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Sodexo UK & Ireland celebrated its continued inclusion in the 50 GREAT British Employers of Veterans at the 2025 Ex-Forces in Business Awards dinner held last week at the Grosvenor House London.
The top 50 list is compiled by the organisers of the Ex-Forces in Business Awards and was created to provide a comprehensive guide to organisations setting the national standard in veteran employment and delivering the most outstanding pathways and support for veterans, reservists and military families. It provides a definitive, data-backed guide to the UK’s most exemplary Forces Friendly employers and stands as a mark of excellence for organisations whose support is embedded, enduring and effective.
Inclusion requires employers to undergo a comprehensive assessment combining objective data with expert human evaluation by an independent judging panel of 21 business leaders who are veterans in their own right. The panel includes leaders from Asda, Fortinet, the University of Cambridge, RICS and the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance.
Paul Anstey, CEO Government and Energy & Resources, Sodexo UK & Ireland said: “We are extremely proud to be again included in this prestigious list. Supporting the welfare of the armed forces community and providing meaningful employment opportunities is an integral part of our social impact commitments.
“Veterans and individuals with military connections have a diverse range of skills and experience which are transferrable into businesses such as ours and something we truly value, which is why we continue to focus on providing meaningful career opportunities for veterans, reserve and military families where we can.
“Engaging with relevant external organisations and networks is crucial to building advocacy and bridging the gap between industry and the military and we are proud of colleagues who are actively participating with these groups, helping to promote dedicated career pathways in an industry that actively values the armed forces community.”
In addition to celebrating its inclusion in the 50 GREAT British Employers of Veterans Sodexo also celebrated two colleagues who were highly commended at the awards. Rachel Evans, HR Director for Sodexo’s Government and Energy & Resources business was highly commended in the Advocate of the Year category, and Mark Baker, Chief Operating Officer for Sodexo’s Defence business was highly commended in the Business Leader of the Year.
Finalists at the awards also included Sodexo’s Gary Savage in Outstanding Achiever of the Year and Chris Parry for Team Leader of the Year.
Ben Rossi, founder of the global Forces in Business Awards series and 50 GREAT British Employers of Veterans programme, commented: “This comprehensive ranking of Forces Friendly employers has become a cornerstone resource for veterans, reservists and their families – and a powerful benchmark for organisations seeking to lead in veteran employment. To feature in the Top 50 is to stand among the most committed supporters of the armed forces community.
“Inclusion is not easily earned. The 2025 list reflects a growing coalition of employers who truly understand military talent, setting best practice and proving that investing in the armed forces community is not just the right thing to do – it’s a clear strategic advantage. We applaud you all.”
Sodexo has been a partner to the military for over 30 years and has a long-standing commitment to supporting armed forces personnel, both during and after service, and currently employs around 500 veterans across its UK operations, representing 1.7 per cent of its workforce. It was an early signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and in 2017 was one of the first organisations to be awarded the Gold Employer Recognition Award by the Ministry of Defence.
