Leadership in Communication series
Diversity
Communicating with diverse audiences
Marriott is a global business operating in 68 countries and territories around the world. As chairman and chief executive officer of Marriott International, Bill Marriott regularly communicates with a wide variety of audiences, including:
- Associates.
- Investors and shareholders.
- Property owners, franchisees and managers.
- Guests.
- U.S. Congress and world leaders.
- Domestic and international trade organizations.
- Community leaders and community-based organizations.
- Nonprofit charitable groups.
- News media.
- A global audience, via his Marriott on the Move blog.
Marriott associates speak hundreds of different languages; consequently, Bill Marriott’s messages are routinely translated into 27 different languages. Shareholders and guests are from every nationality and economic background. Accordingly, diversity is more than a goal at Marriott; it is fundamental to the way Marriott does business. The company is rich in culture and backgrounds from its global workforce to its customers, owners and suppliers.
“Our objective is to become a global diversity leader. To do so, we know that we must lead by example. We will continue to mirror the communities in which we work and live; provide opportunities for our associates and business partners; and ensure that we are always striving for excellence.”
—J. W. “Bill” Marriott Jr., chairman and CEO
Marriott has one of the most diverse workforces in corporate America. Nearly 60 percent of its associates are minorities. More than half—about 54 percent—are women. Four of the 11 members of the company’s board of directors are minorities and two are women. Nearly 48 percent of all supervisors and managers, 36 percent of all senior managers and 26 percent of corporate officers are women. Marriott has achieved notable gains in increasing opportunities for minorities and women as general managers of full-service properties. The number of minorities who are now full-service general managers has climbed by 67 percent while the number of women general managers has increased by 60 percent.
As the leader of such a diverse global organization, Bill Marriott regularly meets with and addresses audiences of associates, company leadership, community leaders, property owners, franchisees, news media representatives and politicians from around the world.
For example, the chairman’s annual message for 2007 was translated into 27 different languages. In a follow-up survey about this year’s message, almost 95 percent of the respondents rated the message either “excellent” or “very good” in communicating Marriott’s culture, accomplishments and goals.
Marriott’s diversity journey began nearly 20 years ago. Here are some highlights of what the company has achieved under Bill Marriott’s leadership:
- 1989: Marriott was the first hospitality company to implement a diversity program focused on human resources training, development and recruitment.
- 1990: Established work/life balance programs
- 1998: Began supplier diversity efforts
- 1999: Held first National Women’s Leadership Conference
- 2000: Created a formal supplier diversity program
- 2001: Implemented a portfolio of programs to foster the development of women leaders
- 2003: Marriott’s board of directors created the Committee for Excellence to ensure Marriott’s position as a diversity leader
- 2004: Hired a minority-owned public relations firm to promote and communicate diversity initiatives; developed the Career Acceleration Program to develop general management talent and advance leadership diversity
- 2005: Set a goal to have 500 minority-owned or franchised hotels and spend US$1 billion with minority suppliers by 2010; established the J.W. Marriott Jr. Diversity Excellence Award; conducted first Minority Summit to provide education and support to prospective minority owners; inducted into Working Mother “Hall of Fame”
- 2006: Entered into hotel franchise agreement with largest African-American hotel ownership company; reached historic highs in the representation of women and minorities in senior executive positions
- 2007: Reported more than 400 minority and woman-owned hotels; spent US$400 million with minority-owned suppliers; launched the Marriott Scholars Program awards scholarships through Hispanic College Fund (HCF) and United Negro College Fund (UNCF) for students pursuing hospitality management, hotel management, culinary and food and beverage degrees; created Sed de Saber, an English-learning device that teaches English to Spanish-speaking employees; announced record highs in the area of supplier diversity, minority hotel ownership and diverse management appointments
- 2008: Established global diversity officer position, reporting to global communication and public affairs. This officer will increase the impact of Marriott’s award-winning diversity and inclusion initiatives on the company’s workforce, owners and franchisees, suppliers and customers.
IABC International Conference 2008 WebCast: EXCEL Winner J.W. Marriott Jr. (registration required)
“Leadership in Communication” series – Table of Contents
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