EDITOR ’ S DIARY
HOPE
BEYOND A PROMISE
Peggy Berg is becoming the voice of the hotel industry ’ s social conscience in North America , and HOTELS edit team appreciates the causes for which she fights . Her nonprofit Castell Project has been documenting industry performance on inclusion and equality and quickly came to market with timely data about black representation in hospitality .
Many hotel industry giants tout their diversity initiatives , but the bottom line based on the results of “ Black Representation in Hospitality Industry Leadership 2020 ”
Editor In Chief reveals hoteliers fall pathetically short . I have been reading about inclusion and diversity programming for years , but when I see , according to the study , that black executives represent 1.5 % of hospitality industry executives at the director level or above ( 12.5 times below their proportionate share of hospitality industry employment ) I shake my head and wonder what those companies have been accomplishing . Where are their pipelines of minority leaders ? I understand there are myriad challenges , but this glaring misrepresentation is unacceptable . The hotel industry even falls below the norm , according to Korn Ferry , which reported that black executives hold 5 % of all industry positions and 4 % of executive positions at S & P 500 companies .
As Black Lives Matter protests were erupting across the world in early June , I talked to GM Hans Bruland , who runs the venerable Hay-Adams across the street from the White House in Washington , D . C . I wanted to know what the experience was like , and while the hotel was closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak he was going to his office most days to stand guard and in the process witness history in the making . “ For a movement to be this powerful and emotional — and for an equally diverse community , especially the young , collectively embracing a common goal of justice and fairness for all , is life-changing ,” Bruland said . “ It is impressive and hopeful for me .”
Let ’ s not lose sight of this moment . Let ’ s go beyond the vague promises and use it as an opportunity to make inclusion and diversity changes that have meaningful and measurable goals . Walk your walk . No doubt , the hotel community is not the only industry falling short , but stop making excuses and act with decisiveness . Am I preaching ? Yes , I am . But the cause is noble and the minute , the second , the instant is staring you right in the face .
I am here to reinforce the notion and support causes like the Castell Project , which says in its new report , “ be mindful of the post-COVID racial makeup of organizations , intentionally rewrite biased recruiting and advancement policies and hold leaders accountable for building and leading diverse teams .”
Castell Project data showed that 84 % of the 630 hotel company websites reviewed for its study do not reflect any black executives , and only 102 showed a black employee at the director level or above . Read those numbers again and figure out a course of action — not just for black people , but for all minorities . An ethnically diverse leadership team makes so much sense for the hospitality industry . It ’ s not too late ; it ’ s never too late to give everyone hope .
PASSION FOR HOSPITALITY
EDITORIAL Jeff Weinstein , Editor In Chief 1.312.274.2226 jweinstein @ hotelsmag . com Barbara Bohn , Managing Editor 1.312.274.2209 bbohn @ hotelsmag . com Bert Ganzon , Senior Art Director 1.312.274.2227 bganzon @ mtgmediagroup . com Steve Vanden Heuvel , Vice President / Creative Director 1.312.274.2218 svandenheuvel @ mtgmediagroup . com Brittney Hackbart , Associate Art Director 1.312.274.2216 bhackbart @ mtgmediagroup . com Carolina Martinez , Freelance Design cmartinez @ mtgmediagroup . com Bill McDowell , Vice President , Editorial Director 1.312.274.2201 bmcdowell @ mtgmediagroup . com
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Judith Crown , Megan Rowe , Juliana Shallcross , Erin Sund
PUBLISHING David Wood , Publisher 1.312.274.2225 dwood @ hotelsmag . com Bill Kinross , Vice President , Group Publisher 312 / 274-2214 bkinross @ meatingplace . com
INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD Nakul Anand Executive Director , ITC Ltd ., Gurgaon , India Stephen Bartolin President , Broadmoor Sea Island Co ., Colorado Springs , Colorado Alex Kyriakidis President and Managing Director , Middle East and Africa , Marriott International , Dubai Christopher Nassetta President and CEO , Hilton Worldwide , McLean , Virginia Monika Nerger Chief Information Officer , Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group , Atlanta Paul Sistare President and CEO , Atlantica Hotels International , São Paulo Susan Terry Vice president of culinary and food and beverage operations , Marcus Hotels & Resorts , Milwaukee , Wisconsin
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6 hotelsmag . com July / August 2020