Industry Recognition for Sodexo’s Sustainability Director

Sodexo UK & Ireland’s sustainability director, Claire Atkins Morris has been recognised by industry peers at the 2025 Footprint Awards receiving the Special Achievement Award for individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to sustainability and the environment.

Appointed as sustainability director in 2021, Claire is responsible for delivering Sodexo’s social impact commitments in a collaborative and meaningful way. She is focused on embedding sustainable practices to make Sodexo’s Net Zero 2040 plan a reality and is passionate about setting realistic and achievable targets to decarbonise the business.

Claire has spearheaded a scientific and realistic approach to Sodexo’s net zero plans and leads the company’s relationship with SBTi – the Science Based Targets initiative – which drives ambitious climate action by enabling companies to set science-based emissions reduction targets, in line with a 1.5 degree future.

Charlie Miers, the co-founder of the Footprint Awards, commented: "Claire is a standout candidate for the Special Achievement Award this year. She is true leader in her field; making decisions she genuinely believes to be right for her organisation and the industry at large. In so doing she has often set precedents for others to follow. We’re sure she will continue to be a leading light."

Under Claire’s leadership, Sodexo’s achievements have included:

• Significant progress, 23.4%*, in the reduction of absolute Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions against its 2017 baseline.
• Reduced food waste by 45% (as at March 2025) through its Waste Watch programme and on course to meet its goal of 50% reduction by 31 August 2025, five years ahead of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 2030.
• The implementation of an award-winning** net zero supply chain engagement strategy.
• The founding of a sustainability community of practice in partnership with Future Planet. Since its inception in 2023 the group of sustainability leaders from client and supply partner organisations has grown from six to become a network of over 50 spanning a multitude of industries.
• The introduction of green skills training through a partnership with the Institute of Environment Management & Assessment (IEMA).
• Through the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation in the year to 31 August 2024 some 2.8 million people received support from the redistribution of more than 160,000 meals and projects targeting the root causes of food insecurity, of which 56% of the Foundation’s funding is dedicated***.

Claire was also recently named in the Workplace Leaders Top 50 2025, a list of inspiring leaders, innovators, pioneers, and changemakers of the workplace today; nominated by their peers and selected by a panel of judges.

Patrick Forbes, MD, Tech & Services, Sodexo UK & Ireland and Chair, Stop Hunger Foundation, added: "We are delighted that Claire has received this recognition from industry peers. Her drive to ensure we are authentic and transparent in our journey to net zero 2040 is unwavering.

"Her leadership and passion in the tackling food waste and addressing the root cause of food insecurity through the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation is inspiring our teams across the business to make a difference, every day. Congratulations Claire."

* for the period 1 June 2023 and 31 May 2024

** external recognition for net zero supply chain engagement strategy:
2024 edie.net awards: Supply Chain Decarbonisation Project of the Year;  
2024 Reuters Sustainability Awards: Supply Chain Decarbonisation Award 
2024 National Sustainability Awards: Supply Chain Initiative of the Year

*** 1 Sept 2023 to 31 August 2024 as reported in the 2024 Stop Hunger annual impact report