This is Hospitality: Compass – ‘It’s up to us to unlock people’s skills’

People will always be what makes our industry special. This is why Compass Group UK & Ireland is proud to be sponsoring and supporting The Caterer’s This is Hospitality campaign. A week in from launch, it’s been great to see the activity kick off and I am excited to showcase more about our sector.

 

I believe that to futureproof our industry and continue innovating, it’s crucial that we continue to attract, nurture and retain talent.

 

Our people are innovators, thinking creatively to ensure amazing experiences for customers; we are problem solvers, working with clients to come up with bespoke solutions that meet their needs; we are chefs, nutritionists, sustainability leads, event planners, finance specialists, HR professionals… and so much more.

 

Crucially, we are part of an industry without barriers, and this is a superpower we must continue to champion. People often need few or no qualifications to enter our industry, but when they are given the correct support to progress, the sky is the limit.

 

Our evolving mission

The This is Hospitality campaign aligns with our work at Compass perfectly – we believe in giving everyone the tools and training they need to thrive. That’s why in 2021, we launched Our Social Promise, which included a commitment to positively impact the lives of one million people – both within our organisation and in the communities we operate in – through job creation, education, training and community engagement.

 

We have already supported more than 500,000 people through initiatives such as Xcelerate in Edgbaston, a dedicated community skills and learning hub to train people in all aspects of hospitality. We also launched our pioneering Social Partner Hub, to help those who struggle to find work into employment, as well as training hundreds of apprentices.

 

We are now further evolving our mission to make an even greater impact. Our ‘Mission to a Million: Forward Together’ initiative will have improving socio-economic outcomes as its guiding principle and focus on four key areas:

 

Get in Expanding access to opportunities by offering 1,000 apprenticeships annually and partnering with schools, charities and local communities. This initiative aims to build pathways for diverse talent and provide jobs and skills development.

 

Get on Targeted initiatives, such as our Six Signature Skills Programmes, which create focus areas for development training within Compass. We will also further build on the success of Xcelerate with regional training centres to equip future leaders with the skills to thrive. Plus, mentoring initiatives will empower colleagues from all backgrounds to advance their careers.

 

Get supported We will continue to advocate for the Real Living Wage and provide extensive employee assistance programmes that include provision for wellbeing, mental health and financial assistance. We are committed to ensuring every employee is treated with fairness and respect.

 

Get involved We will empower more than 55,000 colleagues to volunteer their time in support of good causes. Our teams will also promote health and nutrition for young people and families through initiatives such as Beyond the Chartwells Kitchen and Junior Chef Academy.

 

Opportunities for all

We can achieve social mobility by providing opportunities for all; we have the size and scale to make real changes in society and in peoples’ lives.

 

Within hospitality and foodservice we have so many success stories. We’ve seen inspiring people rise up through the business, building careers and passing on their experience and learnings to others. This is exciting for us and can only mean growth and diversification across our industry.

 

It’s up to us to unlock people’s skills. Our industry has the power to support thousands more, whether it’s through learning and development, upskilling, providing work or work experience, as well as supporting local initiatives in the communities.

 

We have a responsibility to work together to remind people just how special hospitality really is. If we continue to do that, our industry has a bright and brilliant future.

 

Sophie Smith is the chief people officer at Compass Group UK & Ireland

 

What is This Is Hospitality?

Three easy ways to get involved

Get behind our This is Hospitality campaign and you could help change the perception of your industry. 

 

Follow us on our dedicated page www.thecaterer.com/thisishospitality and on Instagram @thecaterermag for news and updates.

 

Send in your short videos or share them on social media, explaining why you love working in hospitality, and support the campaign using the hashtag #thisishospitality

 

Email us. If you have suggestions for our campaign or want to share a positive story about our industry, get in touch at thisishospitality@thecaterer.com

 

This Is Hospitality