Three Sodexo employees have been named in the Top 100 Black Asian Minority Ethnic executives, published today in the Financial Times.
Sodexo Healthcare CEO James Taylor, Sodexo Corporate Services HR director Harbhajan Brar and Sodexo North America Benefits & Rewards Services CEO Mia Mends are all included in the inaugural Upstanding Executive Power List.
The concept behind the UPstanding Executive Power List is to showcase and rank the Top 100 Executive BAME professionals working in the US, UK and Ireland, achieved through a nomination and judging process.
James Taylor has been closely involved with diversity and inclusion at Sodexo since joining the company in North America 15 years ago. He is a founding member of Sodexo’s Diversity Leadership Council, which heavily contributed to Sodexo being ranked #1 or #2 with DiversityInc for the past four consecutive years, and receiving the top diversity award from Catalyst.
James joined Sodexo UK & Ireland earlier this year, responsible for 7,000 employees at 100 NHS and private healthcare sites. He is the executive sponsor for the company’s gender workstream.
Harbhajan Singh Brar has more than 30 years’ experience in human resources and has been a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Personnel Development (FCIPD) for more than 20 years.
Harbhajan is passionate about diversity and inclusion both in and out of the workplace. During a successful career, in both the public and private sector, he has become a role model through his business, volunteering and academic success.
Mia Mends is the CEO of Sodexo Benefits and Rewards Services, USA, an entity of a global division that represents approximately $1bn in annual revenue.
Mia’s long-time advocacy for minorities dates back to community leadership during her youth and continued at both Wellesley College and Harvard Business School. She has spearheaded minority initiatives throughout her career and most recently in her board roles for both the Harvard Business School Alumni and African Alumni Associations. She also co-founded a non-profit designed to create a pipeline of high achieving minority girls for Ivy League schools.
OUTstanding CEO and founder Suki Sandhu said: “We are delighted to see James Taylor, Harbhajan Brar and Mia Mends from Sodexo featuring in the inaugural UPstanding Executive Power List. James, Harbhajan and Mia are true role models, setting an example for the next generation so no one sees their race as a barrier to success.”
Megan Horsburgh, Sodexo UK & Ireland head of diversity & inclusion, said: “This is fantastic news for James, Harbhajan and Mia. Cultures and origins is one of the workstreams in our diversity and inclusion strategy, and last year we launched our Origins employee network which aims to encourage inclusivity and cohesion by celebrating the diversity of culture, heritage and beliefs amongst Sodexo’s people and by promoting equal opportunities for all.”