How the MD of IHG UK&I is facing challenges head on

You’ve had a number of finance and operational roles across Europe in the past. What piqued your interest in the hotel business? What made me choose and love this business is how much it is centred around other people, its power to change someone’s day in just one interaction, its universality and strength in bringing people together. Inspiring sparks of brilliance, building a culture that is customer-centric in everything we do, carrying the joy of responsibility and care for others is a purpose and a reason for me being here. Being entrusted with the role of managing director for IHG UK&I, especially now in a time that is so unique in our industry, is truly special. It is a role I approach with both excitement and anticipation as I remain aware of the challenges that the hotel industry continues to face post-pandemic. The UK&I is a strong and established market with incredible growth potential, and it is my role to work with colleagues to design and embed solutions which help us continue on the path to recovery. IHG recently announced its share buyback after revenues increased by 52%. How does your mission to “help IHG adapt for the better” play into that? This year we’ve been focusing on how to adapt to a post-Covid world and we are mindful of the challenges that our hotels and owners face as the economic environment still remains tense. The intensity of the recent pandemic has also provided an opportunity to stop and reflect; it has been a once-in-a-lifetime chance to change how we operate as an industry, and it’s an opportunity we can’t afford to miss. There are many areas that call for immediate action, as an example, we are proudly the first hotel group to join the UK’s Zero Carbon Forum, and we also ensured that IHG and the hotel industry was well represented at the UN’s COP26. Outside of sustainability, we are focused on rebuilding, retaining and inspiring our teams. The common experience of travel being put on hold and the entire industry being shut down has had a profound impact on us all, and we owe it to our teams to rethink how we operate. In what ways do you see industry challenges such as staff shortages, inflation and the environment affecting the hotel group for the remainder of the year? We’re looking to face these challenges head-on, which means navigating a recovery for the hotel industry and the wider hospitality sector that is both responsible and mindful. Climate change is firmly on the world’s agenda, and we were pleased to upgrade our science-based target (SBT) and join the UN’s ‘Race to Zero’. Alongside this, we have developed a comprehensive decarbonisation roadmap, with plans to improve the energy efficiency of our existing hotels, help our owners source renewable energy, and develop our approach to new-build properties that operate at very low or zero carbon. We continuously work hard to build and sustain an attractive employer proposition for potential candidates, and I’m proud to say that we’re really taking the time to understand how people’s priorities have changed. We take great steps towards creating an inclusive and empowering environment for our colleagues, putting wellbeing and self-fulfilment at the heart of our culture and how we do business. As an example, IHG Academy and the subsequent IHG Skills Academy, a world-class training programme which has run for nearly 15 years, enables us to work in our local communities and with academic partners to offer work experience in hotels or corporate offices. What strategy has worked best in boosting the group’s diversity and inclusion and how will it be sustained in the future? Our commitment is emphasised throughout our global hiring guidelines and initiatives, such as our conscious inclusion training. It is backed up by our Global Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunities Policy, which was evolved in 2021 and ensures we consider diverse attributes, perspectives, cultures and experiences. An example is IHG’s commitment to ERGs that flourish in various offices and different geographies. With senior leaders’ sponsorship, we demonstrate a true commitment to our colleagues and we build those platforms where we want to hear their feedback, listen and learn all to help us be a better place to work. Particularly close to my heart is our ‘IHG RISE talent programme’, which is designed to help us increase female representation in general manager and senior operations roles. These are just a few examples to illustrate how serious we are about sharing our voice in this space. This industry is all about human connection, being together, travelling, speaking and hearing one another. Ultimately, those interactions do shape and change the world and it’s the core of what I want to stand by. In regards to sustainability, what long term goals does the group have and how close is IHG to achieving them? We launched our 10-year ‘Journey to Tomorrow’ plan in 2021 because we know that meaningful change takes time and thought. Some of our 2030 targets include 100% of new-build hotels to operate at very low or zero carbon emissions by 2030, as well as maximising the role of renewable energy and eliminating single-use items or moving to reusable or recyclable alternatives across the guest stay. Every day we work hard to make progress and these commitments have become part of the fabric of what we do. We entered 2022 with a determination to go further for our people, communities and planet. It was great to be able to announce our recent partnership with Unilever which spells the end of single-use bathroom miniatures in over 4,000 hotels. What do you hope the hotel group achieves in the future, and why? On a meta-level, in order to be a business partner or an employer of choice, one has to be the most purposeful business among its competitors. I hope that I can lead by inspiring those values, aiming for brilliance in everything we do, being responsible and balanced in our choices, and thinking holistically about our impact on others. Closer to home, I know we are not yet at the end of our journey in terms of our presence in the UK&I region. Of course, I am extremely proud of leading such a big division and seeing our flags scattered across the nation, yet there are more locations where we could delight our guests and serve our communities by providing a place of employment. The journey is not over, and it is my hope and strong desire that we keep growing our presence in every corner of the country. Is there anything new coming up for IHG in the UK that you would like to share with us? The very first thing that comes to my mind is the Vignette Collection brand’s first anniversary. In the midst of the pandemic, we had announced the conception of our luxury collection that has since been gaining momentum. Soon, I hope to be able to share with you the name of the first Vignette in the UK&I division.

Checking In – The Hotel Owner Podcast

How the MD of IHG UK&I is facing challenges head on

Joanna Kurowska, the managing director of IHG UK&I, tells us about the hotel group’s sustainability victories and its future plans, the many ways they empower their staff, and how best to build a customer-centric culture

Check out our free weekly podcast

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