TAKING SODEXO FROM FACILITIES MANAGEMENT PROVIDER TO STRATEGIC WORKPLACE ALLY

Background

Even before the pandemic, Sodexo recognised the changing world of the modern workplace. They enhanced their core food and facilities management services and integrated unique offerings like employee benefits and workplace strategy. This gave rise to ‘Vital Spaces‘ – a powerful offer designed to help businesses maximise workspace value and boost employee satisfaction and productivity.

As Sodexo’s Marketing Director for the UK & Ireland Corporate Services segment, I oversaw the project to bring Vital Spaces to life – combining research, a robust strategy, and a clear value proposition with creative branding.

Global leader in facilities services.

€220 billion annual revenue.

470,000 employees in 80 countries.

100 million consumers served daily.

The Challenge

REINFORCE A UNIQUE POSITION:
Highlight Sodexo’s breadth of expertise and commitment to enhancing the quality of life for clients’ employees.

DEVELOP A RELEVANT OFFER:
Create a proposition focussed on serving working adults, regardless of where or how they work.

APPEAL TO VARIOUS INDUSTRIES:
Build a strategy and brand that appeals to businesses across different sectors.

GET NEW BUSINESS:
Identify and attract new business with current and potential clients.

OVERCOME COMPLEXITY:
Tackle multiple service offerings, external partners, internal structures, and branding requirements.

Vital Spaces has defined Sodexo as a go-to partner for modern workplace needs and is now Sodexo’s global workplace offer, attracting quality leads worldwide.

85

New Targets

40

Qualified Leads

£100M

Pipeline Value

Results following the initial UK and Ireland launch.

The Solution

INSIGHTS, TARGETING, AND POSITIONING:

Merged Sodexo's research with industry insights and developed client personas outlining clients' needs.

VALUE PROPOSITION AND MESSAGING:

Developed a value proposition focused on aligning workspace optimisation with employee productivity. Supported with clear messages on the impact of the offer.

SERVICE ARCHITECTURE:

Categorised over 300 services under one overall offer structured around five primary categories.

BRANDING:

Established a fresh brand identity within the existing Sodexo guidelines that would appeal across sectors. Introduced ‘Vital Spaces’ – a name and logo reflecting the changing nature of workspaces.

GO-TO-MARKET LAUNCH:

Introduced Vital Spaces to prospects and existing clients with a comprehensive suite of content and a robust marketing campaign to reinforce Sodexo’s position as an industry thought leader.

The Results

Vital Spaces successfully transformed Sodexo’s market perception, positioning the company as a trusted and strategic workplace partner.

A structured framework simplified the understanding of Sodexo’s complex workplace services, making it accessible to target prospects.

The launch led to the identification of 85 new targets, 40 of which became qualified leads, with a pipeline value of £100M.

Vital Spaces emerged as Sodexo’s global value proposition for workplace services, extending its impact to other sectors such as the public sector and education.

DIFFERENTIATION & CREDIBILITY

AWARENESS & UNDERSTANDING

INCREASED DEMAND

GLOBAL CONSISTENCY

Inspired by Sodexo’s Vital Spaces Success Story?

Get in touch to see how McLaren&Co. can help your business build a compelling offer, stand out from the crowd and win more work.

Book A Free 30-Min Discovery Call