This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “inspire inclusion”, focusing on a collective push to forge a more inclusive world for women. As an industry, we have made tremendous strides to ensure better opportunities and representation for women at all levels. After all, inclusivity is what makes hospitality such a vibrant and exciting industry, whether that’s to work in or enjoy as a guest. 

As a sector, we have worked diligently to create and foster environments that empower women, and there’s much to be proud of. Initiatives such as mentorship programmes, educational workshops and advocacy campaigns have been embedded across the sector and individual businesses have worked to lay a foundation for women to feel seen and empowered in the workforce. 

 

We have seen organisations adapting to workplace flexibility, with tailored approaches to schedules and career paths introduced, making it easier for employees to balance work and family commitments. Today, a third of all board positions in the hospitality sector are held by women, which is significant progress and testimony to the way the sector has recognised its issues and worked collectively to improve this.

 

However, there is still work to be done. While all these milestone efforts are important for female progression in the sector, what’s clear is the work that lies ahead to truly champion inclusion. Despite women having a far greater representation in senior positions in the workplace, certainly compared to when I was starting out, there still exists a perception that an executive role “isn’t for me”. We need to recognise that women, especially those belonging to underrepresented groups, continue to face barriers when seeking leadership roles, and we must continue pushing for diverse representation in leadership and decision-making positions.

 

There’s still a job to be done when it comes to mentoring women, not just in hospitality but across all industries. Building lasting connections with inspirational people is, I believe, key to generating success, so being able to connect with other women who have been there and done it is a truly invaluable resource that will help other women take the next step for them in their careers. 

 

The sector also needs to get much better at promoting from a more diverse pool. If the industry wants to provide the best guest experiences possible to as many customers as possible, then we need to recruit and retain the diverse teams that can deliver them. Equally, we need to celebrate our teams. Championing inclusion means we should also be providing people with flexible working, accessible employment and the education needed to excel in their roles and to deliver the best guest experiences. 

 

It’s therefore crucial that this level of representation is sustained and that everyone is given the chance to thrive, whether that’s in the boardroom, at an operational level, or in a front or back-of-house role. By championing inclusion, we can harness the full potential of diverse perspectives, overcome obstacles together, leading to better decision-making and innovation. 

 

We have collectively made great progress but there is no escaping the fact that we need to keep up the momentum and, if anything, work even harder. We have proven time and again that we can make meaningful change when we work together, so we have no excuse. I am confident we can not only inspire inclusion but continue to embed it at the core of our industry, making it stronger and more united as a result.

 

Hi, I’m Abi. I’m the chief executive and founder of Sixty Eight People. I have built a multimillion-pound recruitment and training business from the ground up in the last five years. Got your attention? Well, believe me, that is something I would never say. 

 

It was hard enough writing it, to be honest. Certainly, without caveats. Desperate to ensure it was given conditions of  “with my business partner” or “I don’t actually call myself chief executive” or “I had a standing start”.

 

But why? Why, as women, do we often feel the need to downplay our achievements? And if we downplay what we have achieved, are limiting what we can achieve? 

 

Many a time do I find myself in the company of my male counterparts, eager to drop the “chief executive bomb”, (often chief executives of two people), longing to tell me their take home pay or average deal value (yup – no jokes). Unimpressed, I do, however, ponder whether this level of self-belief supports growth?

 

Is it even a gender thing? I’m conscious of making sweeping generalisations about women. All women behave differently, and thank god for some of the powerhouses who operate without the fear of being seen as egotistical. But basing this piece on my own observations of men and women, women are much more likely to downplay their achievements. 

 

So, I asked Chat GPT why. The only sensible thing to do. Hey ChatGPT, why do women tend to downplay their achievements more than men? Here is what she gave us:

1. Modesty: Cultural and societal norms often encourage humility and modesty. Some people, irrespective of gender, may downplay their achievements as a way of adhering to these norms and avoiding appearing boastful.

