Compass and Mumsnet unite to encourage mums back to work and into leadership roles

Compass Group UK & Ireland, the UK’s largest food and support services provider has teamed up with Mumsnet, the UK’s largest network for parents, to launch the groundbreaking ‘Leadership Accelerator Programme’ for maternity returners, focused on advancing women into leadership positions. The tailored course is run in conjunction with highly-respected training provider Corndel and will be taking its first intake of women this spring.

Compass and Mumsnet is a potent combination and powerful indication of the extent to which both companies value and support equal progression for all. The partnership will support women, who manage a team, returning to work from maternity leave via a tailored development programme, drawing on the huge amount of knowledge and insight Mumsnet can tap into.

As a people business Compass is committed to creating a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the customers and clients it serves, as well as society as a whole, enabling everyone in the business to be themselves and have an equal opportunity to progress their career. The company hopes this partnership will continue to improve and support women returning to work and achieve the common goal to enable women to progress into leadership positions.

HR Director, Compass Group UK & Ireland, Donna Catley says: “Returning to work after maternity leave can sometimes be a daunting prospect for women and as a market leader we believe that we have the opportunity to make a difference and have a positive impact on our returners. This pioneering partnership with Mumsnet and Corndel will enable us to better support out female colleagues who have either taken maternity leave or returned in the last two years. We hope that by creating this programme we are developing a blueprint for many others in our industry.”

Mumsnet Founder Justine Roberts goes on to say: “We're delighted to be a part of this tailored programme with Corndel and Compass. All the evidence shows that women take a considerable career hit when they become mothers, falling behind in both wages and seniority. The Leadership Accelerator Programme helps to tackle this by offering focused training and support for returning mothers to re-ignite their careers.”

Also delighted to be part of such a scheme, Corndel CEO, Sean Williams comments: “We believe our partnership with Mumsnet will make a real difference in helping Compass increase the number of women in senior management positions within the business. The 13-month extensive programme covers 70 topics, a 6-month project relevant to the business and incorporates one-to-one coaching, interactive and engaging workshops, plus masterclasses focused on specific challenges faced by maternity returners. Significantly, the course is designed to be flexible, ensuring it is supporting the individual and not adding to their workload.”

This comes hot on the heels of Compass Group PLC’s announcement to become a lead supporter of WiH2020, a cross-industry initiative dedicated to increasing women’s representation in leadership positions across the hospitality, travel and leisure sectors. Compass Group PLC has also signed up to the Diversity in Hospitality, Travel and Leisure Charter, a ten-point action plan designed to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of leading businesses in the sector.

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