Hilton Worldwide Completes More Than 800 Volunteer Events During Inaugural Global Week of Service

Team Members served more than 660 local organizations in 401 cities across 51 countries

Nov 28, 2012 9:10 AM ET

Campaign: Hilton Worldwide Launches First Annual Global Week of Service

In just eight days, Team Members at more than 600 properties offices across 401 cities and 51 countries harnessed their passion for hospitality to complete more than 800 volunteer projects in 401 cities across the company’s global footprint.

Chris Nassetta, president & chief executive officer, Hilton Worldwide and Simon Vincent, area president, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Hilton Worldwide at the Watford Mencap Centre refurbishing the centre’s activity rooms and garden along with more than 100 Hilton Team Members during Global Week of Service. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.com/serve for more information, videos and photos from the more than 800 global service events.

At the Francois Vatel School, which specialises in educating young people in the hospitality sector, students between the ages of 12-16 were invited to Hilton The Hague take part in a ‘ready, steady, Cook!’ master class, hosted by the hotel’s chef. The students were divided into groups, given ingredients and asked to create dishes. The chef chose the winning dish.

More than 125 Team Members from Hilton Grand Vacations worked alongside Hands On Orlando at the William R. Just Center for Drug-Free Living in Orlando where they completed nine projects designed to enhance the Center's ability to provide an inviting, comfortable and healing environment for its clients and their families. Projects included planting a Victory Garden, creating a central recreation area, assembling play and fitness equipment, building benches, painting living areas, providing housekeeping services, creating activity kits and even tutoring clients in residence.

The Hilton Worldwide Singapore Area Office marked the inaugural Global Week of Service with not one, but three community events! Partnering with Habitat for Humanity, 20 team members from the Singapore Area Office, including Martin Rink - President, Asia Pacific, spent two days in Batam, Indonesia to help build two homes for the underprivileged. A lot of manual labor was involved as the team worked in the sweltering heat, but the looks on the faces of the prospective home owners when they were shown their new homes made it all worthwhile. For the second event, the team had the privilege of participating in a Global Issues Network (GINSing) event held at the United World College S.E.A campus where they educated students about Hilton Worldwide's partnership with the Global Soap Project and encouraged them to play a role in expanding this into the region.

Christopher J. Nassetta, president and chief executive officer, Hilton Worldwide kicked off the inaugural Hilton Worldwide Global Week of Service with more than 100 Team Members from the Global Headquarters in McLean, VA who served children and families at the ACCA Child Development Center in Fairfax, VA. Team Members spent the morning installing a hanging system for showcasing art from students, building sturdy storage closets for the classrooms, beautifying classrooms and the outside playground - all to help make the center a safer and more productive learning environment.

Join Jennifer Silberman, VP Corporate Responsibility, to learn more about Travel with Purpose and Hilton Worldwide's commitment to corporate responsibility. On the heels of our inaugural Global Week of Service, Silberman will take your questions about this and other bold initiatives that she is working on to create shared value for Hilton Worldwide and all of the local communities where it operates. Participate in the conversation this Thursday, Nov. 29 at 1pm using #HWchat and follow @HiltonWorldwide for the latest updates. If you can't join the chat live, submit your questions via email to sm.gcc@hilton.com.

McLean, Va., November 28, 2012 /3BL Media/ – During the week of November 11-18, Hilton Worldwide celebrated its first annual Global Week of Service and furthered the company’s Vision to “fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.”

In just eight days, Team Members at more than 600 properties and offices harnessed their passion for hospitality to complete more than 800 volunteer projects in 401 cities across the company’s global footprint. The projects, which addressed hundreds of societal needs around the world, focused on engaging Team Members and delivering on Hilton Worldwide’s commitment to Travel with Purpose by creating opportunities, strengthening communities, celebrating cultures and living sustainably.

Throughout the week, Hilton Worldwide’s network of partners, including Arbor Day Foundation, Feeding America, Global FoodBanking Network, Global Soap Project, Hilton in the Community Foundation, International Youth Foundation, Points of Light and Room to Read, as well as more than 660 local community organizations, were bustling with Team Members as they shared their passion through service. From Michigan to Mumbai, events ranged from rebuilding community centers to mentoring young people to restoring natural habitats to helping military veterans in need. Many projects were an extension of ongoing community partnerships and previous service projects that Team Members have been involved with in their local communities as part of the company’s efforts to provide continual and lasting local impact where people live, work and travel.

Volunteer events occurred throughout the week as hotel properties and offices led hundreds of acts of service in more than 51 countries including events in McLean, Chicago, Dallas, Dubai, Memphis, New York, Orlando, Shanghai, Singapore and Watford.

“Whether it was assembling food baskets at a food pantry, or cleaning up the playground at a local school, the collaboration and compassion shared by Team Members during our Global Week of Service truly brings to life what hospitality is all about,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and chief executive officer, Hilton Worldwide. “We are only as strong as the communities we serve, and we look forward to continuing to lead in our communities through volunteer service year-round.”

Global Week of Service is just one example of how Hilton Worldwide leverages its hospitality expertise and engages Team Members to serve its global operating communities. In September 2012, Hilton Worldwide launched the Purpose Portal, a new online tool for discovering, coordinating and tracking Team Member and property volunteer projects, and has since seen more than 12,800 Team Members log more than 42,000 service hours globally. To learn more about Global Week of Service and see photos and videos of Hilton Worldwide volunteer events, visit: www.hiltonworldwide.com/serve.

Join Jennifer Silberman, vice president, corporate responsibility, this Thursday, November 29 at 1pm EST for the next #HWchat – an online conversation with Hilton Worldwide insiders. Silberman will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the inaugural Global Week of Service and answer your questions about corporate responsibility at Hilton Worldwide. Join the conversation at www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide and RSVP to the conversation here.

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About Hilton Worldwide
Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 93 years, Hilton Worldwide has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,900 hotels and timeshare properties, with more than 640,000 rooms in 90 countries and territories and include 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 the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.com for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.facebook.com/hiltonworldwide, www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide, www.youtube.com/hiltonworldwide, www.flickr.com/hiltonworldwide and www.linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.

Hilton Worldwide Completes More Than 800 Volunteer Events During Inaugural Global Week of Service

Team Members served more than 660 local organizations in 401 cities across 51 countries

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