A process for the production of ethylene glycol including the steps of: (i) providing, to a first reactor, a carbohydrate source, a solvent, hydrogen, a first heterogeneous catalyst, which first heterogeneous catalyst contains one or more transition metals from groups 8, 9 and 10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and a homogeneous catalyst, which homogeneous catalyst contains tungsten ; (ii) reacting, in the first reactor, at a temperature in the range from equal to or more than 170°C to equal to or less than 270 °C, at least a portion of the carbohydrate source in the presence of the hydrogen, the solvent, the first heterogeneous catalyst and the homogeneous catalyst; (iii) removing, from the first reactor, a first reactor product stream and separating from such first reactor product stream at least: - one ethylene glycol-rich fraction; and - one sorbitol-rich fraction containing concentrated homogeneous catalyst; (iv) providing, to a second reactor, hydrogen and at least part of the sorbitol-rich fraction, containing concentrated homogeneous catalyst; (v) reacting, in the second reactor, at a temperature in the range from equal to or more than 200°C to equal to or less than 300°C, at least a part of the sorbitol-rich fraction, containing concentrated homogeneous catalyst, in the presence of the hydrogen, a second heterogeneous catalyst, which second heterogeneous catalyst contains one or more transition metals from groups 8, 9 and 10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, the sorbitol being at least partially converted into lower boiling products, wherein the concentration of homogeneous catalyst in the reaction mixture in the second reactor of step (v) is higher than the concentration of homogeneous catalyst in the reaction mixture in the first reactor of step (ii); (vi) removing, from the second reactor, a second reactor product stream. (i) providing, to a first reactor, a carbohydrate source, a solvent, hydrogen, a first heterogeneous catalyst, which first heterogeneous catalyst contains one or more transition metals from groups 8, 9 and 10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and a homogeneous catalyst, which homogeneous catalyst contains tungsten ; (ii) reacting, in the first reactor, at a temperature in the range from equal to or more than 170°C to equal to or less than 270 °C, at least a portion of the carbohydrate source in the presence of the hydrogen, the solvent, the first heterogeneous catalyst and the homogeneous catalyst; (iii) removing, from the first reactor, a first reactor product stream and separating from such first reactor product stream at least: - one ethylene glycol-rich fraction; and - one sorbitol-rich fraction containing concentrated homogeneous catalyst; - one ethylene glycol-rich fraction; and - one sorbitol-rich fraction containing concentrated homogeneous catalyst; (iv) providing, to a second reactor, hydrogen and at least part of the sorbitol-rich fraction, containing concentrated homogeneous catalyst; (v) reacting, in the second reactor, at a temperature in the range from equal to or more than 200°C to equal to or less than 300°C, at least a part of the sorbitol-rich fraction, containing concentrated homogeneous catalyst, in the presence of the hydrogen, a second heterogeneous catalyst, which second heterogeneous catalyst contains one or more transition metals from groups 8, 9 and 10 of the Periodic Table of the Elements, the sorbitol being at least partially converted into lower boiling products, wherein the concentration of homogeneous catalyst in the reaction mixture in the second reactor of step (v) is higher than the concentration of homogeneous catalyst in the reaction mixture in the first reactor of step (ii); (vi) removing, from the second reactor, a second reactor product stream. <EOS>