As numerous industries grapple with the challenge of skills shortages, Sodexo’s innovative diversity and inclusion initiative to train and recruit more refugees is delivering access to an important cohort of talent.
Recognising its influence as an employer, with a diverse workforce of more than 5,000 employees across 300 sites in Australia and an ongoing desire to combat diversity and inclusion issues, Sodexo committed to employment strategies and initiatives to engage groups that experience exclusion.
According to Humans Like Us, the Australian Employer Network for Refugee Inclusion, refugees in the country experience an employment rate of just 38 percent, in contrast to the overarching Australian labour force, which recorded an unemployment rate of less than 5 percent in July 2021.
It was a key influence in why Sodexo looked outside the square in its pursuit of diversity and inclusion and focussed on tapping into the often-overlooked talent pool of refugees.
The commitment was a perfect fit for a company which provides a broad portfolio of integrated services across Australia’s energy and resources industry, a sector which historically has struggled in terms of introducing key practices in this space.
“Sodexo’s work in the diversity, equity and inclusion space is really grounded in our commitment to corporate responsibility,” Jacqui Bainbridge – Sodexo’s Head of Indigenous Affairs, Diversity & Inclusion (pictured), said.
“We truly believe that achieving diversity and inclusion is critical in our role as an employer, also as a service provider, but more genuinely just as a corporate citizen. Diversity at Sodexo it is the cornerstone of our culture and it’s a fundamental component to our company’s overall growth strategy.”
Globally, Sodexo’s diversity, equity and inclusion program covers five different key dimensions: gender, culture and origin, disability, LBGTIQ+ and generations.
“Within each of those areas we continue to implement programs and initiatives which really foster that inclusive culture, drive change in local communities, but also really have meaningful impact for the lives of people right around the world,” Mrs Bainbridge said.
Sodexo Australia’s part in worldwide refugee drive
Noting that refugees faced significant obstacles to employment, including a lack of local experience and knowledge on how to apply for jobs, as well as language barriers, Sodexo Australia set about playing its role in the company’s global commitment to hire 2,000 refugees by 2025.
“We began conversations with Humans Like Us, who connected the organisation to a variety of refugee settlement support agencies, as well as Woolworths, IKEA and ANZ who shared successes from their refugee employment programs,” Mrs Bainbridge said.
“We also met with refugees who had lived and worked in Australia for some time to understand what tools, resources and support they required to be successful in employment.”
This year the company enlisted the help of SW Metro TAFE as a training partner to deliver a flagship training course which would transition refugees into its workforce.
The four-week intensive training course took participants through Health Safety & Environment (HSE) processes, Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) certification, and Fly-In Fly-Out (FIFO) culture and life.
“This was in preparation for a soft-landing in a seven-day FIFO roster, working eight-hour shifts at Sodexo’s Pilbara-based sites,” Mrs Bainbridge said.
“To ensure the smooth execution of this program, all participants were partnered with longstanding Sodexo employees – ‘buddies’ – who supported them through their inductions. Site Managers and buddies also underwent cultural competency training to ensure they could connect with the program participants and communicate effectively and respectfully.”
The ‘buddies’ proved vital to the success of the program, ensuring participants ‘landed well’, by meeting refugees at the TAFE and then at the airport, sitting with them on plane and providing support such as site tours during the foundational stages. These support measures helped the refugees settle into life as a Sodexo employee and feel more comfortable in the workplace.
“Upon completion, participants were provided the opportunity to give feedback on the course and the transition to working life. All reported they felt welcomed on-site, there was adequate support, and they found the training relevant for their roles,” Mrs Bainbridge said.
There were ten participants in the inaugural class, all of which successfully completed the program and were employed into permanent, full-time employment with Sodexo at the end of their training.
“To date, Sodexo has employed more than 40 refugees across the Australian organisation,” Mrs Bainbridge said.
“Despite COVID-19 putting restrictions on travel and placing further challenges on refugee movement, Sodexo has increased refugee employment by 40 percent since 2020.”
Sodexo’s success motivates others to follow
The program’s success hasn’t gone unnoticed by other companies, with three clients expressing interest in implementing the program on their sites, which will enable a further 50 refugees to be trained, gain experience and have access to potential employment outcomes.
“The success of this inaugural class has provided a case study which supports more refugees taking part in the program in future years,” Mrs Bainbridge said.
“I love this program because people often just need a foot in the door, so many refugees are highly skilled but just don’t understand the Australian context or maybe just don’t have the networks to get jobs in their fields,” Mrs Bainbridge said.
Mrs Bainbridge urged other companies to consider directly employing refugees, pointing to the wide-ranging benefits to business, which includes a high retention rate and low incidence of injury.
“We all know it’s a talent war out there at the moment. If we’re not tapping into every possible talent cohort, were not only doing ourselves an injustice, but were also doing our communities an injustice.”
She said many Australian organisations have taken their refugee recruitment program in different directions with a number of unique models, making it critical to implement a tailored program to suit specific organisational needs.
Sodexo is looking to expand this program in 2022 to enable more refugees to access education, resources and employment.
Sodexo is the recipient of the 2021 AREEA Industry Award in the Diversity and Inclusion category.
Judges were impressed with Sodexo tackling a unique commitment as it worked to overcome the significant employment obstacles faced by refugees.
Find out more about the four AREEA Industry Award winners here.
Resource People Podcast – Jacqui Bainbridge – Sodexo’s Head of Indigenous Affairs, Diversity & Inclusion
You can also check out an in-depth interview to learn more about Sodexo’s award-winning refugee program and its range of other diversity and inclusions programs and initiatives.
