International Women’s Day

As part of International Women’s Day our Women in Food team hosted a special event at IWM London to highlight some of the positive progress made to date in creating gender equality across the business as well as discussing ways in which we are minimising any disparities.

The theme of the event was #Breakthebias and featured inspirational talks by Olympic champion Nicola Adams, TV presenter/chef Allegra McEvedy, Miss Macaroon founder and other female founders from Hattingley Wines and Real Kombucha. We are proud to support this important event and are committed to striving for equality and fairness throughout our organisation.

We spoke to some of our incredible female leaders across Restaurant Associates including Head of Sales Tracey Astles about what she thinks about the occasion, here are Tracey’s comments: “It is an opportunity to reflect and celebrate the power of women and the many positive changes that have happened to create equality, but still more can be done. It is a day to remind all women to look beyond our borders, body and race to think how we can progress further, I truly believe that when women support each other incredible things happen.

What female leaders have inspired you?
“My grandmother will always be my female inspiration, she was a strong, determined and bold lady, who always liked to dress smart and put her lipstick on. She was the leader and decision maker in the family, all the family respected her for that, she had a career working for the post office until she retired at 65. She was a fun and kind lady who would always offer to give help and support and tell us off!! She loved life & lived until 101.”

What piece of advice do you wish you were told when you were younger?
“To follow your dreams and don’t get deflected.”

Head of Wellness and Nutrition Luxey Dayanandan RNutr spoke about her thoughts on the day, Luxey says: For me it’s a moment to reflect, recognise and celebrate all the women who have helped support me throughout my working and personal life, family, friends, and colleagues who have all been an inspiration. Although, there is still much work to do on gender equality, from the stark gender pay gap to overcoming discrimination and biases it is also a day to reflect on how far we have come.

We asked Luxey what female leaders have inspired her, she says: “For me it would have to be my mum, moving to a foreign country without speaking the language and raising a family is difficult enough in itself, but to do this so successfully and embrace a new culture, learn the language, and still have such a positive outlook on life despite the challenges she faced always inspires me that nothing is ever impossible and makes me think twice when I have any self-doubts.”

We asked what piece of advice she wished she were told when she was l younger?: “It is possible to have a work life balance and you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other, you just need to work hard at aiming for that balance.”