The importance of International Women’s Day

The annual marking of International Women’s Day each March sparks endless discussions across all industries around the equal treatment and representation of women.

For the hospitality industry, this is always particularly contentious. Through a myriad of reasons, the gender balance of those working in restaurants is one that is unequal, particularly in kitchens. Often put off by tricky working conditions, a career in hospitality is unattractive to many.

On March 8, and throughout the month, we are provided with the chance to examine this issue and make subsequent efforts to redress it. For a whole month, the ever-pervasive image of the tattooed male chef with his arms folded across his apron is put on hold – instead our magazines and timelines are flooded with the female stars of the industry.

Let’s use this valuable time to celebrate our female colleagues, to elevate them and inspire future generations of women to choose hospitality as a career.

For an industry still riddled with staff shortages and recruitment difficulties, March brings vital opportunities to appeal to the often side-lined half of our working population. This month – and, hopefully, beyond it – we will focus on and talk about how to properly support and attract women pursuing careers in restaurants. We must spark initiatives that will lead to more sustainable, fair and progressive working environments, and then carry them on beyond this one month.

In 2022, all of this is more pertinent than ever. We are a workforce that has spent the last two years being stretched to an absolute limit, bringing with it lessons around the importance of support groups and mentorship opportunities. International Women’s Day provides the chance to enhance our networks and to share ideas on how to continue to grow our industry into one that is welcoming, encouraging and inspiring to everyone.

Nominations for CODE’s 100 Most Influential Women in Hospitality 2022 open tomorrow