AETHOS Consulting Group's recent article, Women's Presence Growing in Hotel Boardrooms contributes perspective - supported by industry statistics - to the conversation of gender diversity in the boardroom.AETHOS research indicates that more hiring managers and nomination committees are open to giving female candidates an equal opportunity in search of the right person for the job. AETHOS London Managing Director Chris Mumford reviewed leading hotel companies including Accor and Carlson Rezidor, and found there is a similar ratio of men to women in the executive suite as there is in the boardroom, with 22% female representation. Other noteworthy findings include:

  • An analysis of women's presence on executive management teams reveals thatInterContinental Hotels Group is highest with a 40% female representation;
  • Approximately 24% of all board seats at publicly listed hotel companies are occupied by women directors;
  • Growth of female leadership in the 50 largest hotel companies is now five CEOs in 2017 compared to one sole female CEO in 2007: APA Hospitality, China Lodging Group, Iberostar, Riu, Tokyo Inn and Whitbread.

"Gaining a seat at the board table is only part of the equation," adds London-based AETHOS Managing Director Thomas Mielke. "Diversity is as much about inclusion as it is about equal and fair treatment. "Whilst transparency around policies that aim to ensure a more balance board has improved, the gender pay gap remains significant. Although there appears to be some year-on-year progress, as underpinned by the regional statistics of the Equal Pay Day movement, it is a fact that female executives still earn below the benchmark set by their male counterparts. Where in the recent past quotas might have helped to drive diversity, it is hopefully initiatives such as the one from the UK's Government Equalities Office, which is requiring private companies with more than 250 employees to formally and publicly report on the gender pay gap as of April of this year, which help create a more transparent and balanced work place," says Mielke.

And as AETHOS executive Juliette Boone emphatically states, "While it's important to focus on 'getting the right person in place for the job,' it's also important to consider how and by whom the selection criteria for the 'right person' is established. So much more still needs to be done to re-engineer the workplace. "As our 2013 research study, "Rethinking a Glass Ceiling in the Hospitality Industry concluded, "for women to continue to excel in moving forward and upward within organizations they need support not only developing leadership and professional skills, but they also require proactive engagement in strong mentorship and personal development programs," says Boone.

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About AETHOS Consulting Group is a global advisory firm serving the hospitality industry. The firm enhances value for its partner organizations via access, know-how and fresh thinking. Core competencies include executive search, compensation consulting, business strategy and psychometric assessments. The firm is designed as a single partnership operating from ten locations in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. www.aethoscg.com.

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