“Embracing differences and putting people first is part of our culture of inclusion and the way we do business,” says Marriott International. “Our core strength lies in our ability to support diversity, equity, and inclusion by creating opportunities for our associates, guests, owners and franchisees, and suppliers.”
“As a business of people serving people, our primary focus is creating a culture that best serves our Team Members, business partners, and community members,” Hilton says. “We foster inclusive growth by enabling everyone to participate in and benefit from travel. From creating career opportunities for our Team Members and our neighbors, to investing in community resilience, to working with local and diverse suppliers, to responsibly sourcing products for our hotels and protecting human rights—we are committed to driving positive social impact.”
It is no surprise that companies like Marriott and Hilton, as well as hundreds of others in our industry, are so supportive of DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) programs. Investing in DEI is smart business—whether investing in employee and career development or lifting up suppliers that are disadvantaged in one way or another.
While still with miles to go, our industry’s efforts to support DEI initiatives have impressed me a lot in recent years—with many conference sessions devoted to the topic. There is no reason to slow down. I say that because of the recent efforts by our government and some of the largest companies in our nation to back off on commitments to DEI.
Federal Government Programs Terminated
On January 20, in one of his first presidential actions, President Trump said the following: “The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), assisted by the Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), shall coordinate the termination of all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility” (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear.”
According to Inc., since a June 2023 Supreme Court ruling that banned racial, gender, or other demographic considerations in college admissions procedures, lawsuits and social media campaigns have proliferated, seeking to force companies to abandon what detractors decry as “woke” policies in business. As a result, McDonald’s, Ford, Boeing, Walmart, Amazon, Meta, and Target—among many others—partially or fully abandoned their DEI programs.
Companies standing by their DEI initiatives include Costco, Apple, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, and many others.
Shareholders Back Costco
In the case of Costco, shareholders voted in support of its current DEI initiatives after the National Center for Public Policy Research submitted a proxy proposal to audit the company’s “litigation, reputational and financial risks.”
While there certainly have been differing opinions of DEI for a long time, what is clear here is that the Supreme Court ruling and recent political pressures are leading to an even greater divide.
In a statement on its website, Choice Hotel International says, “Committed to diversity at our core, we rely on a talented, diverse and engaged workforce to accomplish our goals. Diversity of thought and perspective within the organization leads to greater success and profitability.”
What do you think? Will the current legal and political atmosphere result in companies in our industry rolling back DEI initiatives? Or, are DEI programs here to stay and too valuable to touch? I would love to learn your thoughts. I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
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