Our People Approach
Creating a
People-First Culture
Though we often think of ourselves as a food-first company, our people are really the most integral part of our operations. We believe in investing in our associates and working together as a team in a culturally rich and inclusive environment to create the best experience not only for our guests but our teams as well.
We build high–performing teams and treat everyone – associates, clients, stakeholders, and students – with kindness, care, and concern. In our culture, everyone is welcome.
As the industry leader in foodservice, we go beyond the dining halls and provide unmatched educational experiences for students. Our Student Success Internship Program provides paid, for-credit, internships across a wide variety of disciplines including operations, marketing, sustainability, technology, and more. Visit our Student Success and Support page to learn more.
The Chartwells YouFirst program is our people engagement strategy where we focus on recognizing and developing associates at all levels. Through our three pillars – Community, Cultivate and Celebrate - we are committed to creating an engaging workplace and culture where associates want to belong and are proud to work. Our people are the heart of our business which makes our approach intentional, focusing on improving associate engagement and increasing morale. At Chartwells, we build community, cultivate leaders and celebrate heroes that go above and beyond. Each month we have a variety of activities for each pillar to support our overall associate experience.
Student Associates & Student Managers
We understand that being a student comes first, so we work with students to offer flexible schedules, in a dynamic environment with fun perks and great learning opportunities.
Cultivating and growing future leaders is key to our approach and we look for opportunities to actively develop strong performing student associates into student managers, providing exposure and responsibility in areas such as recruitment, inventory control, payroll and personnel administration, associate training, and more.
Upon graduation, our path forward to a full-time position for dedicated associates and interns is our Accelerated Manager Program (AMP). This is a six-month program designed for entry-level management associates in our organization. This specialized, fast-track program offers development and leadership opportunities for new managers, setting them up for success and the ability to make an impact in their new careers.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
We’re committed to fostering an equitable dining program, ensuring associates and students are valued, honored, empowered, and treated fairly. We create an inclusive, welcoming environment through our leadership strategy, learning and development resources, and opportunities for associates and students to celebrate diversity and inclusion.
With our Culture Series, we celebrate culture and diversity through food with thoughtful menuing and collaborations with campus partners and student organizations. We also bring the support of our Diversity and Inclusion Action Councils (DIAC), dedicated to championing diversity, equity, and inclusion. DIAC members serve as change agents to help build a culture of inclusion in partnership with each CSU campus.
