Northumbria University in Newcastle has retained Sodexo for its soft and hard FM services and residential living management contract for a further ten years.
The new contract includes a new food offering at the university's largest hall of residence, Trinity Square.
Sodexo has managed student accommodation services at Northumbria University since 2014 after initially only covering Trinity Square - a contemporary accommodation block housing up to 1,000 students in double en-suites or shared flats for groups of three-five students.
Over the course of the contract the University has added all its four City residences which house around 2,500 students every year.
Sodexo is focused on ensuring the student living experience is second-to-none and is committed to ensuring its presence has a positive social impact for the residents, the University, and the local community in which it operates.
Services managed by Sodexo in the University’s student accommodation include reception, helpdesk, security, mechanical and electrical maintenance, and cleaning.
The foodservices and facility services provider employs 58 people at Northumbria University and uses digital platforms for students to report maintenance issues, recently mobilising a mobile-enabled maintenance system to ensure timely servicing of request within the residences to reduce unexpected breakdowns and inconveniences, minimise costs and extend equipment life.
The new contract will see Sodexo introduce a brand-new catering offer at Trinity Square student accommodation serving hot drinks and a grab and go food solution such as paninis and pastries.
The team will transform the currently under-utilised space at the accommodation to further enhance the student experience creating a fantastic live learning experience that creates a true home from home atmosphere.
Sodexo’s commitment to social impact underpins the strategic business ambitions at Northumbria University and is engrained into every floor cleaned, every maintenance job resolved, and every conversation had with students.
Strong relationships have been forged with the local community under the contract with Sodexo working with local charities and social enterprises including Northern Rights and the DFN project to support the long-term unemployed and people with learning difficulties with finding employment.
The Sodexo team at Northumbria has:
Supporting students from joining as freshers to graduating as alumni is a crucial part of Sodexo’s focus at the University with its team providing vital support to residents at a time which can be quite difficult as students adjust to life away from home where they need to balance studying with financial independence, making new friends and settling into a new setting and city.
To provide further support in this area the company has committed to train five mental health first responders across the contract.
In 2022 Sodexo introduced Residency Advisors - students who live within the residences join the Sodexo team on a part-time basis to work with the accommodation team to manage any issues that arise quickly and efficiently and offer proactive peer to peer support.
Through this programme Sodexo provides employment opportunities for 15 students which helps the long-term employability of the students as a valuable addition to their CVs.
We are very proud of the partnership we have built with Sodexo. Our focus on joint working has enabled us together to continue to improve standards.
Sian Thompson, national operations director, Universities & PFIs, Sodexo UK & Ireland, Sodexo, says: “We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Northumbria University.
There is a strong cultural fit between our organisations, and we are committed to continually delivering a leading facilities management service alongside the award-winning residency living model, with aligned goals and strategic objectives.
This next contractual period brings with it some exciting service developments and we expect to achieve great things by continuing to work in a strategic and trusted partnership.”
Erin Peart, executive director of campus services, Northumbria University, adds: “Sodexo continues to be one of the University’s valuable partners – not only because of the services it delivers and the commitment it has to enhancing the student experience, but in helping us to deliver social impact.
We look forward to continuing this partnership with students at the heart of our shared ambitions.”
Sodexo’s team at Northumbria University has received numerous awards including the 2023 IWFM award for Excellence in Customer Experience.
The contract was also 'highly commended' in the 2022 Student Accommodation awards for Collaboration, with the team being shortlisted additionally for the 2024 Property Week awards for excellence in social impact.
The award of a new 10-year contract as part of a private finance initiative (PFI) has extended a partnership between Sodexo Health & Care and two hospitals in the Midlands.
The Royal Stoke University Hospital (RSUH) is run by the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) and Haywood Hospital falls under the operation of the wider Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT).
The new contract covers both hospitals and will see Sodexo continue to deliver catering, retail and soft FM services throughout the PFI and the retained estate at both hospitals.
Caring for more than two million people a year, UHNM is highly regarded for its facilities, teaching and research.
Sodexo’s 1,000-strong on-site team delivers domestic, portering, patient catering, retail, security, helpdesk, waste, pest control, and distribution services at both hospitals.
At RSUH it also delivers reception services and at Haywood Hospital it manages car parking.
As part of the new contract Sodexo installed a ground-breaking automated retail solution, the 24/7 Deli, within the restaurant in spring 2023.
The new 24/7 Deli provides frontline healthcare workers and visitors access to fresh, nutritious hot and cold food options throughout the day and night.
Philip Leigh, CEO Health & Care, Sodexo UK & Ireland, says: “This is a significant milestone in our partnership with Royal Stoke University Hospital and Haywood Hospital. As a purpose-led business, we continue to support the Trusts with their social value commitments, aligning our ambition to their Sustainable Development Management Plan through initiatives such as an energy saving plan for both hospitals.
We will continue to seek ways in which we can support both organisations in providing the highest standard of care for the people we jointly serve every year.”
Tracy Bullock, CEO of the University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust, adds: “We are very proud of the partnership we have built with Sodexo. Our focus on joint working has enabled us together to continue to improve standards.
Our 2023 PLACE scores are testament to this and our achievement of above national average scores across all areas assessed are a direct result of our collaborative approach.”
Sodexo relationship with both hospitals dates from 2007, and also includes deliver of hard FM services at both hospitals under separate contract as part of the PFI agreement.
