Hilton Worldwide, In Partnership with Points of Light and Taproot Foundation, Launches Program to Help Nonprofits Build Enduring Cultures of Hospitality and Customer Service

McLean, VA, June 20, 2013 /3BL Media/ – Today, Hilton Worldwide, in partnership with Points of Light, and Taproot Foundation, introduced Hospitality + Service, a first-of-its kind initiative based on Hilton Worldwide’s leading brand culture and service training programs. Hospitality + Service workshops and leadership trainings will equip nonprofit organizations with the tools, skills and knowledge to build enduring cultures of hospitality and client service and align this new culture with organizational mission, vision and values.

Hospitality + Service was previewed with nonprofits and the social sector at a workshop today at this year’s Points of Light Conference on Volunteering and Service. Feedback from workshop participants will enable Hilton Worldwide, Points of Light and Taproot Foundation to refine program elements and curriculum to best meet nonprofit needs. The national program launch is expected in fall 2013.

“At Hilton Worldwide, we are guided by the vision of our founder, Conrad N. Hilton, to ‘fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality,’” said Jennifer Silberman, Vice President, Global Corporate Responsibility, Hilton Worldwide. "It is this vision that guides our company’s commitment to genuine, personalized attention to our guests. Exceptional guest service is key to our continued success as a hospitality company, and we believe that nonprofits can realize a similar benefit.”

Added Silberman, “At the heart of this program is our desire to leverage our expertise as a global hospitality leader to strengthen the communities where our Team Members live, work and travel.”Hospitality + Service is intended for all types of nonprofit organizations, particularly those that are focused on providing service directly to clients such as soup kitchens, shelters, job skills training centers, health clinics and community centers.

“I am thrilled to see the new reservoir of talent and skills that businesses like Hilton Worldwide are bringing to nonprofits across the globe,” said Michelle Nunn, CEO at Points of Light. “By offering nonprofits training in how to best serve their clients, Hilton is sharing what it knows best. That’s a real gift for the nonprofit sector and a model for corporate philanthropy.”

“We know that nonprofits face many of the same challenges as for-profit businesses,” explained Aaron Hurst, President and Founder of the Taproot Foundation. “Leading corporations have proven that exceptional customer service can enhance customer loyalty, staff morale, operational efficiency, program delivery and marketing. We are convinced that it has the power to transform nonprofits in a similar way.”

The Hospitality + Service curriculum is organized into seven modules and includes three key elements in each module: a Trainer Guide, a PowerPoint presentation to guide each lesson, and complementary handout materials for participants. Curriculum is customizable and can be delivered as a one-day training, as short, stand-alone workshops, or as lessons integrated into existing staff and/or volunteer trainings.

Training materials will be made available online at no cost. For more information about Hospitality + Service, and to be among the first to receive the curriculum upon program launch, please visit www.hiltonworldwide.com/hospitality+service.     

Hospitality + Service supports Hilton Worldwide’s commitment to Travel with Purpose™ and to provide shared value to its business and communities around the world. Together with its global partners, the company focuses on: creating opportunities for individuals to reach their full potential; strengthening communities where it operates; celebrating cultures and the power of travel; and living sustainably through the measurement, analysis and improvement of its use of natural resources. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.com/corporate-responsibility for more information about the company’s corporate responsibility commitments.

About Hilton Worldwide

Hilton Worldwide is a leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 94 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 650,000 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.

About Points of Light

Points of Light – the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service – mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through affiliates in 250 cities and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages 4 million volunteers in 30 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people to bear where it’s needed most. For more information, go to www.pointsoflight.org.  

About Taproot Foundation

Since 2001, Taproot Foundation has proven that pro bono service is a viable and reliable tool for strengthening nonprofit organizations. Today, Taproot continues to lead nationally by acting locally, and seeks to build a pro bono marketplace that, like philanthropy, is large, accessible, professional and transparent. By taking lessons learned from our award-winning Service Grant Program and applying them to our innovative new program areas, we work to stimulate the supply of pro bono resources through our corporate Advisory Services practice, as well as demand for these services by giving nonprofits the tools and training that sets them up for successful pro bono engagements. Our work has evolved to include thought leadership and international field-building, convening global leaders in the social sector to guide the design and direction of the pro bono movement while focusing on infusing a pro bono ethic into business professions, professional schools, companies and nonprofits in communities across the country and around the world.