Hilton, a global leader in hospitality, is demonstrating its commitment to creating a positive impact on the environment and society. The company, along with its philanthropic arm, the Hilton Global Foundation, recently released reports outlining their significant progress towards ambitious sustainability and social responsibility goals.
A Commitment to Responsible Travel: Hilton’s Travel with Purpose Strategy
Hilton’s Travel with Purpose strategy spearheads the company’s efforts towards responsible travel practices. This comprehensive ESG (environmental, social, and governance) framework outlines ambitious goals for 2030, focusing on energy and water conservation, waste reduction, community engagement, and ethical governance.
Here are some key aspects of the Travel with Purpose strategy:
- Science-based carbon reduction targets: Aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative, Hilton is actively working to reduce its carbon footprint.
- Social impact aligned with UN goals: The company’s social impact targets are in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, promoting positive change in various areas.
- Transparency and accountability: Hilton emphasizes transparency and accountability in its operations, ensuring responsible practices throughout its business.
This strategy is driven by Hilton’s 469,000 team members worldwide. Their dedication to responsible travel practices integrates sustainability throughout Hilton’s operations, from its vast supply chain to the communities it serves.
Measurable Progress: Achievements in Sustainability and Social Impact
Hilton’s dedication to sustainability and social impact is yielding measurable results. Here’s a glimpse of the company’s progress based on a 2008 baseline:
- Reduced Carbon Footprint: Achieved a 45.1% reduction in carbon emissions intensity among managed hotels and a 25.1% reduction among franchised hotels.
- Water Conservation: Reduced water use intensity by 26.5% in managed hotels.
- Waste Reduction: Surpassed the initial 2030 target for waste reduction, achieving a 63.7% decrease in landfilled waste intensity among managed hotels.
- Investing in People: Created over 860,000 learning and career growth opportunities in 2023, contributing to over 1.5 million since 2022.
- Volunteerism: Contributed more than 377,000 volunteer hours in communities around the world, with a total exceeding 2.5 million since 2017.
- Supporting Team Members: Distributed over $865,000 through the Team Member Assistance Fund, aiding team members facing hardship.
Beyond these achievements, Hilton demonstrated industry leadership in 2023. The company actively participated in various initiatives, including:
- COP28 UN Climate Change Conference: Engaging in discussions on global climate action.
- U.S. Senate Testimony: Providing insights on responsible travel practices to the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee.
- American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Responsible Stay Initiative: Collaborating on industry-wide sustainability efforts.
The Hilton Global Foundation: A Catalyst for Positive Change
The Hilton Global Foundation serves as the philanthropic arm of Hilton, working in tandem with the company to achieve Travel with Purpose goals. In 2022, the foundation made significant strides in creating positive social and environmental impact worldwide.
Here’s a closer look at the foundation’s impact, fueled by over $4.4 million in grants awarded in 2022:
- Environmental Stewardship: Grants supported organizations working to improve, restore, or protect local environments. This resulted in diverting over 308,000 pounds of waste from landfills, planting nearly 59,000 trees, and restoring almost 22,000 acres of land.
- Community Support: Grants empower vulnerable and underrepresented groups, fostering economic and career development. Over 168,000 meals were distributed and more than 126,000 pounds of food were donated to communities in need.
- Empowering Communities: Over 1.4 million community members were positively impacted by Hilton Global Foundation grants.
- Investing in Youth: More than 58,331 learning and career opportunities were created, including over 36,000 for young people.
- Disaster Relief: Critical relief was provided to communities affected by natural disasters, such as wildfires in Maui and earthquakes in Türkiye.
The Hilton Global Foundation goes beyond grant distribution. They empower Hilton team members to make a difference in their local communities. Through Action Grants, nominated by team members, the foundation supports volunteer initiatives like beach clean-ups, college readiness programs for students, and food waste reduction projects.
