Purpose-This research aims to highlight the importance of promoting and protecting women's dignity at work in the hospitality and tourism sectors as a key component of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5 (gender equality) and 8 (decent work). It seeks to map the existing literature to examine the factors that promote women's dignity. Previous research on dignified and decent work has largely overlooked the integration of a gender perspective in studies of workplace dignity. This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by addressing this critical gap in the literature. Design/methodology/approach-This research systematically reviewed the literature and conducted a conceptual analysis of dignity and gender-related themes in hospitality and tourism. Findings-The findings reveal the key factors that influence women's dignity at work. Several challenges in tourism research on women's workplace dignity are identified, including an overemphasis on qualitative methods and a geographical imbalance in the literature. A critical and comprehensive research agenda is provided to guide future research. Practical implications-This paper highlights the link between SDGs 5 and 8 in addressing women's workplace issues in hospitality and tourism. It emphasises the role of managers and organisations in promoting respectful, gender-sensitive practices through training, values and Human Resources (HR) systems, thereby improving employee well-being, ethical work environments, retention and workforce sustainability. Originality/value-The originality of this paper lies in its emphasis on the importance of a distinct conceptualisation of dignity at work from women's perspectives. Previous research argues that tourism scholarship has been significantly gender-blind and should consider distinct gendered experiences, as women's experiences in tourism work differ from men's and are shaped by gender.