Gender Equality on the Menu: How More Women Are Stepping into Executive Leadership Roles within the Foodservice Industry

More and more women are moving into C-suite and other executive-level leadership roles within the restaurant and foodservice industries, according to an article on Restaurant Dive.

“Women make up more than 52% of the restaurant and foodservice industry, but that number shrinks substantially the further up the corporate ladder, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, women represent only 18% of C-suite positions in the segment, the Women's Foodservice Forum reports,” the article said.

According to the article, women executives are some of the major mover-shakers when it comes to increasing diversity in the workplace. Brands like Yum Brands and McDonald’s are already leveraging technology to reach a more diverse employee applicant pool, the article said. More women in leadership positions and a more diverse talent pool can translate to greater success for those brands who make the commitment: “Growing corporate interest in diversity largely reflects consumer demand for mission-based brands, but it can also be beneficial to a company's bottom line,” the article said.

Given that women “have a purchasing power of $18 trillion around the world and are often the primary decision makers in their families,” per the article, it makes sense that women would see themselves represented in the boardroom.