 

2. Socialisation: From an early age, individuals might be socialised to prioritise others' feelings or perspectives over their own. This can lead to downplaying achievements to maintain social harmony and avoid making others feel uncomfortable or inadequate.

 

3. Imposter syndrome: Some individuals, regardless of gender, may experience imposter syndrome – the feeling that they don't deserve their accomplishments and fear being exposed as a fraud. This can lead to downplaying achievements as a way of coping with these internal insecurities.

 

4. Fear of judgment: There might be a fear of being judged or criticised for seeming too confident or successful. Some individuals, including women, may downplay their achievements to fit in or avoid potential negative reactions from others.

 

5. Cultural expectations: Cultural expectations and stereotypes can play a role. In some societies, there may be expectations for women to be more modest self-effacing, which could influence their behaviour when discussing their accomplishments.

 

I’ve always found humility to be a superpower. But in a work setting, could this trait be holding us back when it comes to winning the client, getting the promotion or being offered that new role?

 

Throughout my employed career, I never quite got the job I wanted. Whether I just wasn’t good enough or whether I was underestimated remains to be seen. But I do know that it wasn’t until I started working for myself, without the discomfort of underestimation, that I truly flourished. “Too kind”, “too fluffy” or “not into the detail” was feedback I lived with. Yet these are the things in my own business that became my superpowers. 

 

I look back and wish I’d been clearer on my achievements, wish I’d had the confidence to challenge more, wish I’d been more succinct when under pressure. Honestly, I still feel like that. 

 

But I have been trying harder to amplify recently. These are a few things I’ve been giving a whirl:

1.  Setting intentions before any conversation. What’s my main objective? What is the desired outcome? 

2.  Having an elevator pitch. A short one, for when I meet new people. 

3.  Trying to remove phrases like “kind of”, “maybe” or  “sort of”.

4.  Consciously reducing email word count – zero fluff. 

5.  Stopping saying ‘”thank you for your time”. Replacing with “great to meet you”.

 

The question remains whether being more forthcoming about our achievements and successes supports us win business or get that job. But I have a sneaky feeling it might. 

 

Anne Boden, the Starling Bank founder, led a government taskforce recently, reviewing the barriers to increasing the number of women taking senior venture capital roles.


The final report cited research by the British Venture Capital Association that showed just 11% of such positions are held by women, and 13% of firms lack a single female member in their investing teams. Research has also shown that female-led companies continue to struggle to secure investment, with only 2p of every £1 of equity funding in the UK going to female-founded businesses.


The recommendations suggested that venture capital firms should set “their own ambitious voluntary targets for the number of women in senior investment professional roles and on investment committees, in line with industry guidelines”. It encouraged investors to pay more heed to existing initiatives, such as the Investing in Women Code, and increase the number of women in senior investment professional roles.


Boden said: “The problem is not the women. Stop trying to fix the women, fix the system. What is happening in all investment scenarios is that people invest in other people that look and sound like themselves, and a majority of the investment community are me.” She added that there was almost too much of a “spotlight” on women because there are so few of them and that they are constantly criticised. “I talk about the boiled egg syndrome, where we’re either too hard or too soft,” she added. “We’re never quite right.”


Boden went on to say: “It took nearly 300 meetings before I raised my first finance, and I was one of the lucky ones. I got the money and I got the investment and I’ve managed to grow a unicorn, but the majority of the time I was walking into a room, and I was faced with six men.”




The final report from this taskforce did not suggest setting mandatory targets for venture capital firms, saying instead that the targets should be voluntarily and set by the companies themselves. The report also recommended the creation of female founder growth boards across England to develop a local “ecosystem” for female entrepreneurs by bringing together groups of local public and private sector stakeholders.


The report believes that female founders should be “at the forefront” of UK ambitions to become a tech superpower by 2030. This included taking advantage of breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), which Boden described as the “industrial revolution 5.0”. She said: “AI could solve many of our big societal issues if we get it right, and the UK has the opportunity to be front and centre on this, and there is no reason why it can’t be a female founder in the UK that creates the next big Google or Facebook.”

