Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer marked a milestone in its partnership with EHL Hospitality Business School on Thursday, awarding the first certifications from a jointly developed training program focused on emotional intelligence.
The certificates were presented in the Salon Nirvana at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort by Stéphane Valeri, President-Delegate of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer. Fifteen employees of the group, drawn from the senior management teams of its four hotels, received the certification.
The ceremony was attended by Virginie Cotta, Secretary General of SBM in charge of corporate social responsibility; Sophie Vincent, Director of Human Resources; Stéphane Haddad, Associate Dean of Continuing Education Programs at EHL Hospitality Business School; and William-Alexandre François, the school’s Head of Business Development.
The training program is one of the first concrete outcomes of a partnership agreement signed on Nov. 20, 2024, between the Monaco-based hospitality group and EHL. Designed specifically for SBM by EHL teams, the program explores the role of emotions in professional environments and aims to strengthen engagement, workplace satisfaction, professional relationships and service quality.
Participants completed four collective modules delivered in Monaco by EHL staff, along with individual coaching sessions during the first quarter of 2025.
Following the program’s initial success, the training will be offered again beginning at the end of March to two additional groups of SBM employees.
The broader partnership between the two institutions - both long-established leaders in their fields - seeks to enhance the attractiveness of careers in hospitality while supporting the professional development of SBM employees. It is structured around four objectives: deploying professional training within the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer resort, strengthening the appeal of the hospitality sector, creating internship opportunities and establishing career development plans to attract and retain talent.
Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, founded in 1863, employs nearly 5,000 people across 130 professions and is the largest private employer in the Principality of Monaco and one of the largest on the Côte d’Azur. The group has become an international reference in luxury hospitality.
EHL Hospitality Business School, founded in 1893 and formerly known as the École hôtelière de Lausanne, is widely recognized as a global leader in hospitality education, innovation and advisory services.
For the newly certified employees, the program represents an additional professional credential and forms part of SBM’s broader “We Are Monte-Carlo” employer-brand initiative led by the Human Resources department. The effort complements other training initiatives, including the group’s e-learning platform, “My SBM Academy,” aimed at strengthening professional skills across the organization.
“Emotional intelligence is a key competence in our professions,” Sophie Vincent said during the ceremony, noting its importance in client relations, team management and the overall experience the company seeks to deliver each day.
Photo credits: Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer