“As we weathered this unpredictable year, Hilton has remained focused on our Team Members and the communities we serve around the world,” said Kristin Campbell, general counsel and chief ESG officer, Hilton. “We took a nimble approach during this difficult period to deliver meaningful support, while remaining focused on our bold Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals. Now more than ever, we are committed to our leadership in environmental, social and governance so travelers can enjoy our planet for years to come.”
Hilton’s 2020 ESG Report highlights the company’s environmental and social performance during a tumultuous year. Despite the challenges of 2020, Hilton was proud to receive several significant ESG honors in 2020, including:
- Named the 2020 Global Industry Leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices, the most prestigious ranking for corporate responsibility and sustainability performance, for the second consecutive year;
- Recognized just last week as one of the Best Companies to Work For in the U.S. by Great Place to Work and Fortune for the sixth consecutive year, including earning the #1 spot in 2020 and #3 in 2021 – as well as being ranked the #3 World’s Best Workplace and achieving a #1 ranking in seven countries around the world in 2020;
- Ranked #2 on DiversityInc’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity list; and
- Named to the 100 Best Corporate Citizens of 2020 list, the only global hotel brand recognized.
An Unprecedented Year for Social Impact
The importance of engaging local communities, supporting Team Members, and promoting a culture of inclusion took on new meaning and urgency in 2020. Hilton took action to support its Team Members and its communities:
- Partnered with American Express and hotel owners to donate up to one million hotel room nights for U.S. frontline medical professionals leading the fight against COVID-19 and teamed up with World Central Kitchen to provide meals for many of these heroes staying in Hilton’s hotels.
- Distributed approximately $500,000 to Team Members who contracted the COVID-19 virus to help cover related expenses, including child or elder care.
- Acted quickly to ensure the safety and wellbeing of Team Members around the world by introducing Hilton CleanStay™, an industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection in collaboration with Reckitt, maker of Lysol and Dettol.
- Awarded 23 grants through the Hilton Effect Foundation to support organizations helping vulnerable communities recover from COVID-19. In total, the Foundation invested more than $1 million in COVID-19 community response during 2020.
- Remained committed to doubling the company’s social impact by 2030. Despite the challenges the hospitality industry faced in 2020, Hilton realized many achievements including contributing 185,000 volunteer hours and creating new ways for Team Members to volunteer virtually. Hilton also continued to drive inclusive growth through the company’s award-winning Supplier Diversity Program.
- Focused on building a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace for its Team Members and guests. Hilton received a rating of 100% on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality index for the seventh year in a row and is committed to achieving global gender parity and 25% U.S. ethnic representation at corporate leadership levels by the end of 2027.
- Partnered with the NAACP’s Empowerment Program to advance equal rights and awarded grants to nonprofits that are at the front lines of the fight for racial justice, including the NAACP and National Urban League.
- Launched an internal Courageous Conversation virtual learning series that tackled critical topics including systemic racism, privilege, allyship and women leaving the workplace.
- Set new industry standards by contributing to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC’s) new high-level guidelines for diversity and inclusion in the travel and tourism sector.
Continued Focus on Sustainability
Hilton operates in some of the most beautiful destinations around the world and recognizes its critical responsibility to protect the planet so that it remains healthy and vibrant for future generations. This year, Hilton achieved the following:
- Remained fully committed to halving its environmental impact and took immediate action to train hotel teams to adopt techniques to conserve resources in times of low occupancy.
- Took steps to increase sourcing of renewable energy at hotels around the world, in line with the company’s science-based targets. In 2020, the majority of Hilton-managed hotels in the U.K. began procuring 100 percent renewable electricity.
- Undertook a thorough ESG materiality assessment to ensure the company’s Travel with Purpose programs remained aligned with the issues that matter most to Hilton’s business and stakeholders.
- Continued to enhance Hilton’s award-winning LightStay program, which all of Hilton’s 6,400+ hotels use to measure and manage their environmental and social impact.
- Established waste reduction standards for the Hilton EventReady with CleanStay meetings and events program.
- Collaborated with its hotel ownership community to continue to identify innovative and meaningful ways to adapt to the changing needs of its guests, Team Members and communities.
Hilton’s 2020 ESG Report was prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and integrates the recommendations of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). In addition to the ESG Report and website, Hilton externally reports on its Travel with Purpose strategy, programs and progress towards its 2030 Goals in the company’s Form 10-K, Annual Report and Proxy Statement. For more information about Hilton’s ESG efforts, visit cr.hilton.com
* Unless otherwise indicated, all hotel data reflects Hilton’s 2020 annual report announcement (April 9). More information can be found on Hilton’s Investor Relations website.
About Travel with Purpose
Travel with Purpose is Hilton’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy to redefine and advance sustainable travel globally. By 2030, we plan to double our investment in social impact and cut our environmental footprint by half. We track, analyze and report our environmental and social impact at each of Hilton’s more than 6,400 hotels through LightStay, our award-winning performance management system. Travel with Purpose capitalizes on Hilton’s global scale to catalyze local economic growth; respect human rights; invest in people and local communities; and preserve our planet by reducing our impact on natural resources. Our strategy aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Visit cr.hilton.com to learn more.
About Hilton Effect Foundation
The Hilton Effect Foundation is Hilton’s primary international philanthropic arm. The Foundation is a nonprofit established in the U.S. and is a registered 501(c)3 charitable organization. The Foundation awards grants, in alignment with Hilton’s Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals, that have a positive impact on travel destinations around the world. Foundation grants are awarded throughout the year in accordance with tax and legal requirements. Visit HiltonEffect.org for more information.
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