Accor Hotels Tackles Refugee Unemployment With New Hiring Initiative

In a bold move to enhance diversity and inclusivity within the hospitality sector, Accor has hired nearly 100 refugees and migrants across its hotels and Qantas lounges. Through a partnership with Community Corporate, specialists in refugee employment, Accor aims to create workplaces that are not only inclusive but also human-centered, recognizing the unique backgrounds and skills of their new hires.

Shocking statistics reveal that merely 6% of refugees secure employment within their first six months in Australia, rising to only 23% after two years. Against this sobering backdrop, Accor’s recruitment efforts stand out, particularly with a noteworthy statistic: women constitute over two-thirds (68%) of the company's recent migrant workforce, hailing from 18 different cultural backgrounds and speaking 22 languages.

Take the inspiring case of Bibi Zahra, a young Afghan woman who arrived in Australia in 2023 under an orphan relative visa. After months of labor in farming and construction jobs, struggling tirelessly for over eight months, her fortunes changed thanks to Community Corporate’s SETS program. Following a transformative Job Bootcamp in early 2025, Bibi landed a position at the Qantas lounge in Adelaide, a breakthrough she describes as a true empowerment experience. "I felt seen and empowered, realizing that I had the skills and resilience to forge a successful career," Zahra shares.

Adrian Williams, Accor Pacific COO, emphasizes the intrinsic connection between hospitality and people. "The richness of our industry comes from the diversity of those who power it. Inclusive hiring is not just a value we talk about; it is actively practiced, showing extraordinary impact," he states. This pivotal partnership not only transforms lives but also strengthens the workplace environment, illustrating the potential that purposeful business leadership can unleash.

Set to place 100 refugees and migrants into employment by the end of 2025, Accor is setting a transformative benchmark for the hospitality industry. As Williams urges others within the sector to adopt similar initiatives, there lies a collective potential to fortify both the industry and society by embracing inclusion.

With Accor taking the lead, one can only hope that others will follow suit, realizing the breadth of talent waiting to contribute to a prosperous, inclusive future in hospitality.