General equality is a key priority for Accor - the group was one of the ten founding signatories of the United Nations HeForShe movement and last year signed the Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence. 43% of our Heartists are women globally. While these women may have taken different paths to success, the similarities that inspire them are their passion for people, limitless opportunities, and the pursuit of equality.
PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS BE THE KEY DRIVER
“It is not just about serving people. We, as hospitality professionals, create happiness; we make beautiful memories by serving from our heart, which remains with our guests for the longest of time. This makes us feel proud of the work we do. It makes us feel accomplished that we can make a difference,” said Farzana Khorasi, Food & Beverage Manager at Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort.
Hospitality puts people at its heart. The smiles on guests' and colleagues' faces are what motivate Rin Han, Learning and Development Manager at Fairmont Ambassador Seoul, to do better every day. “The biggest reason I love my job is that I can always be considerate and love others. The joy of working in the hospitality industry is to be able to see smiles and make other people happy.”
Hospitality involves rich interactions with guests and colleagues from all backgrounds. It fosters a spirit of openness and connects people and cultures. Thus, Accor encourages each talent to express their unique personality and facilitate an environment in which people can share their sincere passion for service and care of people. The promise to Heartists® is that they will feel valued and be the actors of their own actions.
LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW AND CONTINUE GROWING…
According to Sairung Eamchom, Room Division Manager at ibis Styles Bangkok Ratchada, adds “The hospitality industry allows you to develop yourself. You will be able to improve lots of skills. You will learn from others, your colleagues, and guests. You will learn from tackling different situations that arise in the course of your job. Some of the skills required in your job, such as communication, team work or organisation, will become pivotal in your daily life. You will learn more skills as you gain more experience and deal with various people.”
The hospitality sector is vast and job opportunities are limitless. It is a safe space for everyone to grow. Ambitious talents may pursue positions in finance, human resources, marketing, and more. Chit Chit Naing balances two roles, one being the Director of Talent & Culture of Novotel Yangon Max and another being the Area Talent & Culture Manager for Accor Myanmar. She looks after 800 Heartists in the country to ensure that everyone is recognised and feels valued. “I personally feel that the hospitality industry is the place where I am doing something different each day with new opportunities to learn, and take on exciting challenges. I can see the fruits of my efforts, working alongside great people, and providing interesting activities for colleagues.” She wishes to encourage all women to achieve their dreams, go beyond their fears, pursue their ambitions, and believe in themselves.
A SUPPORTIVE AND INCLUSIVE WORKING CULTURE
Aubrey Ada started her career as a Reservations Agent. She then took on various roles within hotels such as Housekeeping Manager, Front Office Manager, and Director of Rooms. The hotel’s General Manager believed in her and challenged her to do better every day. Aubrey’s talent shone and in October 2021, she was promoted to become the first local female Hotel Manager of Fairmont and Raffles Makati in Manila. Aubrey now oversees the operations, rooms, spa and fitness, food and beverage, security, and engineering departments. “Accor’s management training programs, such as International Hospitality Management Program, in which I participated, are well thought out. The programs made me feel valued. I thought to myself, this company is serious in developing future leaders from within the group,” she said. As a Filipina hotelier with a global mindset and a mother herself, she wants to inspire women not to give up on their dreams.
Growing up with sweet childhood memories in a house near Tan Son Nhat International Airport in her beloved Ho Chi Minh City, Truong Thi Kim Chi is now responsible for increasing the revenue for ibis Saigon Airport. She was an Assistant Director of Sales when she joined two years ago. She then got promoted to Director of Sales. “Being a leader of my team, every day I am filled with enthusiasm and hunger for business. I feel motivated when I can fulfill my tasks and contribute to the hotel. I feel even more encouraged when my colleagues ask me if we will have many guests staying and if we will have an attractive service charge.” Truong aims to lead her young sales team with her own experience, hoping they can learn and truly fulfil their potential.
Nang Srey Peou was the only Guest Relation Officer at Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort back in 2000. It was this job that allowed her to discover her love for storytelling while she was showing guests around the hotel. This passion and hard work enabled her to become a successful Director of Sales today. “My heart remains with Sofitel. I have a career full of memorable moments working here. I am proud that I can keep developing myself in the world of luxury hospitality, thanks to the opportunities that the hotel has offered me."
Hospitality is a team sport and that is why Heartists® are at the heart of Accor’s company culture, as guest experience relies on their personalities and skills. Each employee is empowered and is encouraged to take risks and be creative.
Accor recognises and celebrates outstanding female talents through its international network RiiSE. Open to both women and men, RiiSE promotes diversity and focuses on empowering both genders through a mentoring programme. In addition, RiiSE strives to combat stereotypes, everyday sexism and sexual harassment.
In a post-COVID world, increased flexibility for both women and men will help remove unconscious biases against female talents who may have managed multiple priorities, including raising children. Accor is committed to removing biases across the industry, and ensuring an inclusive environment for all to #BreakTheBias.
To learn more about a career in the world’s most exciting industry, visit: https://careers.accor.com/global/en