 

At the end of the article, published in The Times, one (male I think) respondent commentated on the article, saying: “What a scandal that more women do not achieve senior positions in our economy. Just think how the nation would have been much the poorer without such shining examples of female talent as Dame Alison Rose, Paula Vennells, Sharon White, Baroness Mone and Theresa May, for example. Quotas are clearly the answer.”

I have to say, although I am a glass-half-full sort of person, this whole episode felt rather dispiriting.

 So few women leading or indeed working for venture capital/private equity companies; such a small percentage of funding going to female founders; such small ambitions and ideas for change; a fall back to existing industry initiatives with the vague hope that they can achieve any sort of change; and misogynistic responses to the article.


All in all, it took the government task force two years to report and make recommendations. It doesn’t actually feel, though, as if anything will be actioned or achieved as a result – just continue as you are boys. My particular passion is to see more women given executive roles on boards, rather than (or perhaps as well as) topping up the board female quotient by giving non-executive director roles to women.

 

It is happening with public limited companies more and more. It still feels as if we have a long way to go to see this happen in venture capital/private equity companies and the businesses they choose to support. Disappointing for everyone and a little bit wearying to say the least.

Ann Elliott (she/her) is a portfolio non-executive director and board advisor 

 

Today is International Women’s Day – a day to celebrate women and champion their achievements. It’s also a day for us to have honest conversations about the positive steps being taken to drive diversity and inclusion across our industry, while reflecting on the important work we’ve still yet to do.

 

Having joined St Austell Brewery last year, I’m proud to have come into a family-owned company with heritage that’s looking ahead and striving to evolve for future generations. As part of our growth strategy, we’re on a mission to become the number one employer of choice in the south west. A core part of this is looking at how we ensure all our workplaces – our pubs, breweries and depots – are thriving places of inclusion and acceptance, welcoming for people of all genders, identities, disabilities, sexual orientation and backgrounds. A place where people can feel both physically and psychologically safe.

 

Looking back, there’s a strong history of women making waves at St Austell Brewery. As far back as 1911, when the suffragette movement was making headlines, women have played an important role. Hester Parnell took over the running of the brewery following the untimely death of her brother. Her father was Walter Hicks, who founded our business in 1851. Under her leadership, the brewery grew significantly, and by the 1920s, the output was close to 38,000 barrels per year, almost twice the amount brewed before the war. Through the economic depression of the 1930s, Hester steered the company’s growth with an increase in the workforce, the acquisition of 72 pubs and the changing of our company’s name from Walter Hicks Brewery to St Austell Brewery.

 

More than 100 years later, women continue to play a vital role within our business. We know we need to keep pushing forward in supporting them to become our leaders of the future. We have an established internal leadership development programme, which is made up of a 50/50 gender split. We’re also very proud of our award-winning apprenticeship scheme, in partnerships with colleges across the south west, which offers women of all ages the chance to learn while they earn, as well as future progression opportunities.

 

We currently have more than 100 apprentices, including four in our brewing team. This trailblazing scheme in partnership with the University of Nottingham was founded by a group of the country’s leading brewers, including our very own brewing director, Georgina Young, giving women (and men) that all important foot in the door to our fantastic industry.

 

For 2024 and beyond, we have developed a people plan for the business that ensures we attract, grow and develop the best talent, while ensuring that we evolve our culture positively, alongside a commitment to progress a culture where each team member can feel free to be at their best and feel free to be their authentic selves.

 

To support this culture, we’ve established an equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) steering committee, which is chaired by our chief executive, Kevin Georgel, as well as a supporting employee advisory group. This is made up of circa 30 individuals from all business areas and work levels, bringing a range of diverse perspectives. It’s a safe space for those individuals to engage in open and honest discussions, working together to help define our EDI focus areas based on what matters most to our people.

