Marriott Worldwide has one of many largest—and happiest—workforces on this planet.
The corporate boasts greater than 800,000 associates at its inns and resorts all over the world. Notably, it has a robust tradition, rating No. 8 on Fortune’s 100 Finest Firms to Work For record in 2025. A powerful 90% of Marriott staff endorse the corporate, in contrast with a 57% common.
A lot of the corporate’s success is pushed by belief in management—together with former chairman Invoice Marriott, present chairman David S. Marriott, and CEO Anthony Capuano.
In an interview on the Nice Place to Work For All Summit in Las Vegas with the group’s CEO, Michael Bush, Capuano spoke a few current crossroads—and the way he responded.
The management occasion hosted hundreds of executives from greater than 800 corporations—and plenty of are featured on the Fortune 100 Finest Firms to Work For record.
Whereas Marriott leaders have publicly mentioned that they aspire to be a frontrunner within the variety, fairness, and inclusion (DEI) house in recent times, President Donald Trump’s government orders and insurance policies in opposition to the initiatives threw their plans into uncertainty.
The brand new insurance policies may result in modifications in hiring, promotions, and coaching. Failure to conform may result in cuts in federal funding to those personal sector corporations, though the legality of those modifications is nonetheless being debated.
Marriott’s CEO speaks out
After Trump introduced sweeping modifications to DEI in January, many executives and firms have been left reeling.
Capuano says he met along with his government management group in Bethesda, Maryland, the place they determined to take per week to analysis and course of earlier than assembly once more. The CEO then flew to Los Angeles for the Americas Lodging Funding Summit. Whereas there, he was inundated with questions on Marriott’s method to DEI sooner or later.
Somewhat than keep silent, Capuano recalled many conversations along with his mentor and former chairman Invoice Marriott, and determined to talk.
“The winds blow, but there are some fundamental truths for those 98 years,” Capuano said. “We welcome all to our hotels and we create opportunities for all—and fundamentally those will never change. The words might change, but that’s who we are as a company.”
Capuano says he went again to his resort that evening hoping he had mentioned the appropriate factor.
Capuano’s message was easy, however it didn’t go unnoticed by associates. He was overwhelmed by how his staff responded.
“Within 24 hours, I had 40,000 emails from Marriott associates around the world, saying ‘thank you,’” he mentioned. Many expressed appreciation to work for a corporation whose values aligned with their very own.
Marriott is amongst Fortune’s Finest Firms to Work For which can be sticking up for DEI insurance policies proper now. Others on the record embrace Delta and Cisco.
This story was initially featured on Fortune.com
