Charity report finds racism continues to affect UK hospitality

By James Lawrence

Published: 21 September, 2021

A survey commissioned by the not-for-profit organisation Be Inclusive Hospitality suggests that racial discrimination continues to be an issue for the UK's service industry.

The Inside Hospitality survey, conducted between November 2020 and January 2021, was organised by the UK’s only professional network for people of colour in hospitality, food and drink.

Among its more worrying findings was a fear shared by 56% of Asian hospitality professionals that their race/ethnicity was hindering their career progression, while 40% of black hospitality professionals felt the same.

In addition, more than half of all ethnic minorities surveyed claimed to have experienced or witnessed racism within the workplace.

The survey asked respondents: “How well do you feel that your career progression has been supported by employers during your time within Hospitality?”

According to the report, 64% of white employees answered “well” or “very well”, versus 33% black employees and 44% mixed raced members of staff.

The report also found evidence of an appetite for education and training around race and ethnicity within the workplace, with 60% of respondents saying that while they have not received any appropriate staff training or education, they find the idea appealing.

Only 28% of hospitality professionals surveyed in the Inside Hospitality survey had received training or education around race, ethnicity or anti-racism to date.

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