Pune – The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) organised the first-ever IIHM Global Conference on Women in Hospitality to celebrate International Women’s Day. The event was held on 6th March, 2023 and brought together women leaders and experts in the hospitality industry to share their experiences, insights and challenges. The event aimed to inspire and empower women to take up leadership roles in the hospitality industry and overcome gender barriers and challenges. The IIHM Global Conference for Women in Hospitality 2023 was IIHM’s way of putting the spotlight on the United Nations’ SDG Goal No. 5 — Gender Equality. The global conference consisted of six sessions, each focusing on a different aspect of women’s leadership in hospitality. The topics of the sessions were as follows: · Women Leaders in the Hospitality Industry: Overcoming Gender Barriers and Challenges· Female Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries· Women Chefs of Today: Breaking the Male Bastion· Diversity and Inclusion in the Hospitality Industry: Creating a Gender-Neutral Workplace· Role of Women in Promoting Sustainability in Hospitality· Women’s Leadership and Career Progression in the Hospitality Industry A stellar cast of speakers from around the world shared its views on the riveting and highly relevant topics. The first session featured women leaders in the hospitality industry who had broken barriers and overcome challenges to reach the top of their organisations. The session highlighted their journey and provided insights on how women can navigate the hospitality industry’s male-dominated environment. The second session focussed on female entrepreneurship in developing countries. Women entrepreneurs often face challenges in starting and running their businesses, and the hospitality industry is no exception. The third session featured women chefs who had broken the glass ceiling in hotel and restaurant kitchens, which have traditionally been dominated by men, and challenged conventional stereotypes. Other sessions brought up a host of interesting subjects. If one session focused on the role of women in promoting sustainability in hospitality, another examined the challenges women face in career progression in the hospitality industry. Prominent participants included Mrs Sanjukta Bose, Director and Co-Founder of IIHM and Dr Madhu Chandok, Founder of PIP 2020. Dr Suborno Bose, Founder, IIHM and the force behind the pathbreaking global conference said, “The speakers today included the most illustrious and successful women of international repute in the hospitality industry. Following the United Nations’ theme of International Women’s Day of DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality, IIHM has focused on Sustainability and Technology for providing a strong platform, where women can choose a career off the beaten path and join the world of International Hospitality.” The IIHM Global Conference on Women in Hospitality 2023 emerged as an excellent platform for women leaders, experts, and aspiring professionals in the hospitality industry to come together, share their experiences, and learn from each other. The event was attended by several prominent personalities in the hospitality industry, including chefs, hoteliers, and entrepreneurs. Going forward, the event will inspire and empower women to take up leadership roles in the hospitality industry and break gender barriers.
