How the Hospitality sector is backing social causes

Jabir preps the bar and places napkin rolls on the tables. Sahil Shaikh, in addition to all that, clears tables and picks up food and drinks. This is a normal scenario at Cafe Zoe every day. However, what makes it heartwarming is that both Sahil and Jabir are differently-abled and have been working at the Lower Parel-based restaurant for more than a year. The young men have received their training from MANN, an NGO that provides vocational training to people with special needs. 

Jérémie Horowitz, co-founder Cafe Zoe, believes it’s a social responsibility to take up a cause and back it, regardless of the sector one work in. “We need to do our part to improve the lives of those around us,” he says.

Indeed, the hospitality sector has been doing its bit to make the world a better place, in their own way. If Cafe Zoe has given two young men an opportunity to better their economic condition, Social has started a campaign called #SocialSpeakEasy, which is an attempt to remove stigma from various societal issues, the first one being mental health. Bombay Canteen has been holding an Independence Day daawat every year for the past three years, the proceeds of which are handed over to different NGOs that work in the field of children’s education. BKC-based CinCin participated in the Negroni Week (an initiative that raises money for charitable causes while celebrating the cocktail) for the first time this year, with all the donations going towards an animal shelter in Australia.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

The idea of social responsibility runs deep in the F&B industry. Riyaaz Amlani, CEO and MD of Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality Pvt Ltd, says that while they often donate money from various events and drives directly to NGOs, certain issues resonate very strongly with the core values of Social as a brand. That’s what explains their involved participation in some campaigns, more than others. 

“Moreover, NGOs and the social sector do not always have access to our core target group of an informed, socially active demographic, which makes it easier for us to utilise our ‘social’ clout to raise awareness and drive attention towards specific causes,” he says.

The restaurant had a whole lot of activities planned around the campaign. Beginning with the launch of Dr Yusuf Merchant’s book Happyness — Life Lessons From A Creative Addict at Fun Republic Social in Andheri, they’ve also tied up with TISS’ iCall helpline to give access to dedicated professionals who can provide real-time support for those who might want to reach out. “Apart from this, we’re also hosting a bunch of events across our outlets (pan India) called ‘The Inside Story’. The aim is to provide a two-day experiential approach towards mental health awareness and well-being via varied activities, games, discussions, theatre, poetry and art therapy sessions — all in the span of a single weekend,” he says.

CAUSE AND EFFECT

Every action has a reaction and if the action is directed towards positive change, then it’s something to cheer about. Sahil, who has been working with Cafe Zoe for a year, says, “The entire team is friendly and our experience here has been excellent. We’ve learnt how to make coffee, fresh lime sodas and we know the menu.” Adds Jabir, “We are learning some good habits, waking up early in the morning, taking the train to work, grooming ourselves and helping our families financially.” Jérémie is happy their initiative has borne fruit. “It helps on so many levels. It helps the boys as they are able to find some financial independence — the work experience stimulates them and they are able to help their families. Then, it helps the community understand that people with disabilities are also amazing and have plenty to teach and share with us,” he says.

Similarly, at BKC’s Nara Thai’s Songkran (Thai New Year) celebrations, the restaurant tied up with Swades Foundation to provide drinking water and other facilities to rural households in Raigad district of Maharashtra. They donated Rs 1,70,000 which will be used to provide 23 households clean potable water for a full year while also providing amenities to harvest rainwater.

The Bombay Canteen’s Independence Day feast, which sees patrons dropping in for a meal, and paying as per their wish, has generated so much interest, that while three years ago they served around 200 guests, the number increased to 350 and then reached 550 in 2017. “The money, therefore, has also increased substantially,” Yash Bhanage, the restaurant’s co-founder tells us. But more importantly, Bhanage feels they have managed to raise awareness about the cause of children’s education among their guests as well as employees. “There was a great gesture on the part of our employees, who gave up their tips for the entire month of August and donated it towards the NGO. So it’s a simple change that we, as founders, wanted to bring about and that has come in our team as well,” he says.

The hospitality sector certainly seems to have its heart in the right place.