The partnership between Nuffield Health and Sodexo spans 17 years, during which Sodexo has delivered patient and staff dining across all 37 Nuffield Health hospitals. With an annual contract value of £19 million, Sodexo says the renewal demonstrates its ‘commitment to delivering tasty, nutritious, meals, and supporting Nuffield Health’s mission to build a healthier, stronger nation’.
Sodexo and Nuffield Health say they are both ‘committed to helping patients and staff develop healthy eating habits and lifestyles with minimal environmental impact’. The Autumn/Winter menu reflects this focus, prioritising sustainable eating and plant-based options. Changes include replacing meats that are high in fat and cholesterol with leaner meats in the mains and grill sections, increasing the availability of high-quality, plant-based protein – including in blended dishes like beef and lentil lasagne, and moving vegan and vegetarian dishes to the top of the menu to encourage and expand patient choices.
Looking ahead, Sodexo and Nuffield Health are partnering with Greener by Default, a not-for-profit organisation that applies behavioural science to food policy, to launch a pilot study across all 37 hospitals. This pilot, said to be one of the largest of its kind in the UK, aims to encourage patients and staff to make more sustainable food choices while maintaining freedom of choice. Insights gained from the pilot will inform future sustainability initiatives for Sodexo’s healthcare clients.
Sodexo is also calculating the carbon footprint of dishes and in collaboration with Eaternity, and plans are in place to introduce carbon scoring for menus by the end of this year – which will help Nuffield Health achieve their carbon reduction targets and further support their sustainability goals.
Since implementing Sodexo’s food waste reduction programme, WasteWatch, across Nuffield Health’s hospitals in 2020, Sodexo says it has reduced food waste by 36%, preventing over 51,945 kg of waste. This effort has saved 362 metric tons of CO2, the equivalent of 1.2 million bathtubs of water, and over 95,000 meals.
Sodexo has also enhanced the patient dining experience through its ‘Everyday’ app, allowing in-room ordering with nutritional information, ‘ensuring that patients can make the best dietary choices during their stay’.
David Beresford, Chief Commercial Officer at Nuffield Health, added: “We are very pleased to renew our partnership with Sodexo, a trusted provider that has been integral to delivering exceptional catering services for our patients, visitors, and staff. Over the past 17 years, Sodexo has been a highly valued partner, and our collaboration continues to thrive thanks to our shared commitment to not only ensuring that our patients have meals that are high in nutrition, but also doing things in a more environmentally conscious way.
“From incorporating more sustainable ingredients and plant-based alternatives, to reducing food waste by using every part of our ingredients, Sodexo has been an enthusiastic partner on our sustainability journey. Together, we are taking significant steps to advance our shared vision of creating a healthier nation.”