Sani/Ikos Group Promotes Inclusion and Empowerment of Women in the Tourism Sector

Photo source: Sani/Ikos

Leading the way in sustainability and responsible governance, the Sani / Ikos hospitality Group consistently invests in the development and empowerment of its employees, and partners with non-profit organizations to raise awareness on gender equality issues and enhance women’s employment and empowerment in the tourism sector.

Eleni Andreadis

“Although women globally represent 50% of the workforce in the tourism sector, they are underpaid and underrepresented in leadership positions. Pursuing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 for gender equality is a key commitment of the Sani/Ikos Group sustainability programme. To this end, we support initiatives raising public awareness on gender equality issues and develop targeted tools to enhance women’s empowerment in the hospitality market,” Eleni Andreadis, Sani/Ikos Group Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility Director.

The Group employs 7.000 people, with 5.500 working in Greece. In 2022, the percentage of women in senior management positions increased by over 30%, while investment in personnel training, development, and empowerment grew by 50%.

“Ready for work (again) at tourism” for unemployed women

In celebration of International Women’s Day, the Group partners with Women On Top -a non-profit organization focusing on empowering women and promoting gender equality in the workplace- to launch the specialized training and mentoring programme “Ready for work (again) at tourism” for women from across Greece who have been away from the labour market for two or more years.

Photo source: Sani/Ikos

Through the programme, 30 women, regardless of their professional and academic backgrounds, will gain significant know-how and the professional tools needed to re-enter the workforce, focusing on the rapidly growing tourism sector. The online training workshops start on March, on the occasion of the International Women’s Day celebration, and will be completed in three phases. Upon completion of the programme, all graduates can apply for employment within the leading Sani/Ikos hospitality Group, having gained a unique, empowering, and networking experience.

This year’s “Masterclass Series’ for Sani/Ikos Group employees focus on respect

For Sani/Ikos Group, the personal and professional development of its employees – the driving force of its growth and its most significant asset – is a key business priority. For the fourth consecutive year, the Group implements one of its largest annual educational programmes for its people, ‘The Masterclass Series,’ focusing on the principles of respect. With a track record of 74 thematic sessions and over 60,000 hours of training, this programme has become a tradition for employees. This year’s edition, titled “The Masterclass Series 2024 | Living our Values”, includes thematic sessions inspired by the values of respect, authenticity, creativity, passion, responsibility, and excellence, that drive Sani/Ikos Group’s corporate culture, aiming to raise awareness and empower all groups.

Photo source: Sani/Ikos

The educational programme is conducted in collaboration with internationally renowned Greek and foreign speakers, as well as specialized organizations such as In2Action-Hospitality Customer Service Training, The Intangibles, and Business Pathways. This year, the Women On Top organization is also participating, with the implementation of three online masterclasses by its co-founders, Stella Kasdagli and Penelope Theodorakakou, focusing on the corporate value of respect under the title “We see value in everyone and everything“. The masterclasses cover themes such as boundary setting, prevention of violence and harassment, management of unconscious bias, and direct or indirect discrimination.

Photo source: Sani/Ikos

As part of its strategy to support research and public awareness on gender equality and corporate governance issues, the Group also participated as a supporter in this year’s Career Fair and Women On Top Seminar for the development of female talent and the promotion of best inclusion practices in all business areas (e.g. communication, supply chain, customer service). Moreover, the Group was a key supporter of the research “Climate Change and Gender Equality in the Mediterranean and Greece” conducted by the organization, which was completed in 2023.

More information about the Group’s sustainability and corporate governance initiatives is available in the 2022 ESG Report.

The Sani/Ikos Group is an innovative and fast-growing group of luxury resorts in unique beachfront locations in the Mediterranean. Under the brand names Sani Resort and Ikos Resorts, the Group develops, owns and operates over 3,450 rooms and suites spread across 12 unique resorts in Greece and Spain.