Team Domenica announce partnership with WiHTL & DIR
We are excited to announce our new charity partnership with WiHTL & Diversity in Retail (DiR), a Collaboration Community championing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Hospitality, Travel, Leisure and Retail.
Together, we’re on a mission to create bright futures for people with learning disabilities and autism. In an interview with Tea Colaianni – the Founder and Chair of WiHTL & DiR – we learn more about this impactful network and how our partnership is making a meaningful difference.
Who are WiHTL & DiR?
WiHTL & DiR are a Collaborative Community helping companies across Hospitality, Travel, Leisure and Retail create diverse and inclusive environments. Their network reaches over 2.6 million employees. They host events, support organisations, co-create solutions, nurture collaboration and advocate for inclusive workplaces.
The community also deliver award-winning, cross-industry Leadership Development Programmes, helping businesses build and invest in their diverse talent. They have programmes centred on women leaders, ethnic leaders, aspiring CPO’s and more.
WiHTL & DiR’s mission effortlessly aligns with Team Domenica’s work supporting people with learning disabilities and autism through meaningful employment. Greg van Heeswijk, our Director of Fundraising and Communications, shared:
We are absolutely delighted about our charity partnership with WiHTL & DiR. This collaboration will not only provide vital funding for the education and training of young people with learning disabilities, but it will also offer an unparalleled opportunity for Team Domenica to raise its profile among WiHTL & DiR’s remarkable membership. As partnerships go, this is truly a perfect match in the spirit of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
If you’re a business looking to learn more about WiHTL & DiR’s Collaboration Community, partnerships or leadership programmes, please follow this link.
Our charity partnership so far…
WiHTL & DiR’s dedication to our work is palpable. They’ve already made a huge impact. From upskilling our teams and sharing valuable business insights, to formulating future opportunities for our young people.
Last month, our Employer Partnerships Manager, Ellie, presented to the community’s Accessibility Committee. She shared how Team Domenica works with partnered employers to create inclusive opportunities for people with learning disabilities, and how WiHTL & DiR’s network can get involved.
February also saw the first of our candidates start work experience placements with businesses from the WiHTL & DiR community. This includes groups such as Elior, who are offering experience in catering for residential homes. These connections are vital to the delivery of our programmes, allowing candidates to learn about the workplace and discover what careers they might like to pursue.
One of our biggest collaborations took place in November when we were the chosen charity for WiHTL & DiR’s Inclusion Summit and inclusion in Awards. Greg van Heeswijk and Rosa Monckton MBE – Team Domenica’s Founder – were honoured to speak at the event. It was a privilege to share the importance of our work with some of the most forward-thinking businesses in Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.
The awards ceremony also raised almost £13,000 through a silent auction, helping us continue to create bright futures for people with learning disabilities and autism.
It was our great pleasure to have [Team Domenica] at our last WiHTL & Diversity in Retail Summit, where [they] brought to life the incredible work that Team Domenica is doing to support young people with learning disabilities.
Inclusion is about creating opportunities for everyone, and Team Domenica’s work is a shining example of the impact that meaningful employment can have. We are thrilled to support their mission and look forward to working together to drive real change.
Tea Colaianni, Founder and Chair of WiHTL & DiR
An interview with Tea Colaianni
Excitingly for us, Tea Colaianni took time out of her busy schedule to share more about WiHTL & DiR. Here, she touches on her career, our exciting partnership, and the importance of inclusion in Hospitality, Travel, Leisure and Retail…
Hi Tea, please may you explain who you are and what you do at WiHTL?
I’m Tea Colaianni, the Founder & Chair of WiHTL & Diversity in Retail. WiHTL & DiR was born in 2016, and is the only Collaboration Community devoted to increasing inclusion across the Hospitality, Travel, Leisure, and Retail sectors.
I am driven by a passion to make a positive difference in equity, diversity, and inclusion for organisations and people across our sectors. Our mission is to positively impact 5 million employees globally by 2030.
I love how the industry comes together to invest in the diverse talent pipeline, share learnings and co-create solutions. Joining our in person events gives me great energy and confidence that we are stronger together and it is through collaboration that we can make a bigger difference. I am also a Non-Executive Director on several Boards and have previously worked in C-suite roles at Merlin Entertainments and Hilton Hotels.
What was your first job and what did you enjoy about it?
I started my career as a lawyer in Brussels where I enjoyed working with a variety of different people across Europe and businesses globally in different sectors. I stayed in that role for four years before deciding to move from being an advisor to actually being part of the decision making process in a telecommunications company. That was more interesting!
And why is Equity, Diversity and Inclusion important in Hospitality, Travel, Leisure and Retail?
While I believe that inclusion is important in every sector, I think that it is especially important in HTL and Retail, as our sectors are diverse by nature. We attract diverse employees and welcome diverse customers through our doors. Making inclusion a priority is crucially important to the success and profitability of our businesses.
As a Community, we believe wholeheartedly that organisations in this sector can strengthen their businesses and gain competitive advantage by nurturing diverse talent, developing skills, growing leadership capability, and fostering a more inclusive culture. While diversity is by nature in our sectors, inclusion is a choice that we make in every single interaction.
We are delighted to be WiHTL & DiR’s charity partner! Why did you decide to support Team Domenica?
We’re so proud to be supporting Team Domenica this year. Inclusion is about creating opportunities for everyone, and Team Domenica’s work is a shining example of the impact that meaningful employment can have on young people with learning disabilities.
Through your many pioneering programmes and initiatives, Team Domenica is transforming so many young people’s lives, developing skills, building confidence, and helping them make the transition from education to paid employment. It is a hugely important mission and one we are thrilled to support. You operate in Hospitality and Retail, which creates a unique synergy with what we do and it made it an easy choice for us to work together. I also know Baroness Rosa Monckton MBE personally and I have huge admiration for her relentless focus on creating meaningful work opportunities for young people with learning disabilities.
What are some of the ways WiHTL & DiR are hoping to support our candidates over the next year?
Having had Greg join our WiHTL & Diversity in Retail Inclusion Summit last autumn, where he brought to life the incredible work that Team Domenica is doing, our team is so excited to work more closely with you in the year ahead to champion inclusion together.
There are lots of plans being discussed to help create exciting opportunities for Team Domenica candidates, and it has been great to have already been able to support the upskilling of some of your team members through our award-winning development programmes. Our firm aim is to help raise funds for the vital work that you do, amplify your work, and create important connections and relationships across the industry. We have an exciting year ahead.
