At Hostelworld, we recognise that promoting inclusion, engagement and diversity is not only important, but it’s important for our business.
We believe that having a team of individuals with different backgrounds, views, and experiences working together makes us stronger and helps us Build a Better World. This commitment is woven into our values and behaviours to foster respect, inclusion and belonging across the company. We are committed to retaining and recruiting people who are passionate about making a positive change in the world and who reflect the diversity of our customers and the communities in which we work.
Wherever possible we reflect our diverse audience in our customer-facing content. From the images we select for our website and marketing channels to the content creators we work with. We recognise that representation is important, and we’ll continue to evolve our visual and written guidelines to ensure inclusivity. If you spot an opportunity where you think we can do better, let us know. Our Instagram DMs are always open for feedback.
We deliver our commitment to Inclusion, Engagement and Diversity through our 4 pillars:
- Internal Change: Ensure Hostelworld is representative of the diverse society we live in, that our culture is inclusive and provides equal opportunities for all.
- Education: Create a culture of learning about differences and understand the issues that minority groups face in society and the workplace.
- Celebrate Differences: Ensure Hostelworld is a workplace where our differences are celebrated, and employees feel comfortable sharing their unique perspectives.
- External Change: Where possible ensuring all Hostelworld’s externally focused activities reflect the diverse society we live in.
In 2022 we introduced a Diversity and Inclusion policy, outlining how inclusion and diversity underpin all areas of our work. Since then, we have introduced extended leave policies tailored to our team’s needs, allowing them space and time to withdraw from work life when needed. Such as:
Compassionate Leave: we refreshed our Compassionate Leave policy, to include up to 15 days of paid leave for team members affected by pregnancy loss.
Fertility Leave: providing up to 5 days paid leave to undergo or support partners undergoing fertility treatment.
Parental, Paternity & Adoptive Leave: offering leave to those wishing to start families, in line with local requirements.
Surrogacy Leave: offering paid leave that mirrors maternity or adoption leave in their country.
Menopause Policy: support and paid leave for those experiencing or indirectly affected by menopause symptoms.
Domestic Violence Policy: support and up to 10 days paid leave for those experiencing or at risk of domestic violence. This is also available for team members to support a person close to them who is experiencing domestic violence.
We prioritise education to foster an inclusive culture. In 2023, we developed and implemented mandatory IE&D training. Our whole team must complete training on ‘Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Hostelworld’ and ‘Dignity & Respect at Hostelworld’. In addition, all People managers and Senior/Executive leaders must attend inclusive leadership training. These training modules play a vital role in equipping our team with the necessary tools and insights to drive meaningful change, unlock collective potential, drive innovation, and create a workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered.
We are supporters of the 30% Club Ireland, a global campaign committed to achieving better gender balance at leadership levels and throughout organisations. In 2023 we partnered with the 30% Club to offer a scholarship programme to female team members, providing funding and time off to one team member wishing to pursue further education. Currently, one of our employees is undertaking an MSc in Computing through the scholarship programme.
In 2023 we established a charity partnership with TeenTurn, a charity based in Ireland that helps teenage girls from underserved backgrounds gain experience working in STEM. TeenTurn’s aim is to combat stereotypes and positively influence the traditional tech gender balance, leading more women into STEM qualifications and careers. We welcomed four teenagers to our Dublin office to complete their TeenTurnship (internship) for 2 weeks, where they met and worked on projects set by teams across the business.
As part of our ongoing IE&D journey, we were excited to be awarded the Investors in Diversity Bronze Accreditation from the Irish Centre for Diversity in 2022, and in 2023 showed our continued improvement in this area when we were awarded the Investors in Diversity Silver Accreditation. This award acknowledges that Hostelworld has built a strong foundation that we can use as a platform to embed Diversity and Inclusion throughout our organisation. We are excited to continue in our commitment to building a truly inclusive work environment, where everyone feels they belong.
