Sodexo Campus, a leading provider in high-quality dining and facilities management solutions, today announced a revolutionary partnership with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing to bring Mental Health First Aid resources to more than 300 colleges and universities with the intention of creating more supportive campus dining environments.
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Through this partnership, Sodexo will be the first contract food service company to bring mental health education directly into the campus dining experience, helping students access resources and build awareness in spaces they use every day. The dedicated focus on mental health and wellbeing builds on the tenets of Sodexo’s comprehensive One & All resident dining program, which brings students together through diverse food and welcoming spaces on campus that feel like a home away from home.
“Food is central to how students interact, connect and engage on campus and we are cognizant of the critical role we play in making students feel a sense of belonging, because our teams are part of students’ daily lives,” said Ron Guillory, Chief Operating Officer, Sodexo Campus. “By developing our people with resources from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, we are taking an important step in our commitment to strengthen campus communities and deepen our care for the students we serve every day.”
Training will begin over the summer to upskill Sodexo campus dining teams with accessible, scalable mental health education through Mental Health First Aid in preparation for the start of the Fall 2026 semester. This evidence-based, early-intervention course teaches the skills needed to recognize and respond to signs and symptoms of mental challenges until they can access appropriate professional help. Micro learnings will be provided to employees daily, all year long to reinforce the training principles.
“Students rely on their campus community to provide the support they need when they are feeling vulnerable, stressed, or overwhelmed and with a partner like Sodexo, they have direct access to support where they spend a significant amount of time,” National Council President and CEO Chuck Ingoglia said. “Accessible, high-quality mental health resources can be transformative and we thank Sodexo for embarking on this mission for the betterment of students’ wellbeing.”
In addition to strengthening mental health awareness and training for campus leaders and staff, Sodexo and the National Council will work together to update dining menus based on student feedback, highlighting food choices that support well-being and make it easier for students to make informed decisions. Together the organizations will develop advanced menu labeling to call out aspects like protein, focus, energy and gut health alongside other nutritional elements to connect the role food plays in overall wellbeing.
The first year will center on building foundational capacity and champions, with broader rollout in future years. The organizations will also track measurable outcomes of the program to understand use of skills, staff confidence and campus partner satisfaction, as well as how this program has reduced stigma and attitudes about mental health on campuses.
About Sodexo North America
Sodexo North America is a division of Sodexo Group, a global leader in food and services shaping better everyday experiences at every moment in life: work, heal, learn and play. Operating in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Puerto Rico and Guam, Sodexo North America is committed to meeting the challenges of everyday life with a dual goal: to improve the quality of life of our employees and those we serve, and to contribute to the economic, social and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. Founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo Group stands out for its independence, its founding family shareholding and its responsible business model. Sodexo is included in the CAC Next 20, CAC SBT 1.5, FTSE 4 Good and DJSI indices.
About National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Founded in 1969, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing is a membership organization that drives policy and social change on behalf of more than 3,200 mental health and substance use treatment organizations and the more than 15 million children, adults and families they serve. We advocate for policies to ensure access to high-quality services. We build the capacity of mental health and substance use treatment organizations. And we promote greater understanding of mental wellbeing as a core component of comprehensive health and health care. Through our Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program, we have trained more than 4.5 million people in the U.S. to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.
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