Sodexo has secured a major facilities management contract with Rio Tinto across Western Australia’s Pilbara region, extending a long-running partnership that places cleaning, accommodation and worker wellbeing at the centre of remote mining operations.
The seven-year contract, which begins in June 2026 and includes an option for a further three-year extension, covers Rio Tinto’s fly-in fly-out (FIFO) accommodation villages, residential housing and operational sites throughout the Pilbara. The agreement follows the completion of a previous 10-year partnership between the two companies.
Under the contract, Sodexo will deliver an extensive range of integrated services including cleaning, catering, transport, aerodrome management, grounds maintenance and building services. The company will also oversee maintenance and refurbishment work across Rio Tinto’s 2900 houses and more than 19,000 FIFO accommodation rooms spread across 25 Pilbara villages.
The scale of the operation highlights the growing importance of facilities management and cleaning services within Australia’s resources sector, where worker health, hygiene and camp standards remain under intense scrutiny amid ongoing workforce shortages and demanding remote conditions.
According to Sodexo, the contract will continue to support around 2500 jobs in Western Australia, including approximately 2250 positions based in the Pilbara. The agreement also places a strong emphasis on Indigenous employment and local procurement, creating economic opportunities for Pilbara Traditional Owners and regional suppliers.
Sodexo Australia managing director Keith Weston says the renewed partnership reflected Sodexo’s ongoing focus on Australia’s energy and resources sector and its commitment to improving living conditions for remote workers.
“Every aspect of our operation, from the warm welcome at check-in to the meals we serve and the facilities we care for, is purposefully designed to meet the unique challenges of remote, resource-based environments,” Weston says.
Rio Tinto’s managing director – Ports, Rail and Core Services, Chris Osborn says the agreement was built around safety, employee experience and reliable village operations for the more than 10,000 people staying in Rio Tinto villages each night.
Sodexo already delivers significant operational support across Rio Tinto’s Pilbara footprint, serving around 14 million meals annually, while coordinating approximately three million worker movements each year. Over the past 12 months, Sodexo teams also cleaned more than 735,000 rooms across the region’s accommodation network.
