Marriott ExecuStay

At Marriott®, core values are the beliefs and philosophies that make up the foundation of the company. These core values are the ideals at the heart of Marriott’s “Spirit to Serve” customers, employees and communities, as well as an important part of the company culture.

Social responsibility and community engagement are integral values at Marriott. They are essential to their growth, and a rich part of their 80-year history – it’s a global tradition called “spirit to serve our communities.” Marriott’s community and social responsibility program not only benefits communities, but strengthens the company culture, helps attract and retain valued associates, provides work/life balance and personal development opportunities.

Working with charitable organizations, Marriott is serving our communities through these signature issues: Shelter and Food, Environment, Readiness for Hospitality Careers, Vitality of Children, and Embracing Diversity & Disabilities.

To have the most significant impact, Marriott’s social responsibility commitment blends corporate financial contributions with in-kind giving and the volunteer services of more than 150,000 employees around the world. In addition, many of Marriott’s owners, franchisees, suppliers and guests are actively engaged in their communities, often working alongside Marriott associates building homes for Habitat for Humanity or raising funds for Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. As a good corporate citizen, Marriott is strengthening our communities throughout the world – today and for tomorrow.

Shelter & Food
Every day around the globe, guests call Marriott their “home away from home.” That’s why it’s only natural for them to help create places of refuge for those in need, providing housing and feeding the hungry, including during times of disaster. Through a 12-year affiliation with Habitat for Humanity International, Marriott employees and customers have built more than 300 homes in 15 countries, including the U.S., Indonesia and Mexico.

Unfortunately, there are times when natural disaster and other crises affect the communities where we live and work. Marriott contributes to the Disaster Relief Fund of both the American Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and provides Marriott Rewards members the opportunity to join in by donating their points.

Whether providing employee volunteers or safe-to-donate food, Marriott has worked worldwide with soup kitchens and food banks in their local communities, most of which in the U.S. are affiliates of America’s Second Harvest – the Nation’s Food Bank Network. Even in a country like the U.S., America’s Second Harvest Network serves 9 million children, wherein 36 percent of those families has at least one employed parent.

Environment
Marriott applies its “spirit to serve” philosophy not only to people, but to critical issues facing the environment. From environmental clean-ups and recycling to conserving energy and water, Marriott’s operating units are constantly employing methods that preserve their natural surroundings and resources. In fact, the company is on track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1 million tons over 10 years by 2010. Marriott’s companywide Environmentally Conscious Hospitality Operations (ECHO) program began in 1994 and provides guidance to properties and business units in five key areas:

Water and Energy Conservation: When Marriott first embarked on water and energy conservation, it was driven primarily by rising costs and environmental awareness in California and Europe. Over time, properties worldwide have adopted those best practices. As a result, Marriott and its guests have reduced water usage by more than 15 percent over the last five years.

Marriott’s conservation efforts have been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has awarded more than 250 Marriott hotels with its ENERGY STAR® label, more than any other hospitality company. The EPA also presented Marriott with its 2007 ENERGY STAR® Sustained Excellence Award and has named the company “Partner of the Year” since 2004.

Clean Air Initiatives: In 2006, Marriott led the industry in going 100 percent smoke-free across all properties in the U.S. and Canada, creating clean air in guest rooms, public spaces and employee work areas. Encompassing more than 2,300 properties, this was the broadest such decision in the industry.

In celebration of Environmental Awareness Month, in April 2007, the company embarked on a Global Tree Planting campaign. Employees planted 3,000 trees around the world, representing their nearly 3,000 properties.

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle: More than 96 percent of Marriott properties around the world actively recycle, and Marriott headquarters in Washington, D.C., recycles more than a third of its solid waste. The company is currently piloting a program at 30 hotels to measure, standardize and expand recycling companywide.

Clean-up Campaigns: Marriott employees love to pitch in...by picking up litter. Whether on their own or as part of a larger campaign, cleaning up streets, parks, beaches and other public spaces is one of their favorite ways to improve the communities in which we live and work. Marriott’s partnership with Clean Up the World, a global organization mobilizing 35 million volunteers in 120 countries, has helped Marriott employees get involved in local clean-up projects, ranging from the River Thames in London to the San Francisco Bay in California.

