The Spirit of Sodexo Awards celebrate individuals and teams who have gone above and beyond over the past 12 months
Sodexo Ireland, the food services business with nearly 3,000 colleagues delivering food and facilities management services at over 200 client sites across the island of Ireland, is celebrating the success of four Irish winners recognised at the company’s annual Spirit of Sodexo Awards.
The Irish team members took home the top accolades in the health & safety, strategic support, sustainability and growth & innovation categories. The award wins also coincided with Sodexo celebrating 35 years in Ireland this September.
The Spirit of Sodexo Awards celebrate individuals and teams who have gone above and beyond over the past 12 months, demonstrating Sodexo’s core values and recognising excellence, commitment and outstanding contributions.
Over 600 peer-to-peer nominations were submitted in 15 different categories and the winners were announced at a ceremony held at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.
Spirit of Sodexo 2026 Irish Award Winners
Health & Safety Champion – Susan O’Connor, Health & Safety Manager:
Susan was recognised for transforming health and safety performance across Sodexo Ireland, supporting more than 2,500 employees and significantly reducing lost time incidents across the business. Over her 16 years with Sodexo, Susan has led the rollout of impactful initiatives that strengthened safety culture and engagement across multiple sites. Her hands-on leadership and influence have driven lasting behavioural change and industry recognition.
Strategic Support Award – Kelly Hanley, Cleaning & Quality Assurance Manager:
Kelly received the award for driving transformational change across multiple sites, improving culture, performance and client trust. Through strategic leadership and innovation, Kelly has delivered operational excellence ranging from digital transformation initiatives to sustainable cleaning solutions. Her people-first approach has built high performing teams and strengthened long term business success.
Growth & Innovation Award – The Ireland Business Development Team: Led by Marian Cronin
Led by Marian Cronin, and alongside team members Julianne Forrestal, Jen Mooney, Alan Sutcliffe, Edel Byrne and Ruth Campo, the team were recognised for delivering exceptional commercial performance across the business. They secured major contracts through innovative, collaborative and relationship-led approaches that continues to drive profitable growth and shape best practices across Sodexo Ireland.
Sustainability Champion – Leanne Campbell, Client Relationship Manager:
Leanne, who has been with Sodexo for 22 years, was honoured for leading impactful sustainability initiatives across key client sites. Through innovation, data-led solutions and strong collaboration, Leanne has delivered measurable reductions in waste, water usage and emissions while embedding sustainability into everyday operations. Her leadership continues to inspire behavioural change and drive environmental impact at scale.
Jean Renton, CEO Sodexo UK & Ireland, said:
“These awards recognise the people and teams who make such a difference to advancing the growth and experience of our clients, consumers, colleagues and the communities we work with. It was great to see Ireland have four winners on the night, all of whom should be very proud.
At the heart of Sodexo, our colleagues are delivering exceptional service, whether that’s in food or support services that shape better every day experiences at every moment in life from work, heal, learn and play. It is a real moment of celebration to recognise the achievements that support our client operations every day.”
This year’s awards also marked a special milestone for Sodexo globally, as the business celebrates 60 years since its founding by Pierre Bellon in Marseille, France.
The Spirit of Sodexo Awards continue to showcase the people and teams who make a meaningful difference every day across Sodexo’s operations in Ireland and the UK, and an example of Sodexo’s commitment to celebrating its people, at every level if the business.
For more information see: Spirit of Sodexo Awards
