February 3, 2015
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Earns Top Marks in Corporate Equality Index
Matthew Wexler READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has received a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2015 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBT workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Starwood has received a perfect score on the Corporate Equality Index over the past nine years and joins the ranks of 364 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year.
"With more than 1,200 hotels in 100 countries and nearly 200,000 associates worldwide, our company diversity is a huge point of pride for us," said Frits van Paasschen, President and CEO of Starwood Hotels & Resorts. "We work hard to ensure our guests and associates feel welcomed, respected and accepted at our hotels around the globe, and we value our long-standing partnership with the HRC as we continue to work together to build support for the LGBT community."
"Turn It Up For Change" at W Hotels
Most recently, Starwood's W brand partnered with the HRC to launch a fundraising and awareness initiative for nationwide LGBT equality, called "Turn It Up For Change." As part of the campaign, W Hotels across the U.S. are hosting monthly Turn It Up For Change music events, from which a portion of the proceeds are donated to the HRC's fight to bring real and lasting change for LGBT Americans in all 50 states.
"At Starwood, we believe that our differences are not only worth recognizing but something to celebrate," said Jeff Cava, EVP, Chief Human Resources Officer of Starwood. "Over the past nine years my team has been excited to complete this survey on behalf of the organization to show our continued progress and commitment to the LGBT community."
The 2015 CEI rated 972 businesses in the report, which evaluates LGBT-related policies and practices including non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs, and public engagement with the LGBT community. Starwood Hotel & Resorts' efforts in satisfying all of the CEI's criteria results in a 100 percent ranking and the designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality.
For more information on the 2015 Corporate Equality Index, or to download a free copy of the report, visit www.hrc.org/cei.
Matthew Wexler is EDGE's Senior Editor, Features & Branded Content. More of his writing can be found at www.wexlerwrites.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @wexlerwrites.
