lHG appoints VMLY&R unit to run hotel inclusion drive

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has appointed a dedicated VMLY&R unit to develop world-class inclusive guest and colleague experiences across its eight hotel brands, based in more than 6,000 destinations.

VMLY&R UK’s Inclusion Experience (IX) Practice was launched last May and is designed to help businesses to transform culturally to become and remain employers and brands of choice.

British-owned IHG Hotels & Resorts is multinational hospitality company headquartered in Windsor, England; its brands include Crowne Plaza, Regent, Hotel Indigo, and Holiday Inn.

Having suffered badly during the Covid pandemic, IHG has predicted a full recovery for travel worldwide by 2024, led by a strong US economy and the end of restrictions in China.

The company posted an operating profit of $628m for 2022, up 27% on $494m the previous year. IHG said its revenue per available room, a key industry metric, was up 37% worldwide on last year and only 3.3% lower than 2019.

It has now set its sights on boosting its equity and inclusion strategy. Recent research from the Wall Street Journal, found that large companies which invest in diversity initiatives have generated a higher operating profit margin (12%) than those which did not (8%).

Businesses which actively confront inequity with practical measures can also expect to see an improvement in their employees’ job satisfaction, loyalty and creativity, the study showed, with so-called “workplace belonging” leading to a 56% increase in job performance and a 50% reduction in turnover risk.

VMLY&R Commerce global chief digital officer Debbie Ellison, who leads the UK IX practice, said: “The team and I are beyond thrilled at the opportunity to support InterContinental Hotels & Resorts globally to create even more inclusive, memorable moments for guests and colleagues in a way that is transformative for the business, the communities and the people it serves.”