In a decisive move reflecting the ongoing debate surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in corporate America, Marriott International’s CEO Anthony Capuano recently addressed the company’s stance on DEI. His comments came on the heels of President Donald Trump’s executive order. This order was only the latest step to remove DEI initiatives from the federal government’s reach. Capuano’s remarks resonated loudly throughout the hospitality sector. Their efforts touched off a truly awe-inspiring Employee Appreciation Month showing of support from Marriott associates, producing 40,000 emails in return.
During his first week in office, President Trump shut down all federal DEI offices and signed an executive order focusing on the “Establishment of the Religious Liberty Commission.” This action was a direct attack to reverse former President Joe Biden’s executive actions to embolden DEI in the workforce and institutions of higher education. Trump’s executive orders aimed to eliminate race and sex-based preferences under the guise of DEI, impacting various sectors, including aviation where DEI hiring policies were prioritized by the Biden administration.
Since Trump’s directive, numerous prominent U.S.-based companies such as Amazon, Meta, Boeing, and Walmart have rolled back their DEI policies. In such a context, Capuano found it necessary to begin to explain Marriott’s commitment to DEI principles. He promptly convened a meeting of Marriott’s senior leadership team. His objective was to make sure they matched up, both philosophically and in the words they used to define their principles.
For his part, Capuano stressed our industry-leading role. It was very important to him that we get on the same page about the terms and even language we use. At the same time, he knew that with the political tide turning under their feet, messaging needed to be handled with great care.
Marriott International has a deep roots in operating outside of the United States – nearly a century. Capuano reflected on this legacy during the Great Place to Work for All Summit, stating, “There’s a very big hotel industry investment conference called the ALIS Conference.” He pointed to the company’s success in overcoming different political environments during its 98 years.
There are a few operating principles that deeply inside this company that have kept us on a true north for those 98 years,” he said. We love all the people that come to stay at our hotels, and we open the doors of opportunity for all. And fundamentally, those will never change, right?
Capuano’s approach was shaped by looking back on lessons learned from listening to the counsel of Bill Marriott, the company’s founder. After participating in various media interviews to discuss DEI issues, he expressed his apprehension: “Then I went back to my room and said, ‘Gosh, I hope I said the right thing.’”
Those worries were soon put to rest when he was met with a tsunami of answers from Marriott workers around the world. “In the next 24 hours, I got 40,000 emails from Marriott associates around the world just saying, ‘thank you,’” he shared.
Leave a Reply