Diversity, Inclusivity and Wellbeing in Hospitality: Daniel Poulin

Show Notes

Daniel is the former Director of Wellbeing for Accor Hotels and led the company’s diversity and inclusion planning. Unfortunately, like so many in hospitality, the pandemic caused him to be laid off but he’s still deeply entrenched in the space.

We’re diving into Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing on this episode. These are topics that are getting much more discussion in the hospitality space and as we look to re-open the industry after the pandemic, there is no better time to be talking about how we want it to look going forward.

When initially talking with Daniel about being on the show, I learned that Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing are all related topics that each need to be a part of any organizations’ efforts in their overall D&I goals.

Daniel shares insight on his efforts within Accor on their D&I actions, where individuals can start in on their own efforts about education and actions, and where he sees the office of the future taking shape.

It was a fascinating discussion that could have gone of for hours but I think in this first episode, we touch on several important points and have established a good foundation for future episodes.

On this episode we discuss:

Starting the discussion about diversity, inclusivity & wellbeing (4:11)
Why is can this topic be uncomfortable to talk about? (9:04)
The genesis of Accor’s efforts about D&I planning (11:12)
How to start the internal conversation and create buy-in about diversity & inclusivity efforts (15:51)
How to start on inclusivity efforts (28:07)
Where does wellbeing fit in? (34:22)

About Daniel

Leading Wellbeing for the Accor’s portfolio in the North & Central America’s region from 2014 to 2020, Daniel is no stranger to hospitality with a career in the fitness and spa industry that spans over 30 years taking him from Canada to Asia and the Middle East.

Daniel also played an instrumental role is developing Diversity and Inclusion at Accor where he co-championed the LGBTQ+ pillar along with being a member of the broader D&I Committee for the region.

Daniel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and a Master of Science degree in Nutrition with a specialization on exercise and breast cancer.

His extensive academic background and years of experience in the wellbeing space provide a level of expertise to the benefit of employees and guests that go beyond the trends. As such, Daniel is often recognized as an innovator and “trends detangler” in the wellness industry. His hands-on experimental approach allows for real life skills that go beyond theories and concepts.

Links

LinkedIn: Daniel Poulin (He/Him) | LinkedIn

Book discussed on the episode: Time Off: https://amzn.to/37rroQY

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