CHICAGO—Hyatt Hotels Corporation published its 2022 World of Care Highlights and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Report, which contains information about colleagues and hotels that are implementing Hyatt’s commitment to caring for the planet, people, and responsible business. Hyatt also announced progress across environmental and social impact initiatives, which include, for example, strengthening the engagement of hotels around renewable electricity opportunities and working with the Hyatt Hotels Foundation to empower survivors of human trafficking.
As the world evolves and challenges emerge, Hyatt has advanced its global Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy through World of Care, which was derived by listening to what is important to colleagues, guests, customers, hotel owners, investors, and the communities in which Hyatt hotels operate around the world. Annual World of Care reporting enables Hyatt to share progress against 2030 environmental goals and 2025 Change Starts Here commitments across who the company employs, develops, and advances; who it supports; and who it buys from and works with.
“Over the past 65+ years, care has been at the heart of everything we do at Hyatt, which is why caring for the planet, people, and responsible business—the three pillars of World of Care—are so deeply embedded across our organization,” shared Margaret Egan, executive vice president, general counsel and executive sponsor of World of Care. “As we move forward on our journey to help preserve and support thriving destinations, now and in the future, we will continue to challenge ourselves to listen, learn, and take action against the evolving needs and priorities of our stakeholders.”
Planet Updates
From a pilot program to reduce food waste in Asia Pacific to engaging hotels on the use of renewable electricity in the United States and Europe, Hyatt teams across the globe are moving on efforts toward Hyatt’s 2030 environmental goals, which are focused on areas of climate change and water conservation, waste and circularity, and responsible sourcing.
As part of the waste and circularity goals, seven Hyatt hotels in Asia Pacific conducted food waste prevention pilots in 2022, including Grand Hyatt Seoul in South Korea and Hyatt Regency Beijing Wangjing in China with additional Hyatt hotels planning to begin pilots later this year.
Hyatt-owned hotels in the United States adopted 100 percent renewable electricity through Green-e Energy certified Renewable Energy Certificates that match their electricity use and now offer carbon-neutral meetings and events. Hyatt is continuing to work with franchised property owners to assist their efforts toward increased use of renewable electricity. And later this year, Hyatt will work with Hyatt-managed full-service hotels in the Americas region to make it easier for guests and members, customers, and colleagues to identify Hyatt properties recognized for their environmental efforts through environmental certifications.
People Updates
Through multiple efforts, including Hyatt’s Change Starts Here commitments and RiseHY, Hyatt’s DE&I strategy encompasses perspectives from colleagues, guests and members, customers, and hotel owners to foster a sense of belonging.
“Through World of Care, Hyatt is prioritizing inclusive behaviors at all levels of our organization, and we are committed to ensuring that our DE&I practices are more than just words on a page,” said Malaika Myers, chief human resources officer, Hyatt. “It’s about putting empathy into action and building an organization whose leaders reflect the diverse communities in which Hyatt hotels operate around the world.”
In line with Hyatt’s commitment to report on workforce diversity data annually, Hyatt’s third-annual report shows increased levels of people of color leaders and managers in the United States, with collective growth of over 10 percent since 2020. And in line with Hyatt’s Change Starts Here commitments, specifically around who Hyatt employs, develops, and advances, 360 women have been promoted to senior leadership roles globally since June 2020.
At the end of 2022, Black suppliers accounted for one-third of total diverse- and women-owned supplier spend, surpassing Hyatt’s 2025 Change Starts Here 10 percent goal. Hyatt also expanded its reach beyond existing supply chains and identified new avenues to work with diverse suppliers and support racial equity. In 2022, these efforts included building relationships with Black-owned businesses in a broad spectrum of industries, including banking, food and beverage, technology, operations, and security, among others.
Hyatt also emphasized its global workforce diversity ambitions at the regional level by creating opportunities for colleagues across offices and properties. The INSPIRIT Mentoring Program was created for equity and to empower female leadership growth; it has facilitated more than 170 mentor and mentee relationships across 18 countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Following mentor opportunities, colleagues in India took the initiative to create their own INSPIRIT chapter. Hyatt’s purpose to care for people includes respecting human rights and promoting the well-being of human trafficking survivors, including helping to launch the American Hotel & Lodging Association Foundation’s No Room for Trafficking Survivor Fund with a contribution from the Hyatt Hotels Foundation.
Responsible Business Updates
Hyatt affirmed its commitment to fulfill the company’s values through other organizations it does business with by adding a new focus area: Working with Other Businesses. This includes owner, operator, and supplier engagement, a Supplier Code of Conduct, and a supplier diversity program. Additionally, Hyatt is working with suppliers to engage EcoVadis, an organization that screens suppliers on criteria such as environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.
