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Executive Summary
T
his first-of-its-kind report from The MBS Group, WiHTL and PwC finds that Covid-19 will have a long-term impact on diversity and inclusion in the hospitality, travel and leisure (HTL) sector. Based on conversations with over 60 of the sector’s leading businesses, as well as a survey of 1,500 HTL employees, our research shows that women and those from ethnic minority backgrounds are more likely to have been negatively impacted by Covid-19 than their male and/or white counterparts – and that immediate action must be taken to guard against further unintended negative consequences. Over the last few years, the HTL sector has made real strides on diversity and inclusion, increasing female and ethnic minority representation across all senior leadership levels and entry‑level positions. PROGRESS 2018-2019 Level
% women
% BAME
Board
28.9% (up 5.3%)
6.4% (up 4.6%)
Executive Committee
27.2% (up 1.8%)
3.4% (up 1.4%)
Direct Reports
37.7% (up 1.7%)
4.8% (up 1.1%)
Source: From Intention to Action: Diversity in Hospitality, Travel & Leisure, The 2020 WiHTL Annual Report
However, this report shows that Covid-19 may have reversed some of this progress, and that many senior women and those from ethnic minority backgrounds have been impacted more by Covid-19 responses in HTL than their male and/or white counterparts. Significantly, we find that whilst many leaders in the sector have a good understanding of the risks to their D&I agenda, most leaders have not taken tangible action to mitigate the impact.
77% of businesses reported that D&I has remained a priority or become a higher priority since Covid-19. However: • Only 15% of businesses reported that D&I has been raised at board meetings since the outset of the crisis; • PwC research found that a higher proportion of women have been furloughed, put on reduced hours or made redundant (65%) than men (56%) • PwC research found that 67% of those from ethnic minorities have been furloughed, put on reduced hours or made redundant, compared to 62% of white colleagues • Only 15% of businesses interviewed have measured the impact of temporary action (such as furlough) on female or ethnic minority employees, and only 6% have measured the impact of redundancies, or potential redundancies. The risk to employee health, the emergence of flexible/home working, and the increased profile of HRDs around the decision-making during this period has heightened leaders’ awareness of the issues associated with diversity and inclusion. Indeed, 44% of businesses reported that D&I has been a higher priority for their business since
