Investor pressure urges Sodexo to address inhumane conditions at detainee centre in the UK

Through a constructive dialogue, the Ethical Council of the Swedish AP-Funds has encouraged Sodexo, a world-leading service company with 330,000 employees in 80 countries, to address inhumane conditions at a detainee centre in the UK. The Ethical Council’s active ownership also resulted in Sodexo’s adoption of a company-wide human rights policy in October 2008.

In May 2007 the Ethical Council called attention to systematic human rights abuses at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Center in London, which is managed by Sodexo’s subsidiary Kalyx.

”Sodexo has shown a serious commitment to correcting these problems and our discussions with them have been constructive. In a short span of time, the company has both addressed conditions at the detainee centre and adopted a human rights policy that is now being implemented throughout the organization. This is proof that it is fully possible for us as shareholders to influence the companies we invest in to respect the conventions signed by the Swedish Government. It also underlines the soundness of the Ethical Council’s decision to intensify the dialogue by visiting the companies for face-to-face discussions”, says Carl Rosén, Chairman of the Ethical Council.

For more information contact:
Carl Rosén, 2008 Chairman of the Ethical Council
E-mail: ethicalcouncil@ges-invest.com
Mobile: +46 (0)73-940 10 10