Scottish Government renews Sodexo contract

Sodexo and the Scottish Government have announced that from March 2015 the 79 Sodexo employees providing catering services to Scottish Government workers will be paid the Living Wage.

The agreement reflects Scottish Government policy which encourages employers to pay their staff a living wage.

This announcement comes as part of a five year renewal of the Scottish Government’s contract with leading services company Sodexo, which is worth over £3 million a year. Sodexo has been providing services to the Scottish Government for 13 years, catering for 7,000 employees at 10 sites in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

Austen Wright, Sodexo account manager said; “We are delighted to be continuing our successful relationship with the Scottish Government, which has seen turnover grow from 1.1 million to 3million each year. We are happy to be adding new services as part of the extended contract, including some facilities management and cleaning services. We will also be operating a public café at the National Records of Scotland Building on Princes Street in Edinburgh.

“Our new food offer is reflective of trends we are seeing on the high street, with a focus on ‘grab and go’, the launch of some street food concepts and a twice-yearly farmers markets. We will also be launching out triple certified Aspretto coffee brand.”

Terms of the contract reflect both the Scottish Government and Sodexo’s commitments to operate sustainably, ethically and to support local communities. As part of the contract Sodexo will employ four apprentices and will also to work with The Engine Shed, an Edinburgh-based charity who support young adults with learning difficulties in the work place, to provide placements and employment opportunities.

Sodexo has been accredited with the Soil Association’s Silver Food for Life Catering Mark at the four largest sites within the contract and is committed to working with local Scottish suppliers. Sodexo also holds the Healthy Living Plus award within all of its Scottish Government restaurants.

A Scottish Government spokesman said “We have built a very successful working relationship with Sodexo over the last 13 years. We are delighted to extend this relationship and happy that Sodexo’s staff will benefit from the Living Wage going forward”

Sodexo’s Scottish business amounts to 10% of its UK and Ireland turnover and the Scottish Government is one of several key contracts for Sodexo in Scotland. This summer Sodexo supplied catering and hospitality services at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, a huge operation with involved serving in excess of 800,000 meals to athletes, officials and staff.