Programme launched to support diverse hospitality leaders

WiHTL, the organisation dedicated to improving diversity in the hospitality sector, has launched the ‘Ethnic Minority Future Leaders (EMFL) in Hospitality, Travel and Leisure (HTL) Programme’.

In partnership with McDonalds, the EMFL programme is designed to support high potential ethnic minority future leaders with their progression into more senior roles in the industry.

Despite impressive ethnic diversity at entry level across the hospitality sector, research revealed that senior level ethnic representation does not represent society and the BAME working age population.

WiHTL’s annual report into representation found that 82.5% of companies have no BAME leaders at board level and just 12.5% of companies are in line with or greater than the UK working age population.

Among the companies taking part in the programme are IHG, Greene King and Whitbread.

Tea Colaianni, WiHTL’s founder and chair, said: “Collaboration is at the heart of everything that we do and the inaugural, first of its kind Ethnic Minority Future Leaders Programme is the most impactful example of collaboration in action ever seen across the hospitality, travel and leisure industry in the D&I space.

“It was truly inspiring to see over 20 companies joining forces to develop our future talent from an ethnic minority background, engaging with line managers, senior executive reverse mentees and executive sponsors to create lasting connections, starting a change process for the good of our industry and broader society, championing the cause for inclusion and challenge behaviours that exclude rather than include.”

She added: “Conversations about race are not easy, but together we can create a lasting positive impact on our industry.”