TORONTO — The eighth-annual Women in Tourism and Hospitality (WITH) Summit ─ the only national forum for women in hospitality ─ is set to take place on October 21st at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel, Toronto. Industry professionals from hotels, restaurants and tourism groups will gather for the day-long Summit, which features a mix of keynote speakers, workshop sessions and networking, all as part of WITH’s efforts to promote and advance women into leadership roles while empowering women to move the needle on gender equality in the hospitality and tourism sectors.
Created by Kostuch Media Ltd. and Sequel Hotels & Resorts in 2017, the theme of this year’s WITH Summit is Rise, Lead, Inspire, and promises to celebrate the strength, resilience and achievements of women from all areas of the tourism and hospitality sectors.
“Through our inspiring keynote speakers, engaging workshops and invaluable networking opportunities, WITH is the place for leaders who are committed to helping women advance into leadership roles, while providing them with practical skills to enhance their careers,” said Rosanna Caira, co-founder of the WITH Summit, and editor and publisher of Kostuch Media’s Foodservice and Hospitality magazine and Hotelier magazine.
Anne Larcade, co-founder, WITH added, “Our Summit is crucial because it creates a platform for advancing women into senior roles in tourism and hospitality, an industry where diverse leadership and ownership of assets is under-represented. By fostering personal and professional development, dialogue, mentorship, and actionable strategies, the Summit helps break down barriers and paves the way for more inclusive leadership, driving innovation, growth and increased profitability across the sector.”
This year’s keynote speakers include Carolyne Doyon, president and CEO of Club Med Resorts, who will speak about her journey as a working mother who overcame challenges and successfully integrated work/life balance while rising to the leadership ranks. Doyon will highlight the importance of actionable mentorship in cultivating confidence, adaptability and emotional intelligence. Anna Blue, president of the American Hotel & Lodging Foundation, will be speaking during the lunch period on the topic of Breaking Barriers: Challenging the Systems that Challenge Us, while Sandi Treliving, mental health advocate and director of the CAMH Foundation will close out the day as part of a Fireside Chat moderated by WITH’s Caira.
Treliving will speak about the importance of mental health advocacy by delving into the vital conversations surrounding mental well-being in today’s society. She will share her personal journey, insights, and strategies for fostering resilience and emotional wellness. Topics to be discussed will include the stigma surrounding mental health, and the gender gap that exists in treating women with mental health issues. The discussion will also touch on the importance of self-care, and the role of community support.
Attendees will be able to choose from a variety of breakout sessions during both the morning and afternoon. Among the topics highlighted are Pursuing the Entrepreneurial Dream; Self Advocacy and Mentorship ─ Own Your Own Journey; and Empower your Well Being, dedicated to the health and wellness of women in the hospitality industry. Afternoon sessions include topics on pivoting from day-to-day operations to higher level roles; unconscious bias, and human trafficking, which will explore the complexities of this issue and the importance of collaboration as a tool to fight this growing challenge. The Summit will also feature a morning panel called A View from The Top: Foodservice Leadership from a Woman’s Perspective with a Power Panel, moderated by WITH Chair, Katie Taylor and featuring a trio of industry CEOs including Lydia Chen, Innvest Hotels, Susan Senecal, A&W Restaurants, and Shazma Charania, ZS Holdings (IHG).
Two awards will also be presented during the day’s gala luncheon: the Katie Taylor Economic Empowerment Award, named after the Summit’s Honorary Chair, Katie Taylor, former chair of the Royal Bank of Canada and the Gender Equality Award.
This year’s winner of the Katie Taylor Economic Empowerment Award is Anna Blue, president of the AHLA Foundation while Sysco Canada is the winner of the Gender Equality Award.
Anna Blue brings more than two decades of social impact leadership to her role as president of the AHLA Foundation, the non-profit arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, driving meaningful impact in support of a stronger hotel industry workforce. Known for her ability to leverage collaboration and mobilize communities, Blue’s career has centered on building movements to advance deep-rooted systemic change in gender equity, inclusive leadership, youth activism, and human safety.
Among the initiatives she has been involved in are the No Room for Trafficking (NRFT) initiative launched by the AHLA, which saw more than 1.7 million specialized anti-trafficking training sessions completed by industry employees since 2020. An additional fund of $3.5M was established as the industry’s first-ever survivor fund. The NRFT program builds on the hotel industry’s longstanding commitment to eradicate human trafficking by uniting the industry around collective anti-trafficking efforts that meet the needs of today’s hospitality employers and employees.
The AHLA Foundation offers a variety of industry-relevant resources – including a Member Resource Guide – to help identify the signs of human trafficking alongside tools for reporting, prevention and community awareness from partner organizations and agencies.
Blue has also been the catalyst for driving forward events in the U.S. to elevate and celebrate women through events professional development and community building.
As Deputy Director of Girl Up, the United Nations Foundation’s adolescent girl campaign, Blue, has also been a strong advocate of raising awareness and funds, engaging girls to take action on behalf of the hardest to reach girls living in places where it is hardest to be a girl. And, she’s been very active with the Children’s Defense Fund, promoting equal education for all children nationwide.
Sysco Canada is being recognized for the various initiatives it has launched as the company works to create a global culture that is decidedly diverse, equitable, and inclusive ─ one that fosters belonging through caring for one another and connecting the world through food and trusted partnerships. A key part of the company’s vision is to ensure that women representation is balanced in all management roles. In two short years, gender representation within management has grown from 37 per cent to 39 per cent women. This includes all manager, director and executive roles.
As part of its initial global three-year DEI Be Better Roadmap, Sysco has established five key priorities:
- DEI Fundamentals
- Talent Acquisition
- Talent Retention
- DEI Data Analytics
- Community Partnerships
The company continues to build structures, resources, and behaviors to ensure that everyone has a seat at its table. Sysco’s vision is to build a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment that reflects the customers and communities it serves. Its done this through community partnerships with key industry stakeholder groups that have direct external DEI impact; collaboration through purpose and partnerships (sponsoring the CCAB Award for Excellence in Aboriginal Relations at the West Coast Business Forum), supporting Catalyst, Pride at Work, and the Toronto Region Immigration Employment Council to better integrate immigrant professionals in the GTA.
In 2023, the company launched the annual IDEA Award, recognizing an individual contributor and people leader who champions inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility in everything they do. Sysco Canada’s Colleague Resource Group (CRG) IMPACT provides resources and support for current and future women leaders and strives to broaden and enhance leadership skills and self-awareness through education, collaboration and networking.
The company has also launched the IMPART mentorship program, a coaching program that promotes engagement and motivates colleagues to develop their career paths, fostering a culture of professional development and inclusivity. In year three of this program, more than 200 individuals participated in one-on-one mentorships, up from 150 in year two. The company also has its own awards program called GEM (Gender Equity Momentum) Awards, which recognize colleagues who take action to remove gender barriers and improve the working experience and engagement levels of other Sysco colleagues, acting as a role model and or ally in championing gender equality.
To view the full agenda of the day’s program, click here. To register for this year’s WITH Summit, click here.