 

Alongside these core EDI groups, we partner with local organisations including Cornwall Pride, and run regular internal campaigns throughout the year on topics such as menopause awareness and neurodiversity to generate positive, open conversations and drive awareness wherever we possibly can.

 

Looking to the future, EDI remains a top priority for us at St Austell Brewery. It’s critical to the growth of our business, attracting and retaining talent, embedding diversity of thinking in our teams and ensuring our business is fit for future generations. However, like many in our industry, we know our work is far from done. We have made positive steps so far, but it’s important we take positive action to develop more women into leadership positions, continue to educate our teams on unconscious bias and continue promoting a sense of belonging for all.

 

I have a nuanced relationship with “notable dates” that highlight genders or groups. The love stems from the collective opportunity to celebrate and amplify, while the hate arises from the performatism it often attracts – companies and individuals shouting the loudest but doing little throughout the year. In order to advance intersectional gender equity, it relies on a concerted effort year-round, not just on one day or during one month.

 

However, my emphasis in this opinion piece is on love, particularly in light of this year’s International Women’s Day theme, “inspire inclusion”. For me, this theme signifies the importance of recognising the contributions of the remarkable women in our industry. Rather than standing on a soapbox about the date itself, I’d like to share with you eight inspiring female founders in the hospitality industry within my network.

 

These women and their businesses speak to the diversity of vision, talent and cultures that contribute to the rich tapestry of hospitality. Personally, I am inspired by each and every one of them, and my hope is that their stories resonate and might inspire you too.

 

Joké Bakare is the chef founder of the Michelin star West African restaurant Chishuru, who started as a home cook before winning a cooking competition and opening her first restaurant in Brixton in 2020. Joké has created a legion of fans who rave about her food, and in mid-2023 opened Chishuru 2.0, which now resides in Fitzrovia. @chishuru

 

Bharti Radix is the founder of café wine bar BloomsYard. After spending more than ten years as a finance director for various hospitality businesses, Bharti decided in 2020 to pursue her dream of birthing a modern, all-day affair. Since then, she has single-handedly opened five locations! @bloomsyard.

 

Sara Assad-Mannings is the founder of bakery Bunhead Bakes. She established Bunhead amidst the pandemic and is a self-taught pastry chef, keen to share culture though food, leaning on her Palestinian heritage. Excitingly, it is currently crowdfunding for its first bricks-and-mortar site. You can find more information and support the business at @bunheadbakes.

 

Helena Adedipe is the co-founder of Eko Brewery, which was established in 2018 and inspired by the microbrewery scene in the US. Helena and her husband, Anthony, led the business to launch their African-inspired vegan beer in 2019. In October 2023, they opened their very own taproom in Peckham, integrating beer, food and culture for a one-of-a-kind experience in London. @ekobrewery.

 

America Brewer serves as the winemaker and owner of Oastbrook Estate. Hailing from Bahia in Brazil, America possesses a profound passion for sustainable viticulture and winemaking. She planted her first vines in 2018, and today, Oastbrook Estate stands as a prominent producer of award-winning English wine. @oastbrook

 

Ayanna Fisher is the co-founder of a contemporary Caribbean restaurant in east London. The restaurant, celebrating Caribbean cuisine since 2011, boasts a welcoming ambience with the backdrop of a grand piano and elegant surroundings. Ayanna was a finalist in the Caribbean food category at the 2023 BIH Spotlight Awards. @ayannaslondon

 

Ayesha Kalaji is the owner and head chef at the Queen of Cups pub in Glastonbury. Originally a 17th century coaching inn, it has been transformed into a modern Middle Eastern restaurant. This pub has been honoured with a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and Ayesha was acclaimed as the Middle Eastern food category winner at the 2022 BIH Spotlight Awards. @glastoqueenofcups

 

Amy Poon is an entrepreneur, food enthusiast, published writer and Chinese food ambassador who is resurrecting a family brand while establishing a food-led business. Poon’s London is the home of a grocery and deli business, and Amy was recently recognised as the winner in the east and south east Asian food category at the 2023 BIH Spotlight Awards. @amy_poon.

