRIDGE program, which within the past year has become more cross-divisional with the development of a new Spirit of Mentoring website. It’s like social networking in that mentees can create a profile and identify their development needs. Mentors also create a profile with their areas of expertise.

Prong three?

The Peer2Peer program. We have several employee network groups, and those are tied to affinity groups, such as African-Americans, women, bisexuals and transgender groups. Each of those organizations has its own programs to help individuals connect.