Merlin Entertainments Wins Women 1st Shine Award

Merlin Entertainments’ global human resources team have won the Large Business Award in the United Kingdom’s Women 1st Shine Awards 2014.

With the goal of having at least one female candidate on the long list for every board or executive team position by 2017, the Women 1st Shine Awards recognise employers who “go the extra mile” to support women’s career development in the attractions, hospitality, tourism and retail industries.

Led by Group Human Resources Director Tea Colaianni and supported by Merlin Entertainment Chief Executive Nick Varney, Merlin has developed the Women@Merlin program.

Women@Merlin aims to build women’s confidence, provide encouragement to apply for senior roles and look at how best to balance family and work responsibilities. The initiative’s goal is to ensure that Merlin has a diverse leadership, reflecting its customer base.

Initiatives so far have included mixed workshops about unconscious bias; mentoring of junior women; a Women@Merlin LinkedIn community with access to ideas, workshops and recorded webinars, and an expectation that recruitment agents should identify suitable female candidates for all senior roles.

The scheme has been funded from within Merlin’s existing human resources budget and has generated overwhelmingly positive feedback from female staff.

Merlin is on track to meet its target of 25% women in senior positions within the next few years and looking forward aims to eventually achieve its ultimate goal of 50% gender balance in the leadership team.

Merlin Entertainments is the second largest visitor attractions operator in the world.

Merlin currently has 13 attractions in Australia and New Zealand including the stunning Mount Hotham and Falls Creek Ski Resorts in Victoria; WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo and WILD LIFE Hamilton Island; Madame Tussauds in Sydney; Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures and Otway Fly Treetop Adventures & Zip Line; the Sydney Tower Eye & SKYWALK; and SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary, Melbourne Aquarium, Underwater World in Mooloolaba, Queensland; Kelly Tarlton’s SEA LIFE Aquarium in Auckland, underlining the company’s position as the world’s biggest global aquarium operator.

30th March 2014 - OTWAY FLY TO PRESENT THE ULTIMATE TREETOP SCHOOL HOLIDAY ADVENTURE