Season 3, Episode 1 | Guest: Normand St-Gelais

What does it take to transform a company from having virtually no diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to implementing a comprehensive strategy that spans the entire organization?

To help us answer this question, we are joined by Normand St-Gelais for the first episode of season 3 of CCDI’s podcast, Leader Talks with Anne-Marie Pham. Normand is Director of Corporate Responsibility at Sodexo, a dedicated long-term CCDI Founding Employer Partner. For Sodexo in Canada, his role encompasses Diversity and Inclusion, Sustainability, and overseeing their Stop Hunger Foundation.

We sit down with Normand to discuss his career at Sodexo, the company’s transformative journey on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and how they went from virtually no DEI strategy to establishing six well-thought-out resource groups that play an invaluable role in representing the diversity of their organization. We get into the policies that were reviewed and established once DEI became an organizational priority, the impact this has had on company culture, key challenges they experienced along the way, and a whole lot more.

To hear the full scope of their ongoing DEI evolution along with Normand’s advice for companies starting out on their diversity, equity, and inclusion journey, be sure to tune in for this informative conversation!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Normand’s work at Sodexo and the key role he played in their transformative DEI journey.
• The six resource groups that were established to better represent the diversity of Sodexo.
• A breakdown of the policies that were reviewed upon making DEI an organizational priority.
• Why there was a need for Sodexo’s Council for Indigenous People.
• How changes in DEI have positively impacted the culture at Sodexo.
• The importance of including DEI principles in recruitment strategies.
• Why it’s critical for company leaders to support DEI principles throughout the organization.
• Some of the pushback and challenges Normand experienced.
• Unpacking why it’s important to create a space for Caucasian men within DEI.
• Insights on the connection between DEI and corporate responsibility.
• How Sodexo has helped clients with their DEI efforts.
• Normand’s advice to companies at the beginning of their DEI journeys.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

• Sodexo
• Normand St-Gelais on LinkedIn
• Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion
• Leader Talks with Anne-Marie Pham