Elior operates catering contracts across the B&I, health & care homes, defence, education, stadia and heritage sectors.
The 12-month programme is being led by Elior chief financial officer Leni Savva and it aims to boost female representation in senior roles across the business. The first cohort of ten female mentees have met with their mentors to discuss their development plans for the upcoming year.
With an understanding of Elior’s structure and opportunities, mentors will help mentees work towards their career goals through establishing connections across the business. Alongside one-to-one mentoring, programme mentors and mentees will promote and champion gender diversity across the business.
Savva commented: “We have an inclusive culture at Elior that celebrates equality. However, although we have a higher proportion of women than men working here, we noticed that there is still work to be done in reflecting this in leadership and management roles across the business.
“Earlier this year, we set targets to increase the number of women in our leadership team, middle and senior management, and the number of female chefs. This mentoring scheme was one of the initiatives designed to help us achieve these.
“We have an incredible pool of talent right here in the business – female and male. And as well as giving mentees opportunities for growth, we’re excited about the potential for mentors to gain experience and enjoyment from the experience. It's important to note, however, that this isn’t just about making the numbers: it's about inspiring confidence and helping employees to achieve their potential.”