Emaar Hospitality Group unveils ‘Hiya’ leadership strategy for women to achieve gender parity
- New recruitment strategy aims to promote and encourage gender diversity with a focus on increasing the number of women leaders and associates
- With goals to achieve gender parity at all levels, new initiative complements the UAE Vision to create a gender-equal work environment across all businesses
Dubai, UAE; July 11, 2018: Emaar Hospitality Group, the hospitality and leisure business of global developer Emaar Properties PJSC, has unveiled its new leadership development strategy for women, named ‘Hiya,’ which aims to help achieve gender parity at the workplace.
This complements the vision of the UAE government to promote women’s participation across businesses and to achieve a gender-equal work environment, and builds on the call by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to position UAE as one of the top 25 countries for gender equality by 2021.
The immediate goal of Hiya is to achieve 30 per cent women in executive leadership positions, 50 per cent women in general manager roles, 40 per cent women in management positions and 32 per cent women in supervisory positions by 2019. The long-run goal is to achieve gender parity across all positions for the Group through a clear strategy underpinned by Hiya.
Olivier Harnisch, Chief Executive Officer of Emaar Hospitality Group, said: “We are rolling out this ambitious strategy to achieve gender parity across all our business divisions. We have set actionable goals to begin with, and we are working on a concerted strategy under Hiya to achieve our mission. With the UAE leading in women empowerment initiatives, we believe that it is important for us to take the lead in supporting the gender parity vision of the government. As one of the largest providers of employment in the hospitality sector, we can bring a positive change through our credible action plan with clear timelines.”
Harnisch added: “Women empowerment at the workplace and promoting gender parity has an add-on effect, as it will motivate more women employees to aspire and work towards senior leadership goals. Through our focus on all four key metrices of gender diversity – recruitment, retention, advancement and pay – we aim to build a strong talent pool of women professionals in senior roles across our Group. In this, we place top priority in identifying and building the careers of Emirati women.”
As part of Hiya, Emaar Hospitality Group will look at recruiting women by underlining the positive and growth-driven work environment at the Group, selecting talented women and headhunting exceptional women professionals for senior roles. A clear succession programme is also being put in place with a focus on identifying and retaining women talent, developing them and promoting them to senior roles, thus establishing Emaar Hospitality Group as an employer of choice for women.
Emaar Hospitality Group is increasing the employee value proposition for women through favourable workplace policies, sharing the stories of successful women associates – in turn, motivating others, building value champions who serve as effective spokespersons for internal and external communications, and highlighting the role models in-house. The Group will not only offer women-friendly policies such as enhanced maternity leave, but also provision for part-time work and external learning facilities – all aimed at supporting women to place their careers on par with family. Hiya has already been activated and over the next months there will be clearly defined programmes to ensure that the milestones and goals are achieved.
The Hiya strategy will cover all businesses of Emaar Hospitality Group, covering corporate roles, front and back-office hotel associates to administrators and marketing, sales, finance, HR, logistics, and other professionals. An equal opportunity company, the Group welcomes professionals from across the world who are passionate about building a long-term career in the hospitality sector.
Emaar Hospitality Group has 13 operational hotel and serviced residences in Dubai under three hotel brands – the premium luxury Address Hotels + Resorts, the upscale lifestyle Vida Hotels and Resorts and the contemporary midscale Rove Hotels. It also has key leisure assets – Arabian Ranches Golf Club, Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club and Dubai Marina Yacht Club, as well as restaurants – At.mosphere, Burj Khalifa, La Serre Bistro & Boulangerie, Sean Connelly at Dubai Opera, Toko and Katana.
According to the Human Development Report 2018, compiled by the United Arab Emirates University with the United Nations Development Programme, the UAE ranks highest for gender equality in the GCC.
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Note to Editors
About Emaar Hospitality Group:
Emaar Hospitality Group LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC, the Dubai-based global property developer, and manages Emaar’s hospitality and leisure projects globally.
Defining its competency in managing mixed-use property developments, Emaar Hospitality Group owns and manages a diversified portfolio of assets including hotels, serviced residences, golf clubs, polo club, marina and lifestyle dining restaurants.
Emaar Hospitality Group has defined its credentials in the hotel industry with the launch of three brands, each with a distinct niche – Address Hotels + Resorts, Vida Hotels and Resorts and Rove Hotels.
Address Hotels + Resorts has brought a fresh identity to the global hospitality and service sector by setting new benchmarks with its gracious hospitality and exceptional service standards. Address offers a more personal and engaging experience to guests in a premium lifestyle environment, enriching the lives of its guests with luxury, style and elegance. Address Hotels + Resorts is set to operate hotels and serviced residences in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Bahrain, Maldives and other key markets in the region as well as in the UAE.
An upscale lifestyle hotel and residences brand, Vida Hotels and Resorts is for the new generation of business executives, entrepreneurs and leisure travellers. Positioned as a lively and vibrant hub where inspiring minds can create, connect and come alive, Vida hotels are a stimulating environment where style meets convenience and interactivity. Vida Hotels and Resorts has two properties in Dubai and is set to operate hotels and serviced residences in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and other key markets in the region as well as in Dubai.
A contemporary midscale hotel brand that reflects the pulse of Dubai, Rove Hotels is a joint venture between Meraas and Emaar Properties PJSC. Designed for the new generation traveller and highly mobile socially connected global nomads who recognise value, stays connected through technology and gravitate towards culturally-inspired surroundings, Rove Hotels are reliable, modern, fuss-free and super-efficient. Rove Hotels has five properties in well-connected locations across Dubai and is set to operate further properties in the city. The leisure assets of Emaar Hospitality Group include Arabian Ranches Golf Club, Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club and Dubai Marina Yacht Club.www.emaar.com
For more information, please contact:
Kelly Home | Nivine William
ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller
+9714 4507 600
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