Wildlife Preservation: Marriott believes in responsibly providing authentic experiences for guests in a range of locations. Whether protecting the sea turtle habitat in Costa do Sauipe, Brazil, or the monkeys and macaws in the rainforest in Los Suenos, Costa Rica, Marriott properties strive to be good environmental stewards and responsible neighbors.

Readiness for Hospitality Careers
As a growing global employer, having a prepared talent pool of future employees is essential. Marriott is committed to providing opportunities to the next generation. Marriott focuses on programs serving young people from challenging backgrounds, where Marriott’s assistance often provides life-changing alternatives.

Marriott is a founding member of the International Tourism Partnership, a global industry group based in the United Kingdom that promotes responsible and environmentally-conscious tourism. In collaboration with the International Tourism Partnership’s Youth Career Initiative, more than 1,000 young people are on paths toward more promising futures. The program combines six months of classroom training with on-the-job experience. Already a success across hotels in Australia, Brazil, Poland, Romania and Thailand, Marriott is leading the program’s expansion in four new countries – Costa Rica, Egypt, Jordan and Mexico – within a year.

Annually, the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation grants up to $500,000 to the Hispanic College Fund and United Negro College Fund for the Marriott Scholars Program, giving up to $9,000 per year to each hospitality or culinary scholar. In addition, Marriott leaders provide career guidance, mentoring and internships to students.

Through a nine-year partnership with the National Academy Foundation, Marriott has provided funds to help students. The Foundation engages youth in urban and inner city schools by encouraging academic excellence, college pursuits and work experience.

Vitality of Children
Answering the needs of sick and impoverished children is a heartfelt desire of Marriott employees around the world. In many communities where they operate, children are vulnerable to the effects of poverty, including crime, neglect and exploitation.

In North America, Marriott’s support is focused on its 25-year partnership with Children’s Miracle Network, which provides funds for 173 affiliated children’s hospitals across the U.S. and Canada. Since that time, Marriott has raised more than $50 million to help children needing hospitalization in their local communities. Most funds are raised in collaboration with guests, business partners and employees, who organize golf tournaments and other events.

Marriott hotels throughout China and Hong Kong have collaborated with Safe Kids China to create a fire and burn prevention program for school children. The program has helped to educate 220,000 students in 13 cities in China about fire and burn prevention.

In Austria, Egypt, Germany and Switzerland, Marriott hotels have united with SOS Children’s Villages, which provides family-based care for neglected and orphaned children.

Embracing Diversity & Disabilities
As Marriott has grown and expanded globally, their business has become more diverse. Today, the diversity initiative has expanded to include employees, owners, customers, franchisees and suppliers, and is driven by the Board of Directors. With more than 400 minority and women-owned properties, Marriott is well on their way to achieving their goal of 500 by 2010.

Supplier Diversity: After surpassing their supplier diversity goals in 2006, Marriott has set a new objective of 15 percent by 2009. To reach this goal, Marriott has expanded their program to include the United Kingdom and beginning outreach to gay-and lesbian-owned suppliers.

Workplace Diversity: Marriott remains committed to workplace diversity. More than 50 percent of the company’s supervisors are minorities – the first step toward achieving a management position. Of the new managers hired in 2006, 27 percent were minorities and 46 percent were women. Marriott also achieved its highest ever number of minority college recruits – more than 30 percent were minorities and 16 percent were African American.

People with Disabilities: Marriott enjoys a well-deserved reputation as an advocate for people with disabilities. Over 18 years, the Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities has built a highly reputed program, “Bridges . . . from school to work.” More than 10,000 young people with disabilities have received job and life skills training and have been placed with 1,500 employers, including Marriott. In 2005, Marriott introduced “We Welcome Service Animals,” a training program which helps properties enhance the stay of guests with disabilities who are assisted by service animals.