It was here that I started my career in HR. We didn’t really have a central HR team at the time, or a proper framework for looking after and developing our people. From the very start, my work involved focusing on people, which of course is key to sustainability. This included ensuring that we were committed to equal opportunity and fair labour practises, that we were committed to training and developing our people, and that we were giving them the tools and benefits to ensure that they were happy with us. I then started overseeing spas & wellness for the group, while still being involved in HR. Wellness means ‘wellness for our team,’ but also ‘wellness for our guests’ and with this in mind, the two roles complemented one another perfectly.
I created and launched five pillars for our wellness concept, starting with Rocco Forte Spas – the base of the concept, and home to Irene Forte Skincare. These also included Nourish, supported by our healthy food offering, with vegan/ vegetarian dishes and locally sourced/ seasonal produce; Fitness, great gyms and fitness activities that involve the local location such as sightseeing jogging; and Mind, in-room mindfulness videos, sleep kits and bedrooms, spaces and treatments that promote rest and relaxation. For the last pillar, Sustainability, we have a focus group with individuals across all of our hotels and we have a policy which covers People, Community, Planet and Business. Key goals have been set against all of the pillars for this year and next.