Contract Catering Awards interview

“Honestly, I think it’s down to the great strides and real progress we've made over the last couple of years. We've put a huge focus not just on ticking boxes for reporting, but actually getting people across the business properly engaged.

“The team worked really hard to make sure our actions reflect what our clients and stakeholders really care about, and that our teams feel proud to be part of it. CSR isn’t a side project for us, it’s a big part of how we operate, and it feels brilliant to have that recognised.”

Despite the seemingly escalating set of challenges that the industry has faced in recent years, its ongoing commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been heartening. And this point is emphasised perfectly here by Charlotte Wright, director of CSR and food strategy for Elior UK, who is reflecting on her team’s win at this year’s Contract Catering Awards.

Wright’s everyday role involves embedding altruism across Elior, as she tells us: “I look after everything to do with our corporate social responsibility, nutrition and sustainability goals, and the way these connect with our wider food offering. It’s all about making sure that we’re doing the right thing – for our people, our clients and the planet – and that it runs through everything we do as a business.”

In case you hadn’t already guessed, Wright and co were victorious in our CSR category, a victory that clearly delighted her. “It was such an honour,” she recalls. “It recognised all the work we’ve put into making a real difference in sustainability and social value, something the whole business has been involved in.

“It’s come at a perfect time too, just as we move into the next phase of our net zero and social value strategy. It’s given us even more energy to keep going, and to make sure all of our work ties in really tightly with our food strategy as well.”

Despite Elior’s clear emphasis on ethics, Wright certainly wasn’t feeling complacent going into the big night. ”I didn’t think we would win at all,” she laughs “The competition was seriously tough. There were so many amazing businesses up for the award. We are so grateful that the judges recognised our efforts and achievements.”

On the awards evening itself, she continues: “It was fantastic – we all had such a great time! It’s such a brilliant opportunity to celebrate all the talent in our sector and to recognise the amazing work that’s going on. Being in a room full of so much passion and drive was really inspiring.”

The ultimate reward, though, according to Wright, is the bigger-picture benefit. Indeed, much like the implementation of CSR itself, the news of the win has been something that Elior has disseminated across the wider business in order to spur on staff and help them to feel even more positive about the worthy work they are doing.

“It has given our teams a great boost,” Wright concludes. “CSR is something that touches every corner of the business, so a win like this feels really personal to a lot of people. To know that their efforts have been recognised through the achievements of the company is incredibly rewarding and helps keep the motivation going too.

“It’s also given us that extra spark to keep pushing forward, and it’s just a really proud moment for everyone involved. It’s shown everyone that the work they’re doing genuinely matters and is being recognised at a national level.”

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