IHG Hotels & Resorts Collaborate with Cyber Mulan Program to Promote Career Development Opportunities for Rural Women

Shanghai — China continues to promote the development of inclusive workplaces and fair employment opportunities amidst socio-economic growth. Centered on its corporate philosophy of “True Hospitality for Good”, IHG Hotels & Resorts is committed to creating a diverse, equal and inclusive working environment for its employees. To support the development of rural communities, IHG deepens its cooperation with Ant Foundation and jointly supports the “Cyber Mulan” Homestay Manager Training Project. Offering more comprehensive resources and diversified career paths, the program aims to provide career opportunities for women in the industry.

On December 6, IHG hosted the “Cyber Mulan” Homestay Manager Training Project together with Ant Foundation at Crowne Plaza Hangzhou Science City. During the event, both parties reinforced their focus on supporting women from rural areas in artificial intelligence training. With more participating hotels, further training in a variety of professional skills and internship opportunities will promote employment opportunities for rural women and contributing to rural revitalization.

IHG Hotels & Resorts Collaborate with Cyber Mulan Program to Promote Career Development Opportunities for Rural Women IHG Hotels &Resorts continues its cooperation with Ant Foundation to support the “Cyber Mulan” Homestay Manager Training Project

Cultivating talent is key to revitalizing rural economies. As a people-centric enterprise, we take the career development of our employees and women in our communities very seriously. Our cooperation with Ant Foundation provides a valuable platform for female cultural and hospitality talents to improve their skills and realize their career potential. This program represents our ongoing commitment to social responsibility in addition to our priorities in providing great experiences for our employees. Moreover, IHG works closely with local institutions to provide more opportunities for women and special groups in society, actively promoting workplace inclusivity and diversity. Rita Jiang, Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer, IHG Greater China

Those managers come from the countryside and bring with them a love for their hometowns, which they pass on to visitors from all over the world. We look forward to providing them with professional skillsets through IHG. With the ‘Cyber Mulan’ program, we continue to invest in women’s development and are working hard to connect with more partners who share the same cause. Ant Foundation and IHG Hotels & Resorts have come together to make lasting impacts in this field. In the future, we look forward to bringing more attention to women’s development and making a positive difference in the lives of women in rural areas. Wang Xiaojing, Secretary-General of Ant Foundation

IHG Hotels & Resorts Collaborate with Cyber Mulan Program to Promote Career Development Opportunities for Rural Women Hu Hongtao, General Manager of Crowne Plaza Hangzhou Science City (left), and Huang Qingwei, Deputy Secretary-General of Ant Foundation (right)

Creating More Opportunities for Growth and Learning

The “Cyber Mulan” Homestay Manager Training Project was jointly initiated by the Department of Market Management of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the China Foundation for Rural Development, and the Zhejiang Ant Foundation. It offers digital employment opportunities for rural women and promotes employment in the rural cultural tourism sector. Since 2022, “Homestay Manager” has been recognized as a new profession by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. This year, IHG Hotels & Resorts once again joins hands with Ant Foundation to create more opportunities for women in society.

The “Cyber Mulan” program adopts a two-pronged approach. On the one hand, the “Homestay Manager Training Project” provides rural women with practical courses on guest experience, service process, and safety awareness, while offering first-hand learning around customer service, room service, catering, fire safety, and more. Each part is taught by the leader of the corresponding department of the host hotel to help them master high-quality hotel management skills. On the other hand, internship opportunities are offered in hotels under IHG to connect theory to professional growth. Outstanding homestay managers will also have the chance to pursue open employment opportunities at IHG in other locations beyond the countryside. This year, many hotels participated in the program, including Crowne Plaza Lanzhou, Holiday Inn Xi’an East, Crowne Plaza Hangzhou Science City, Crowne Plaza Hefei, Hotel Indigo Xiamen Haicang, Hotel Indigo Changsha Meixi Lake, and more.

Diversified Career Paths: Inspiring Leadership for Women in the Industry

In addition to basic vocational training, IHG will continue promoting women’s leadership through “Cyber Mulan” program and plans to add leadership sessions to its training courses, sharing real success stories to inspire rural women to explore their personal development potential, build self-identity, and encourage more women to pursue their goals in the workplace.

Furthermore, IHG will join forces with the government, media, academia, and other parties to promote the program through various channels and platforms, sharing successful cases and highlighting the innovation and persistence behind the growth of rural women. The two parties will collaborate to create a replicable public welfare model, extending the successful experience of the "Cyber Mulan" program to more regions and groups. This initiative aims to help more rural women achieve their career aspirations.

IHG has always been committed to building a diverse, equal, and inclusive corporate culture, reflected in its care for special groups such as the disabled, the elderly, and women, as well as its focus on helping employees grow through comprehensive support programs. In the future, IHG will continue to take action in supporting the national development strategy for women and special groups, playing a key role in promoting a diverse and inclusive society.