Website launches to tackle bullying and harassment in hospitality

Hospitality Speaks, an independent, not-for-profit website, has launched to tackle bullying, harassment and discrimination in the hospitality industry.

Created by journalist Victoria Stewart (pictured), Hospitality Speaks aims to help employers on a practical level by sharing research and ideas to improve workplace culture, as well as celebrate the employers who place value in supporting staff wellbeing, safety, and training.

The website has three sections: anonymous stories of toxic behaviours to demonstrate the varying range of experiences; interviews with ‘people pioneers’ about how they create collaborative and supportive working cultures; and a support page listing organisations, networks and helplines that people can access for advice.

Stewart said: “I’ve spent over 10 years writing about many wonderful people within the restaurant and food industry. But in early 2018, I started looking further into the stories of bullying and harassment that people were telling me. I realised that not only were they unable to speak freely about their experiences but that my own work was being compromised by the knowledge I had of the behaviour taking place in certain establishments; simply not writing about them didn't encourage them to change. It was also frustrating that their behaviour was giving the amazing places in the industry a bad name.

"Hospitality Speaks was never a naming and shaming exercise, but one that I hope will enable people to have difficult conversations and find solutions to existing problems.”