Hawksmoor: ‘Belonging’ embedded into DEI and measured in the numbers

Hawksmoor has embedded ’belonging’ at the heart of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI&B) strategy, combining policy with day-to-day operations, in line with one of its core values.

“We wanted belonging in the strategy from the start. It’s about making sure people feel safe, seen and supported,” head of HR Sofia Gassne tells MCA. ”One of our four values is ‘Welcome Everyone’ – it’s one of the first things you hear about when you join.”

To further this vision, the business has moved beyond awareness training to introduce structural initiatives that hold leaders and teams accountable. 

One distinctive programme is Hawksmoor’s sexual harassment prevention framework.

There are some legislative requirements like a formal policy, training and a recommendation that every site must complete a harassment risk assessment, but Hawksmoor wanted to ensure that this didn’t end up as a tick box exercise and instead was treated with the same rigour as an operations-led risk assessment – covering everything from site closure procedures to how staff handle inappropriate customer behaviour.

“It’s not just about words on paper,” says Gassne. “We look at how teams actually operate and how they keep people safe in practice.”

That policy extends to customers, with a zero-tolerance statement included in booking terms and conditions and escalation processes in place for serious incidents. Staff are trained on when to intervene, when to blacklist customers, and when to involve the police.

Many of these initiaitives have been in place since before the legislation was introduced and Hawksmoor are pleased to see it being taken seriously by policy makers.

Cultural change has also been driven through tracking and tackling workplace banter. Surveys identified higher issues within kitchen teams, leading to a year-long training programme that helped staff recognise the difference between friendly, ignorant and malicious banter.

“When banter is done right, it’s great for morale. But people need to understand where the limits are,” Gassne says.

Hawksmoor has also made inclusion a measurable performance indicator. DEIB is embedded into board reporting, with employee surveys used to track progress.

Current figures show 97% of staff feel all backgrounds are welcome, while 93% say they feel supported and 96% are proud to work at Hawksmoor.

Recruitment has been overhauled with inclusive hiring training, structured scoring systems, and a requirement for managers to review the DEI&B policy immediately before interviews.

Gender balance at leadership level has been in place for several years – the group has maintained 50% gender representation in general manager positions, and there is no gender pay gap.

Mental health is another major pillar. Hawksmoor partners with charity Kelly’s Cause to deliver mental health policy and action plans, backed by fundraising that added £20,000 to the charity’s budget last year.

Engagement scores have climbed, with Hawksmoor holding a 2-star Best Companies accreditation and being in the top 100 list of companies to work for 14 consecutive years. Gassne notes that senior leaders also share personal experiences of neurodiversity and mental health issues, to help normalise open discussion.

Other initiatives include:

• Employee-led networks for gender equality, LGBTQIA+ and race and ethnicity, with direct input to leadership decisions.
• A management development programme focused on empathy, with 360-degree feedback from direct reports.
• Partnerships with Be the Riot for bias awareness training across directors and managers.
• Membership of Employer’s Initiative on Domestic Abuse and active involvement in the Mayor of London’s Women’s Night Safety Charter Steering Group, where Gassne sits as a steering member.
• A staff reading list that includes titles on LGBTQ+ history and mindset, reimbursed by the company.

As the first restaurant group in the world to achieve B Corp certification, Hawksmoor also links its DEIB commitments to its wider purpose of “putting people and planet before profit”.

Looking ahead, Gassne says the priority is to deepen transparency and benchmarking while sharing best practice beyond the business.

“If we find something that works, we shouldn’t gatekeep it. If we have the means to make our industry a better place, we should share that practice.”

The red line remains transparent: “It’s very clear – if you don’t align with our Welcome Everyone value, Hawksmoor probably isn’t the place for you”.

A MESSAGE FROM THE SPONSOR 

‘Diversity is more important than ever. Success with enablement and inclusion is the hallmark of the best UK hospitality teams.

Here at Carlsberg Britvic we are proud to support these editorial spotlights, by MCA, on fantastic diversity initiatives within our sector.

You can find out more about our own diversity commitment here’. 

- Emma King hospitality director Carlsberg Britvic