WASHINGTON, D.C.—The AHLA Foundation announced that Foundation-funded human trafficking awareness trainings have been completed more than one million times by hotel employees across the industry. Developed by Marriott International and administered by PACT (previously known as ECPAT-USA), the trainings are part of an industry-wide initiative to help hotel employees recognize and report signs of potential on-property human trafficking. The hospitality industry is positioned to disrupt human trafficking, and employee trainings play a critical role in prevention efforts.
There are two available courses—Your Role in Preventing Human Trafficking: Recognize the Signs and Recognize and Respond: Addressing Human Trafficking in the Hospitality Industry for Associates and Managers. This training milestone is in addition to many anti-trafficking efforts by AHLA members.
This accomplishment comes on the heels of the AHLA Foundation’s 2023 No Room for Trafficking Summit last month, where the AHLA Foundation awarded grants from the No Room for Trafficking Survivor Fund to four community-based organizations—a first for the hospitality sector. The fund has grown to more than $3.5 million since last year, and the AHLA Foundation will match contributions up to $5 million dollars to achieve its goal of $10 million in total contributions by the end of 2023.
“More than one million training programs being completed—alongside the $500,000 in grants awarded to survivor support—mark encouraging trends that demonstrate the industry’s influence and the power of partnership,” said Anna Blue, president of AHLA Foundation. “There is no finish line—we know we have a long way to go, but it’s clear that awareness and education are critical to chipping away at this global issue.”
