The initiative is being launched in November by Women 1st, which is a recent development programme set up by the hospitality skills council to encourage women in their hospitality careers.
Nominations for the Top 100 Most Influential Women in hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism will be open to all as from next month, and can be entered on the People 1st website.
Women in hospitality
Indian food expert Pinky Lilani OBE, who will be the guest speaker at the launch ceremony on 2 November, said the initiative will help to “shatter the glass ceiling” over the industry so that more women can reach higher in their careers.
According to research by People 1st, around 60 per cent of the hospitality workforce is made up of women, but only 6 per cent of company directors are female.
“I believe that businesses are missing out by not being more open to the benefits to be gained from diversity. Most women bring a unique approach, experience and management style to positions of seniority and therefore are able to make a tangible difference to an organisation” said Lilani.
Inspire success
Sharon Glancy, who founded Women 1st last year, said: “Whilst our industry is one of the most dynamic in the country, women have struggled to reach their career aspirations. By showcasing the most influential women in our industries, we can highlight their valuable contribution and hopefully inspire others to emulate that success. I urge employers and individuals to nominate successful women when we launch our search on 2 November”.
Women selected for the Top 100 list this year will also be entered into the judging for the 2011 Women 1st Awards which will recognise the key achievements of the industry’s Top 100 most influential women.
According to research by People 1st, female-dominated roles are usually front of house, such as waiting staff, bar staff and catering assistants and 55 per cent of women work part-time in the industry compared to 33 per cent of men.