Access Hospitality calls for “more room at the table”, as just 7% of women make up chair members

International Women’s Day took place on 8th March 2026, as a day to celebrate women’s achievements. However, with the day comes a stark reminder that in many hospitality establishments, women remain underrepresented.

Research shows that over half of the hospitality industry is made up of women (51.2%), but the majority remain in customer-facing and service roles, with just 7% making up CEO and board member positions*.

Access Hospitality is now raising awareness with a series of graphics that show how the hospitality industry is experiencing inequality among its CEOs and chair members. Additionally, the Managing Director of Access Hospitality, Champa Magesh, comments on how working on a majority female senior leadership team is making all the difference.

Access Hospitality shares how female presence in seniority can transform the workplace

Champa Magesh, Managing Director of Access Hospitality, shares her first-hand perspective on how women are shaping the industry from every level, and why balanced leadership is critical for the sector’s future:

In hospitality, women power the experience end to end, yet too few have a voice where the biggest decisions are made. That gap isn’t theoretical; it shows up in missed perspectives, slower innovation and diluted outcomes. When the people driving the industry are not represented in its leadership, the entire sector feels the impact.

At Access, that commitment to change is practical. Internally, our WISE (Women in Software Empowered) community creates real pathways, mentoring, skills development, leadership confidence and senior sponsorship, so more women progress and lead in the product and technology teams shaping our future.

Access Hospitality supports Boardwalk to accelerate senior women into hospitality leadership

Externally, we’re proud to support Boardwalk, the not‑for‑profit mentoring programme accelerating senior women in hospitality into their first board role. Its goal is clear: move the dial to board parity, because more women at the table means better board performance and better business results.

This is not box-ticking. Boardwalk’s design is outcome-led, and it is run by respected industry figures who understand what effective sponsorship really takes. That is why Access Hospitality is leaning in, alongside many across our sector.

“Creating room at the table isn't about sentiment; it is about sharpening decisions”, says the MD of Access Hospitality

My message to the industry is simple: representation changes outcomes. If we can’t run a hotel or restaurant on 7% of what it needs, we shouldn’t run leadership that way either.

Creating room at the table isn’t about sentiment; it’s about sharpening decisions with operational knowledge, accelerating transformation, and building companies where talent can see a future worth staying for. That’s the leadership culture we’re building at Access Hospitality, and the one I want to see across our sector.

Source

• UK hospitality workforce statistics *PWC

About Access Hospitality

Access Hospitality empowers hotels to streamline operations, boost revenue, and deliver exceptional guest experiences. Helping thousands of hoteliers who use their cloud-based management platform to simplify daily operations while driving growth. From property management (PMS) and EPOS to staff scheduling, guest engagement, and event management, their comprehensive software solutions give hotels everything they need to thrive.

For more information, visit www.theaccessgroup.com/hospitality or follow @AccessHospitality