FAB 2024
Championing diversity and inclusion
The first panel discussion at FAB 2024 addressed the vital topic of how to advance diversity & inclusivity in the travel F&B and hospitality community.
Speakers included Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport VP Concessions Zenola Campbell, Concessions International President & CEO Donata Russell Ross and Areas USA CEO Carlos Bernal.
Each candidly shared their own stories of overcoming adversity and addressed how the sector can do more to ensure that individuals in front line, back of house and management roles – whatever their backgrounds – feel not just welcome but that they have a voice.
Campbell said: “We are looking at inclusion and diversity at DFW not just from an ethnicity viewpoint but also from a cultural viewpoint. We have many groups at the airport and we want them to share their different cultures and experiences so we better understand who we are.
The Moodie Davitt President Dermot Davitt (left) led a top-quality panel on the question of diversity and inclusion. Pictured from second left to right are Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Vice President Concessions Zenola Campbell; Concessions International President & Chief Executive Officer Donata Russell Ross; and Areas USA Chief Executive Officer Carlos Bernal.
“We make sure that when we do outreach for positions we are casting the net broadly so we can have a diverse range of candidates to at least interview.”
Russell Ross said: “For Concessions International, diversity & inclusion is who we are over 45 years. We look at it as an opportunity to give exposure to people who don’t normally have opportunity. 85% of our workforce is made up from under-represented groups and ethnicity is something we are focused on as we try to recreate our family atmosphere across all groups. That means becoming aware of cultural differences and incorporating that into our practices.”
Bernal highlighted how Areas USA is already diverse, with minority groups heavily represented across the workforce. “I came to the US from Cuba and I try to pass that experience forward, as someone who was not from here, did not originally speak the language and how you communicate that and walk the talk with authenticity is important.”
The panel discussed how the industry must ensure individuals from all backgrounds feel not just welcome but they have a voice
On hiring strategy, Bernal said: “We recruit in the communities where we are based, as we need to be representative of those. A question is how we communicate what is possible to our teams in terms of advancement. I began in the kitchen and am now a CEO. It’s incumbent on us to show others that there is a pathway to progression. Mentorship, educational development and identifying who can be the leaders of the future is an important thing to engage in, not just for our own organisations but for the industry more widely.”
Campbell, encouragingly, noted how more women are taking on roles traditionally associated with men. She added that middle management is well populated with women and minorities, though she noted there is room to extend that to key decision-making roles such as Executive Vice President.
Up close and personal: The speakers shared stories of overcoming adversity throughout their careers
“I would love to have more diversity of thought and more women who could make decisions at the top. We haven’t done a good enough job in this as an industry. There are more people who look like me, or from different backgrounds, but I’d like to see even more of this.
“For the industry to keep up with the next generation, we must have people they can relate to in our teams. And that is also about ensuring we are an attractive industry to work in.”
Russell Ross said: “We have seen change and women are playing a greater role in the industry’s direction. But I am now looking at how we expose youth entering the business to our ways of working, and giving them the freedom to be creative and act differently. We must figure out how to incorporate youthful thought and processes to advance what we do.
“What is important is that we take the time to listen and create an environment where everyone feels they have a voice. If you do that, you can overcome any adversity.”
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FAB eZine
August 2024
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