Hospitality giant Accor has announced its commitment to ensuring equal representation of men and women in leadership positions.

According to Accor’s official statement released today, the group is committed to having at least 35% women general managers in its hotels by the end of 2020, with a longer-term goal of 50%. To date, out of 300,000 employees worldwide, 42% heads of department and 29% general managers are female. In the Asia Pacific, across its 1,150 hotels and resorts, the total female leaders continue to grow, currently at 25%, up by 4 points compared to the previous year.

With regards to equal pay, Accor has targeted this for France, Spain, Brazil and Australia by 2020, with a longer-term goal to achieve equality across the entire organisation.

“Change is slower than we would like”

“While we can commit to equality and parity as an organisation, sometimes change is slower than we would like due to cultural norms in some countries where women still face greater challenges,” said Christine Rumble, chief talent & culture officer Accor Asia Pacific. “We need all of society to recognise the enormous benefits when women are offered the same opportunities as men.”