Meet Molly Crouch, Sodexo Live! Corporate Sustainability Director

Corporate Sustainability Director Molly Crouch is passionate about working with our venues to create and implement solutions that meet their sustainability goals and the corporate initiatives of Sodexo Live!. We spoke with Molly about her background, some of her proudest moments at Sodexo Live!, and how the role has changed her own habits.

Interviewer: Explain how you got into the live events industry and why you have built your career around social responsibility and sustainability.

Molly Crouch: I grew up in Texas on a 28-acre cattle farm. My mom used to wash plastic bags and tinfoil and hang them out on the clothesline to reuse. I never thought anything about it. As a kid, I just thought that's how everyone lived. I got into sustainability early on without even knowing what it was.

I started in the industry by working in catering. It was something different every day, and I thrived on that. I worked at Universal Orlando for ten years as the Catering Operations Manager and then went to the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). I thought I knew everything you could know about catering, but I didn't. I learned so much more about the business and what it took to get things done in a facility that size. I left to try a catering sales and service role. People always told me I would be good at sales because I could talk to anybody about anything! 

When Sodexo Live! partnered with OCCC in 2008, I returned as Director of Environmental Services. The OCCC wanted to become more sustainable, along with their exclusive food & beverage partner. We were already capturing our used cooking oil and had a recycling program, but they wanted to push it forward. As more people joined the team, they brought great ideas with them. That's how the program started to build. We made such strides that Sodexo Live! leadership asked me to work with our other venues to help them meet their goals, which is how I came into this role.

Interviewer: What's something that you are particularly passionate about?

Molly Crouch: Helping communities and helping people in need in general, whether they work with us or are people in our local communities. It is also important to who we are as a company. I guarantee we have all been in a situation where we needed a hand up. 

The next one would be our focus on local sourcing. There are a lot of people doing a lot of great things and we have the ability to support them. We have partners who have been able to hire more people and offer health insurance and a 401k plan because of our business. 

I am also the National Treasurer for Sodexo's PRIDE (People Respecting Individuality, Diversity and Equality) Employee-Based Resource Group. Our mission is to champion an environment of inclusion, acceptance, and workplace equality. As an "out" leader, I didn't think about the struggle it is for so many to be unable to bring their authentic self to work. I think more "out" leaders are needed to help navigate bias and recognition for equality.

Interviewer: What stands out to you as you meet with Sodexo Live! teams to talk about their initiatives?

Molly Crouch: I am always amazed to learn how active our employees are in their communities. During a recent training on waste reduction at the San Diego Convention Center, someone stood up and shared how they volunteer with the Monarch School for unhoused kids, teaching them how to grocery shop, what to look for, how to buy it, and then how to cook it. And then other people start standing up to talk about their work in the community, from GMs to dishwashers. Everybody was in tears by the end. So much comes from just being there and talking to people and then helping them take things one step further. 

Interviewer: You also volunteer in your free time. What organizations are near and dear to your heart?

Molly Crouch: One Heart for Women and Children. They work with individuals who are homeless or in times of transition by helping them meet their most essential needs. The Orange County Convention Center team and I also work with Give Kids the World Village, which provides a wish for kids with terminal conditions. They fly families here to Orlando and give them tickets to all the theme parks. We work in the cafeteria, where the kids can eat anything they want, as much as they want. Ice cream is available 24/7!

Interviewer: Has your focus on sustainability changed any of your habits outside of work?

Molly Crouch: I can't throw anything away. I can't throw light bulbs away. I have to find a home for everything. When I do find a home for it, I am so excited!