Gender Equality on the Menu: How More Women Are Stepping into Executive Leadership Roles within the Foodservice Industry

More and more women are moving into C-suite and other executive-level leadership roles within the restaurant and foodservice industries, according to an article on Restaurant Dive.

“Women make up more than 52% of the restaurant and foodservice industry, but that number shrinks substantially the further up the corporate ladder, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, women represent only 18% of C-suite positions in the segment, the Women's Foodservice Forum reports,” the article said.

According to the article, women executives are some of the major mover-shakers when it comes to increasing diversity in the workplace. Brands like Yum Brands and McDonald’s are already leveraging technology to reach a more diverse employee applicant pool, the article said. More women in leadership positions and a more diverse talent pool can translate to greater success for those brands who make the commitment: “Growing corporate interest in diversity largely reflects consumer demand for mission-based brands, but it can also be beneficial to a company's bottom line,” the article said.

Given that women “have a purchasing power of $18 trillion around the world and are often the primary decision makers in their families,” per the article, it makes sense that women would see themselves represented in the boardroom.

Read the full article here.