 

While the stories of these women vary, the common thread is a commitment to pursuing careers rooted in culture, dedication and passion. My intention with this piece is simply to shine a spotlight on founders who have often gone unseen. Personally, I frequently engage in conversations about my work at Be Inclusive Hospitality, and I often encounter the statement: “I want to be inclusive, but I don’t know where to start.”

 

My response typically echoes this sentiment. In 2020, when I founded my social enterprise, the community started at zero. However, with a desire and willingness to build a thriving and ethnically diverse community, we have achieved significant growth by being intentional in our aims. The community now stands at 700, three and a half years later.

 

I mention this to emphasise that, although this is not an exhaustive list, fostering inclusion requires time, effort, thoughtful consideration and patience. I believe we can all play a part and bear individual responsibility in creating a world where International Women’s Day need not exist because we have achieved intersectional gender equality. Let’s take action.

 

As the third-largest private sector in the UK, the hospitality and tourism industry has seen a rise in women entering the workforce in recent years – currently sitting at 53.7%, according to the latest research (Nestor – How Women are Changing the Hospitality Industry). 

 

While this is a positive improvement, there are still areas that require attention to ensure that women feel they can strive for leadership roles. With this year’s theme of International Women’s Day being to “inspire inclusion”, it is important to look at the hospitality industry as a whole, and how this has developed over the years to encourage women to aim high.

 

As the proud director of sales and marketing at Billesley Manor Hotel, I have had to go through many of the challenges (and successes!) other women in similar positions have had to experience to get to where they are today. Despite an aspiration to pursue acting at an early age, I found myself drawn to the industry, with my first role as a receptionist before quickly rising to supervisor. 

 

Following the arrival of my first daughter, I swiftly returned to hospitality, where I explored the reservationist role before finding my love for weddings and events. It was in orchestrating couples’ dream days that I found joy – there’s something magical about being part of such a significant moment in peoples’ lives. After being a wedding co-ordinator for many years, I then took another break to have my second child. 

 

Again returning to hospitality, I was given the opportunity as a sales manager, where I played a key role in helping the hotel I worked with at the time to win “Hotel of the Year” in 2018. This was a huge achievement that I wouldn’t have gained without the opportunities provided by the industry.

 

Throughout my career, I’ve been driven by a desire to be proactive and to build and nurture relationships. The progression opportunities in this industry are endless, rewarding those who dare to climb the ladder and gain knowledge along the way. For me, the continuous growth opportunities have been both fulfilling and rewarding.

 

In my role as a leader, I thrive on the dynamic nature of each day and diverse challenges it brings. As a natural people person, the opportunity to connect with colleagues, clients and guests fuels my passion for leadership. Despite this, being a female business leader in hospitality hasn’t been without its challenges.

While my immediate peers are predominantly women, achieving fair pay and recognition has long been an ongoing journey. However, I find solace in my achievements, relying on the facts and figures to reaffirm my worth in a male leadership dominated industry. Balancing the responsibilities of leadership with those of a wife and mother has taught me resilience and strength that I never knew I possessed.

 

Reflecting on the inclusivity of the industry when I first joined, I can’t help but acknowledge the progress we’ve made. While there’s still work to be done, the presence of more female general managers is a testament to that change. Yet, as long as gender equality remains a topic of discussion, there’s always room for improvement.

 

To any woman considering a career in hospitality, I offer this advice: set your goals high and break them down into achievable steps. The flexibility of this industry allows you to pursue your ambitions while maintaining a fulfilling personal life. And for those striving for leadership positions, remember to earn respect through hard work and dedication – never shy away from getting your hands dirty.

 

As the industry marks International Women’s Day, I’m reminded of the countless women who paved the way for me and the responsibility I bear to inspire those who will follow. Together, we’ll continue to challenge norms, break barriers and carve out a future where women in hospitality thrive.