At The Lux Collective, progress for women is not driven by policy or campaigns, but by a deeply embedded culture of care and generosity. This International Women’s Day, the Group spotlights its #GiveToGainstories, lived across its hotels, teams and communities, where women invest in one another through mentorship, skills-sharing and opportunity. From local artisans and frontline teams to senior leadership, this network creates momentum that builds over time, strengthening capability, opening doors and creating lasting pathways for women to advance together.
Giving Time, Knowledge and Skills
At SALT of Palmar, The Lux Collective’s boutique, adult-only wellness-focused hotel in Mauritius, Give to Gain comes to life through the Skill Swap; an experience centred on the exchange of time, talent and knowledge between guests and the neighbouring community. Women play a vital role in this culture of shared learning: Janine Espitalier-Noel welcomes guests into her pottery studio in Pamplemousses; Mrs Bulleeram teaches the art of traditional basket weaving in Brisée Verdière; and Nathalie Marot and Sarah Hoffmann, the mother-daughter duo behind Body Bar, have grown their passion into a thriving handmade natural cosmetics business supplying SALT with scrubs, hair masks and soaps. By offering visibility, fair income and long-lasting collaboration to female artisans and experts, Skill Swap enables them to share their craft, safeguard cultural knowledge and forge meaningful connections.
Giving Back to the Environment
At LUX* Marijaniin Zanzibar, caring for the environment goes hand in hand with creating opportunity for women. Each morning, local women known as the ‘seaweed mamas‘ tend their seaweed gardens in the shallow waters facing the resort, securing sustainable income, financial independence and livelihoods rooted in nature. Built in close collaboration with the surrounding community, the resort supports women-led ecosystems; from locally crafted interiors to endemic planting that preserves the natural landscape they depend on. With refillable water stations and sustainability-led guest touchpoints woven throughout the experience, LUX* Marijani proves how responsible tourism can directly support women, ensuring lasting benefit for both community and coastline.
Giving Opportunities and Career Progressions
Across The Lux Collective worldwide, women are progressing through the ranks within a culture that prioritises development, mentorship and internal mobility. Lhamo, Restaurant Manager at LUX* Tea Horse Road Benzilan in Yunnan, China, began as a villager and now shares her hometown with international visitors as a hospitality professional. Sanam Khedoo, progressed from valet to supervisor at LUX* Belle Mare, while Dilshad Rossaye leads a team of 80 after growing through the housekeeping ranks at Tamassa Bel Ombre. Across F&B, wellness and operations, career progression is equally visible. Nitisha Thathiah moved from pastry trainee to Chef de Partie at SALT of Palmar. At the ultra-luxury LUX* flagship resort LUX* Grand Baie in Mauritius, Jennifer Radegonde advanced from Spa Receptionist to Spa Supervisor and Rooma Caulee, formerly leading Sales & Marketing, is now Resident Manager.
Giving International Credentials and Significant Leadership Avenues
The Lux Collective Training Academy, led by Group Head of Learning & Talent Development Smita Modak, is accelerating careers with its groundbreaking work-based higher education programme. The 18-month Certificate of Higher Education – Professional Practice (Leadership in Hospitality), developed with the University of Wales, combines hands-on learning with internationally recognised qualifications, enabling participants to further their careers while making immediate impact. Female leaders like Sheila Malloo, The Lux Collective’s first female General Manager in Mauritius overseeing LUX* Belle Mare, had excelled through the programme, honing strategic and operational skills while inspiring others.
This year, the Group has also enrolled LUX* Le Morne’s Resident Manager Isabel Lochun and People & Culture Manager Jessica Sola for MBA qualifications through the Recognition of Prior Learning Pathway with world-acclaimed Vatel Hotel & Tourism Business School. This programme formally validates the strategic, financial, human capital and ESG leadership competencies they have built over operational excellence, formalising years of executive expertise into a recognised MBA qualification.
By delivering internationally recognised qualifications and formal leadership pathways, these initiatives not only accelerate gender equality within the Group but set a new benchmark for accessible, practical higher learning in the ever-evolving hospitality industry.
These stories deeply reflect how #GiveToGain is embedded in The Lux Collective’s organisational culture – from community livelihoods and environmental stewardship to internal progression and leadership development. By giving time, trust and opportunity, the Group continues to build pathways where women grow with confidence, support one another and create impact that extends well beyond the workplace.
