With ESG (environmental, social and governance) investing becoming almost a requirement today, it is interesting to read what Marriott International is doing in this area as it releases its 2021 Serve 360 Report with data from 2020, along with goals for 2025 in the areas of sustainability and social impact. The full report can be accessed here.
In support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Marriott’s sustainability and social impact platform, Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction, guides the company’s planning and execution.
In addition to showcasing data on company diversity, sustainable operations, volunteerism, and other ESG activities, 2020 highlights include:
- Hotels supporting their communities through donations during the COVID-19 pandemic, including food to shelters, PPE and other helpful items to hospitals, frontline workers and in-need communities, and event space to non-profits in-need. Marriott was one of the top corporate sponsors of blood drives for the American Red Cross, holding nearly 500 blood drives which contributed over 14,000 units of blood.
- The donation of our human trafficking awareness training to the broader hospitality industry, which in only one year led to training hundreds of thousands of hotel workers outside of Marriott. In addition, nearly 825,000 Marriott associates across both managed and franchised hotels have been trained to recognize and respond to potential indicators of human trafficking since this training launched in 2016.
- Building on the company’s long history of welcoming all by prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion by collaborating with expert community partners, enhancing internal talent development programs, engaging associates, and using Marriott’s voice to advance solutions that address barriers to equality and opportunity.
The report describes how hotels operated responsibly by embedding sustainable practices within the four walls while protecting and restoring the natural environments where they are located.
It also includes a tribute to late President and CEO Arne Sorenson and a letter from current CEO Tony Capuano, which reflects on the company’s accomplishments through the pandemic, developments taking place this year, and opportunities for the company to do more to protect the earth and meet its goals in the years to come. Additional highlights include:
- Following the passing of President and CEO Arne Sorenson, Marriott created and pledged the first US$1 million for the Arne M. Sorenson Hospitality Fund to support the programmatic and career development elements of the Marriott-Sorenson Center for Hospitality Leadership at Howard University. The Center was established by The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation with a US$20 million endowment.
- Marriott announced an accelerated goal to achieve global gender parity in executive positions by 2023 – two years ahead of the original goal – and established a new goal to achieve 25% people of color representation in executive positions in the United States by 2025. The company also announced its goal to reach 3,000 diverse and women-owned hotels by 2025.
- In 2021, Marriott will submit a letter to establish its intent to set a science-based target, highlighting the company’s commitment to doing its part to combat climate change.