When it comes to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), the Pizza Pilgrims approach is to focus on belonging: “If you can join the workplace and be yourself, everything else you’re trying to achieve should follow.”
People director Hayley Whitfield tells MCA this approach is summarised in simple, concise values for the business to live by: “Respect others, and be yourself.”
“It’s about living these values and how we bring them to life,” she says. “Our DEI strategy just kind of organically happened, but now we’ve defined it a little more.”
The pizza restaurant group has undertaken multiple initiatives with employability partners, and has begun to see the benefits in recruitment. A partnership with Team Domenica – a charity supporting people with learning disabilities – has seen the brand’s Brighton venue welcome a diverse set of people into its restaurant team.
Some of this work has led to permanent placements, but Whitfield emphasises the idea is to support these individuals by providing them with experience and new skills, from teamwork to foodservice.
Following the success of the Brighton initiative, other Pizza Pilgrims venues across the country have introduced similar projects around work placements within their local community.
“As part of that, we’re helping people get opportunities and permanent roles…the teams have completely embraced it,” Whitfield adds. “The partners we’re working with have really helped us.”
Another initiative saw Pizza Pilgrims collaborate with Phoenix College, an organisation that supports young people with autism. Restaurant managers undergo specialised training programs to recognise and leverage disabilities as strengths, helping them to create environments that boost confidence and teamwork.
The group also partners with other foodservice businesses, like Fair Shot Café, a social enterprise operator that trains young adults with disabilities.
“We’re building on the employability side of stuff, which is brilliant for us in terms of embedding ourselves into local communities,” Whitfield continues. “It’s about supporting people and giving them chances.”
Pizza Pilgrims also works with Only a Pavement Away – a charity that supports the homeless – as well as working with prison leavers.
Internally, its training academy and Hospitality Heroes programme are two initiatives Whitfield is proud of. The programme is open only to hourly team members, who are elected by teams at each restaurant to offer in-person feedback to the board on behalf of staff.
This approach focuses on “open conversations to find out what’s going on and what people are talking about.”
Internally, other initiatives – such as a book club – have supported a strong people culture, as well as more targeted projects such as inclusivity training.
“Next year, we’ll be rolling out the inclusive leadership programme,” Whitfield explains. “We’ll start with directors, who will do awareness training, and it will then filter down to heads of department, GMs, and head chefs.
“A key measure for us is happiness. The teams report every week, and then there’s a biggest engagement survey.”
Weekly pulses might be “bit too much,” says Whitfield – but she is proud to note that teams working with Pizza Pilgrims’ employability partners tend to be the happiest.
“Our values are alive, and we’re linking them with these partners…and the B Corp certification is like a stamp of approval.”
At senior leadership level, the group stands at three women out of seven board members, albeit Whitfield admits she is looking to improve gender representation in both the front and back of house teams.
Many of Pizza Pilgrims’ Neapolitan chefs are men – but the company has introduced leadership programmes for women to improve this.
Looking ahead, Whitfield says the group is working on getting its employees through the inclusive leadership programme within the first quarter of next year.
“Then, we just want to build on belonging,” she concludes. “Hopefully we can have more employability partners.
“We get our GMs and head chefs together every six months…we’re also evolving our Hospitality Heroes programme next year. They’re the voice of the pizzeria; a direct link from directors to team members.”
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
