Travel policy, George Floyd and hair products were among the topics raised during a session on diversity and inclusion (D&I) during Thursday¡¯s Business Travel Show Europe Kick Off.
The session, entitled The Impact of Diversity, Equity and Human Rights on Travel Partnerships, featured Jafles Pacheco, head of indirect material spend at Oerlikon, Amir Naveh, security awareness programme manager at Booking.com, Linda Bekoe, CEO of APLBC and Carolyn Pearson, CEO of Maiden Voyage with BTN¡¯s Jen Bankard as moderator.
Pacheco said the response to George Floyd¡¯s murder and the Black Lives Matter movement should not be underestimated.
¡°The impact has been so strong, particularly coming from policy makers, and we see changes being infused into society,¡± he said.
Organisations should use events like Black Lives Matter and Tran Awareness Week to raise issues within their organisations, said Naveh.
¡°If we can get our leaders to step up and get them to say where they stand on diversity and inclusion and say this matters, then employees feel really inspired,¡± he said.
Bekoe talked about the importance of diversity in recruitment.
¡°Where should you look for talent?¡± she asked. ¡°If you go to the same universities that may get you results but if you want more innovation and creativity, it really is worth forming different partnerships. Diversity does matter and it is important that you have that diversity in your workforce.
¡°If you look at my team, for example. We complement each other so well as we have diverse backgrounds. It does mean having uncomfortable conversations sometimes to get to the bottom of things but in my opinion you will get better products.¡±
Bekoe also outlined how diversity and inclusion can give a competitive edge, citing the example of retailers selling hair products aimed at people of colour. She said that most of the shops selling the products are run by Indians - they recognised the market for selling to a diverse customer base early and now they have a near monopoly on this lucrative market.
"It is only recently that I have been able to go into Boots or Superdrug to buy these things,¡± she said.?
Pearson, meanwhile, said it was not the job of travel managers to tell travellers where they cannot go because of their protected characteristics but rather to work out how to let that person travel and travel safely.
She added that corporates were going to need to consider D&I more carefully because of the new standard on travel risk management, ISO 31030.
Pacheco recommended that buyers bring diversity and inclusion into their discussions with suppliers.
¡°A couple of years ago. I started including in my hotel RFP an open question about diversity and inclusion asking hotels to explain their D&I strategy and how they could guarantee a safe and inclusive place for their employees and customers. The answers could not have been more diverse. Big chains uploaded their D&I policies but others were completely lost - one property uploaded their fire escape plan.¡±?
Pacheco said poor answers to the question did not mean hotels were delisted. ¡°Of course not, they are long term busines partners. We showed them what we were talking about. It is a baby step but it is about creating change and educating others."
Responding to an audience question about how to make a diverse and inclusive travel policy, Bekoe recommended starting conversations with travellers.
¡°Everything starts with open dialogue. It is when you know where pain points are that you learn what they are comfortable doing.¡±
Pacheco added, ¡°If you can go full blown and add chapters to your policy about LGBT, disability... then do it by all means. If not, start small.¡±