Arena Hospitality Group

Team Members' Skills Development

At Arena Hospitality Group, we are committed to fostering professional growth by continuously investing in employee development. Through a combination of internal and external training programs, we provide tailored learning opportunities that support career advancement. In 2024, our training initiatives focused on workplace safety and health, Good Hygiene and Manufacturing Practices, HACCP, and the Food & Beverage department. Employees also participated in workshops and conferences covering occupational safety, food and beverage industry trends, and ESG training at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce. A significant milestone was the successful completion of studies by the second generation of ARENA Management Program graduates. Conducted in collaboration with BHMS School in Switzerland, this program continues to strengthen leadership skills within the Group.

By collaborating with PPHE Hotel Group, we conduct internal training including "Brand Immersion" and "Guest Experience" to ensure service quality and brand consistency. Agreements with educational institutions and business educators, along with on-the-job training, demonstrate our commitment to employee growth and loyalty. Partnerships with external educational systems and continuous online training sessions with the Association of Employers in Croatian Hospitality further support transition assistance programs.

Results from our 2024 annual employee engagement survey Let's Talk highlight that continuous learning remains a key priority for our workforce. As a result, we remain dedicated to proactively enhancing our training and development initiatives, ensuring our employees have the knowledge and skills to thrive.

First group of participants graduated from the "Arena Management Development" program.

Health and Safety

At Arena, we, along with good working practice, strive to professionally and responsibly establish, monitor and manage all aspects of occupational health and safety, and timely identify risks and hazards at workplaces. Furthermore, by carrying out timely and continuous education of all our employees, which we carry out internally and in cooperation with authorized companies, we act preventively at all levels of business, while medical examinations for almost all groups and categories of employees ensure tracking employees health and preventive action on the health of employees. Group Management has the responsibility of establishing and promoting the Health and Safety Policy to lower-level management, so there are health and safety responsible individuals across the group are addition to the professional team in the central office in compliance with legal requirements.

Diversity and Equal Opportunity

Arena is determined in its commitment to fostering respect, fairness, and equal opportunities, with zero-tolerance to any form of discrimination including workplace insults, humiliation, abuse, or harassment. Embracing diversity, we champion equal opportunities for team members, students, and guests, regardless of various factors such as age, disability, gender, race, religion, and more. The Group operates in accordance with the Law on Suppression of Discrimination of the Republic of Croatia. At the highest governance levels, our commitment to diversity is reflected in the election and appointment of members to the Supervisory and Management Boards, which adhere to the Companies Act without limitations on diversity.  Furthermore, in 2023, Arena officially signed the Croatian Charter of Diversity, aligned with the European Commission's international initiative.

Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining

Arena fully respects the rights of workers to join workers’ associations (labour unions) as well as their right to leave workers’ associations. We guarantee that no worker will be disadvantaged by being a member of an association or for participating or not participating in association activities. We continuously maintain and strive to regularly improve social dialogue and to fully protect the rights of workers and regulate their obligations and rights through collective agreements and their timely amendments and additions. We provide all necessary conditions for the activity of the works council. We act together with the works council in all cases prescribed by law and situations that benefit from the perspective of the works council, even though not mandatory. In Croatia Arena has implemented a company-specific collective agreement (CA) with the representative union. The collective agreement is regularly Arena has not conducted assessment(s) to determine if there are any risks to freedom of association and/ or collective bargaining within the workforce. applied to the full extent. Any modifications to the CA are negotiated and discussed by the company’s management and the union representatives and agreed upon in unison. Freedom of association of employees is exercised on the company level without any restrictions and is fully supported by the company’s management. Our approach in all markets in which we operate is to pay out wages and other employee benefits and remunerations above the minimum amount prescribed by law, taking into consideration local and hospitality industry labour market trends. The collective agreement in Croatia is our instrument of regulation of wages and other benefits in aim to provide equal pay terms in the same or similar jobs. The collective agreement regulates length of working hours, holidays and other absences which all must be in compliance with the mandatory provisions of national labour laws.

Supporting Local Communities

As owners and operators of hotels, resorts, and campsites, Arena places a high priority on caring for our neighbourhoods and making meaningful contributions to local communities and their residents. We fulfil this commitment by supporting various stakeholders vital to community development and heritage preservation. This dedication is evident through a diverse range of events and partnerships with institutions and associations. Our support extends to major cultural and sports events in South Istria, including the International Book Fair in Istria, Pula Cultural Summer events at the Small Roman Theatre and Pula Amphitheatre, Pula Marathon, and the Sailing Club Uljanik, among others. Additionally, we provide ongoing assistance to healthcare institutions and organizations serving vulnerable members of society. In 2024, this included aiding Pula General Hospital in procuring equipment for the paediatric ward and supporting Safe House Istria. Furthermore, Arena proudly serves as a gold donor to the Gea-Pula Women's Club, an association supporting women undergoing breast cancer treatment. Through these initiatives and collaborations, Arena is consistent in its commitment to making positive contributions to local communities and improving the well-being of its residents.