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As a company that cares deeply about human rights, Marriott International is committed to training all on-property associates to recognize and respond to potential trafficking situations and combating human trafficking in the hospitality industry.
Marriott International became one of the first hospitality companies to address human trafficking, publicly recognizing that hotels can be unwilling venues for this horrific crime.
More than 930,000 associates at more than 8,000 hotels have completed the training, creating a global workforce that stands ready to recognize and respond to human trafficking and live up to our core company values.
Training for All Hotel Workers
In 2020, Marriott donated its original human trafficking awareness training to ECPAT-USA, with support from the American Hotel and Lodging Association, to make it available to all members of the hospitality industry at no cost. In just over one year, more than 670,000 hotel workers outside of Marriott have completed the training. We are proud that this training is having an impact well beyond our workforce, equipping the industry with effective tools to combat trafficking.
New Training for a Changed World
The world has changed significantly in the years since we launched the initial training. COVID-19 has ushered in more contactless and mobile hotel experiences, which can make it more difficult to spot potential indicators of trafficking. Further, we have identified increasingly effective approaches to educate associates about these nuanced behaviors.
In July 2021, Marriott launched a new training that builds upon the original training by featuring interactive scenarios, separate learning paths for associates and managers, a mobile-friendly design, and increased guidance on responding to potential trafficking situations. These critical enhancements, based on hotel-level feedback, will help associates turn awareness into action and continue to fight human trafficking.
The updated training was developed in collaboration with Polaris, which operates the National Human Trafficking Hotline, and with input from survivor consultants and members of ECPAT-USA’s Survivors’ Council, to ensure that our response is victim centered and our resources are survivor informed. As we did with the first training version, Marriott will donate the updated training to give all hotel industry employees access to these new resources.
Beyond Training
In addition to training hotel associates, Marriott became the first hotel company to collaborate with Polaris to design public-facing posters and signage to build awareness of the potential indicators of human trafficking and the resources that are available if hotel guests see those signs. We recognize that guests may be in a position to identify potential trafficking situations or may be trafficking victims or survivors themselves.
Marriott also recognizes that access to quality educational and employment opportunities is often limited for trafficking survivors. Therefore, we partnered with the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery (GFEMS) to develop the Future in Training (FiT) Hospitality Survivor Employability Curriculum to provide training and resources for survivors seeking careers in the hospitality sector. In 2020, Marriott and GFEMS began piloting the curriculum with the University of Maryland’s SAFE Center to test the program and inform further enhancements. We look forward to making the curriculum available following the pilot.
Marriott raises awareness of human trafficking at various local events and encourages hotels to partner with nonprofit organizations in their communities. From reinforcing training with guest speakers to recognizing World Day Against Trafficking in Persons to preparing for large events that may increase human trafficking in a market, our 2020 Modern Slavery Statement highlights some of these innovative efforts.
Our purpose and global reach give us real opportunities to make a difference in communities around the world. Whether the actions of a single associate or property or the collective efforts of our global workforce, we are proud to contribute to a more hopeful and compassionate world where everyone is free from trafficking and exploitation.