Hilton Worldwide Awards Travel with Purpose Action Grants

McLean, VA, April 16, 2014 /3BL Media/ – Hilton Worldwide today announced it is awarding more than $150,000 to 62 Hilton Worldwide properties and community organizations around the world as part of the Travel with Purpose Action Grant program. The grants are intended to support the development of local solutions and strengthen the quality of life in the communities Hilton Worldwide hotels and corporate offices serve.     

For the second year, all of the more than 4,000 managed, franchised, owned and leased hotels and timeshare properties as well as corporate offices were eligible to develop and submit a project for consideration.  This year, nearly 400 properties and offices developed proposals to support projects that reinforced strong Team Member engagement, creativity and alignment with Hilton Worldwide’s four focus areas:

• Creating Opportunities: includes programs focusing on youth opportunity; career and workforce development in hospitality with a focus on underserved populations; promotion of diversity in our workplace, marketplace and communities;
• Strengthening Communities: includes projects that support sustainable economic growth by increasing opportunities for emerging local businesses to succeed in the global value chain; disaster support; critical services including housing and hunger/food insecurity; prevention of child trafficking and support services for survivors;
• Celebrating Cultures: includes projects that welcome and bridge diverse cultures and foster inclusiveness and exchange; cultural programs and local experiences at our hotels;
• Living Sustainability: includes projects that assist in the protection, conservation and restoration of the natural resources and habitats needed to sustain our business; projects that educate and inform our team members, guests and communities about sustainability; support for sustainable sourcing and purchasing.

The winning projects feature creative ways to engage Team Members, reflecting the unique talent and passion of local teams. Leveraging a network of more than 1,100 community and sustainability champions around the world, Team Members worked together to research and develop a project that would benefit the local community and drive business objectives. Several Hilton Worldwide properties, including hotels in Denver, Bangkok and Dubai, combined efforts to submit a project that would allow for greater impact with local organizations and communities. The scope of winning projects range from reducing waste on-property, providing hands-on sustainability education to guests and the surrounding communities, developing communal farms to support hotel culinary and Team Member needs and creating mentorship programs for young people entering the hospitality industry.

“We are a global company that depends on the strength of our local communities,” said Jennifer Silberman, vice president of corporate responsibility for Hilton Worldwide. “For nearly 100 years we have been extending our spirit of hospitality beyond our hotel walls, and this program builds on that legacy. Our Team Members know their communities better than anyone, and our job is to help them apply their expertise and passion for hospitality in innovative ways to meet global and local challenges.”

The 2014 Travel with Purpose Action Grant Recipients are listed below.

$5,000 Awardees        

About Hilton Worldwide

Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxury and full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and focused-service hotels. For 94 years, Hilton Worldwide has been dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences. The company’s portfolio of ten world-class global brands is comprised of more than 4,000 managed, franchised, owned and leased hotels and timeshare properties, with more than 678,000 rooms in 91 countries and territories, including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages an award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton HHonors®.