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Inspiring and Empowering Women during Women's History Month

During Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day in March, Aramark employees organized a packed calendar of events to celebrate women across the company while finding ways to learn from, engage with, and inspire together.

 

Many of the efforts were led by Aramark’s employee resource group (ERG) EMPOWER, which works during the year to accelerate the advancement of women leaders throughout the company while advocating for women in the workplace and beyond.

 

Launched in 2011, EMPOWER now has more than 2,000 members around the world.

Lauren Harrington, Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Kick-Off Celebration

EMPOWER kicked things off with a high-energy webinar in early March that embraced this year’s “Inspire Together!” theme. Attended by more than 250 employees around the world, the webinar featured presentations from Lauren Harrington, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Aramark and EMPOWER ERG leads, along with a keynote address by Chef Grace Ramirez, an Aramark partner.

 

Chef Ramirez is a highly respected culinarian, philanthropic activist, author, television personality, and an ambassador of Latin food culture who continuously uses her skills to bring people together. She offered advice for women just entering the culinary field.

 

“You have to absolutely love the culinary industry. Being in hospitality, it’s hard. There are long hours. But being able to serve others joyfully is the most gratifying feeling.”

Chef Ramirez, who volunteers for World Central Kitchen, among other charitable endeavors, said she draws strength from mentoring others and working within the community.

 

“It’s what keeps me going. When I’ve been at low points and had the least, I have taken those opportunities to give back to the community, and that’s when I got the most in return. It is humbling and helps keep me grounded.”

 

Chef Ramirez went on to offer more advice to participants: “Always leave the room better than you found it. If it’s a dish, learn to make it a little better every day. Make your space your own—as if it’s your home—and ask questions. You don’t have to know all the answers.”

 

During the webinar, EMPOWER also teamed up with members of the PRIDE and IMPACTO ERGs to host a presentation on intersectionality and how social categories like race, class, sexual orientation, and gender can affect how people are perceived and treated in the continued fight for equality.

International Women's Day

March 8th has been designated by the United Nations as International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate the achievements of women and to address inequality around the globe. To commemorate the day, Aramark dropped the latest episode of the Mark This! podcast highlighting exceptional Aramark leaders who happen to be women.

 

In the podcast, Barbara Flanagan, President and CEO of Aramark Student Nutrition, and Brisbane Vaillancourt, Regional Vice President, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality, shared insights about their leadership paths, vision, and motivation in a celebration of trailblazing women.

Nourish the Body + Empower Award Winners

To close out Women’s History Month, EMPOWER held a webinar March 29th. Members from EMPOWER and the Dietitian-led NOURISH ERG co-hosted a powerful discussion on diet culture and finding ways to balance health and wellness, entitled Nourish the Body.

 

Participants explored what it means to be an intuitive eater, were introduced to the principles of Health at Every Size® (HAES), and learned about diet myths fabricated by the wellness industry.

 

Following the discussion, EMPOWER held their annual awards ceremony recognizing women leaders for their work in the ERG and their commitment to driving diversity, equity, and inclusion among ERG members and beyond.

In addition to being part of our overall Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy, ERGs are a critical element in how we help our people grow. I am fortunate to serve as executive sponsor of EMPOWER and proud of all of the programming the highly engaged team put together to shine a light on and inspire women throughout our company.

— Lauren Harrington, Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Women's Foodservice Forum

The annual, industry-wide Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) Leadership Conference took place in Dallas, Texas, March 12-14, at which more than 130 Aramark team members participated either in person or virtually in sessions that were designed to develop women leaders and provide connection, growth, and inspiration.

 

Community of Interest Session: LGBTQ+

DEI Manager Shenelle B. participated as a panelist on one of WFF’s Community of Interest sessions. During the discussion, she spoke to the challenges and needs of the LGBTQ+ community and shared with audience members ways to be an ally to LGBTQ+ colleagues to create a more inclusive and welcoming work environment.

 

WFF Change Makers Award

One of the highlights of the WFF Leadership Conference each year is the presentation of the Change Maker Awards. The WFF Change Makers program helps build a strong pipeline of women leaders eager to propel their personal career advancement and champion the professional growth of others in the foodservice industry.

 

May L., Brand Marketing Director, Aramark Convenience Retail, was one of 50 people to be recognized as a 2023 Change Maker.

 

“It’s an incredible recognition for all the work over the past few years, but also it’s a jumping-off point for me because I recognize that so much more work has to be done. So many people have been integral in helping me along the way — and I’m determined and motivated with my work and in my life to mentor others and to fan the flame I have inside me.”

Employees enjoying the EMPOWER leadership panel and networking event.

Immediate Openings

Aramark Careers serves communities across multiple states. Candidates can search for jobs by city, state, or region using the job search tool.