Marriott International Highlights ESG Progress in Annual Serve 360 Report

by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:15 AM ET, Wed July 10, 2024

WHY IT RATES: Marriott's comprehensive 2023 ESG report focuses on topics from sustainability to curbing human trafficking to supporting conservation initiatives across the globe. — Lacey Pfalz, Associate Writer, TravelPulse

Marriott International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAR) (“Marriott”) today released its 2024 Serve 360 Report highlighting the company’s global Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) efforts and progress toward its 2025 Sustainability and Social Impact Goals. The Report reflects data for the calendar year ended December 31, 2023. The Report can be accessed here.

This year, the Report features an “Around The World Highlights” addendum, which showcases ESG initiatives spanning each of the company’s regions – Asia Pacific excluding China; Caribbean & Latin America; Europe, Middle East & Africa; Greater China; and United States & Canada – and performance tables and appendices with key supporting information and data.

“At Marriott International, we take great pride in our longstanding focus on the fundamental principles of taking care of people, our communities, and the planet,” said Anthony Capuano, President and CEO, Marriott International. “We believe our efforts to be a force for good around the world in destinations where we operate can help support the long-term success of our business and the wellbeing of associates and guests. We are focused on fostering a more resilient, inclusive, and responsible world for travel.”

In support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Marriott’s sustainability and social impact platform, Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction, guides the company’s ESG efforts through four focus areas, or “coordinates”: Nurture Our World, Sustain Responsible Operations, Empower Through Opportunity, and Welcome All and Advance Human Rights.

The Report outlines, among other topics, data on company efforts related to sustainable operations, diversity and inclusion, volunteerism, and other ESG activities led by Marriott associates and hotels around the world. Global highlights include:

To focus on climate action, the company:

Verified its near- and long-term science-based emissions reduction targets with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in April 2024.
Launched the Climate Action Program (CAP) to all managed and franchised properties globally, centered around building climate fluency across the organization and developing property-specific carbon reduction goals to support progress toward the company’s science-based targets.
Continued to build on the company’s EV charging infrastructure. At year-end 2023, more than 7,100 EV chargers were installed at more than 1,800 Marriott properties around the world.

The company was also focused on expanding opportunity and delivering on its core value to Serve Our World, and:

Volunteered over 3.1 million hours in local communities worldwide in 2023, with over 12.1 million associate volunteer hours reported since 2016.
Responded to the devastating wildfires in Maui, Hawaii, contributing approximately $5.5 million through the Marriott Disaster Relief Fund, TakeCare Relief Fund, Marriott Bonvoy points donations, and cash and in-kind giving by hotels to support recovery efforts and provide essential items for impacted associates.
Committed to hiring more than 3,000 refugees across the globe by 2026.
Trained more than 1.2 million managed and franchised associates in human trafficking awareness since 2016 in support of Marriott’s goal to train all on-property associates by 2025.
Launched an industry-first initiative in collaboration with the Internet Watch Foundation and Cisco to block websites with child sexual abuse material from guest networks across nearly 5,000 managed and franchised properties in the U.S. & Canada.

Additional regional highlights include:

Raised nearly $970,000 in cash and in-kind donations by Marriott’s United Arab Emirates (UAE) Business Council through annual Road to Awareness (R2A) cycling fundraising events to support organizations focused on the vitality of children.
Supported the release of approximately 110,000 sea turtles through conservation programs at several properties across Mexico aimed at protecting the species and their habitats.
Engaged with Scholars of Sustenance through 66 hotels in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines to rescue over 81,000 kg (178,000 lbs.) of surplus food, resulting in more than 340,000 meals donated to communities in need.
Hired more than 1,200 students with disabilities as full-time associates throughout the Greater China region.
Of total egg spend, increased cage-free egg spend to 56.13% and 47.18% for properties in the U.S. & Canada, respectively.

More details about Marriott International’s ESG efforts and Serve 360 and the initiatives and programs mentioned in this press release can be found at www.marriott.com/serve360.

SOURCE: Marriott International press release.

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