Hospitality leader highlights key CSR achievements contributing to business success.
PARSIPPANY, N.J. – The Wyndham Worldwide (2015-2016 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report reflects the Company's holistic integration of CSR into its business and how CSR continues to be an important driver of its success. One of the world's largest hospitality companies, Wyndham Worldwide aspires to care for people, preserve our planet, and provide places to stay that are socially, environmentally and economically responsible.
Within the last year, the company began tracking progress to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals framework; achieved 22% reduction in carbon emissions and 18% reduction in water consumption; relaunched the Wyndham Worldwide Charitable Foundation and philanthropy programs to improve future generations around the world; and continued its commitment to diversity with a 16.2% diverse spend rate. For the fourth year in a row, Wyndham Worldwide has been named the Dow Jones Sustainability Index hospitality leader in North America for its environmental, social and governance strategies.
"Since our launch in 2006, we have been guided by our core values, consistently aligning our business and financial performance with the responsible way we operate to drive value for those around us," said Stephen P. Holmes, chairman and chief executive officer, Wyndham Worldwide. "We make every decision based on these principles, continually striving to do what's right – not just what's expected."
The annual Wyndham Worldwide CSR report is prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative and aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals framework.
The recently released report highlights accomplishments in 2015-2016, across Wyndham Worldwide's CSR focus areas: philanthropy, environmental sustainability, human rights and ethics, diversity and inclusion, and associate wellness:
Philanthropy: In 2016, the company relaunched the Wyndham Worldwide Charitable Foundation and established a global partnership with Save the Children to improve the lives of future generations around the world through conservation, education and wellness.The partnership has provided over 250,000 students with educational materials.
Reflecting Wyndham Worldwide's culture of giving and service, last year Wyndham Rewards members donated over 8.4 million loyalty points to charities; timeshare owners donated over 200,000 units of food to community food banks; and more than 3,500 Wyndham associates participated in at least one full-day volunteer activity.
Environmental Sustainability: Wyndham Worldwide prioritizes environmental sustainability in the communities where the company operates, a vital element of its long-term business success. Wyndham Worldwide has achieved 22% reduction in carbon emissions and 18% reduction in water consumption since 2010. Further in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, the company improved its biodiversity by planting over 1 million trees.
Wyndham Worldwide is an industry leader and has earned top scores for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) ENERGY STAR rating of its corporate headquarters buildings, has been named a CDP Climate Change leader for its environmental management and named one of Newsweek's Top 100 Green Companies in America.
Human Rights & Ethics: Combatting human trafficking and protecting human rights in the communities Wyndham Worldwide touches is a major priority for the company. In partnership with the Polaris Project and ECPAT-USA, Wyndham Worldwide provides owners and franchisees the tools to identify human trafficking through training and awareness campaigns.
In addition, Wyndham Worldwide has established a global network of Compliance Champions to provide guidance for associates on acceptable standards of business conduct, in addition to providing leadership development programs to embed compliant and ethical decision making into everyday business. As a result, the company has been named the World's Most Ethical Company by Ethisphere Magazine.
Diversity & Inclusion: Diversity is at the heart of what Wyndham Worldwide does: travel enables people of varied nationalities and backgrounds to meet and experience different cultures, raising our collective understanding and appreciation for each other around the world. Wyndham Worldwide is a recognized leader in diversity and has been named among the DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity four years in a row, and also among the Top 10 for supplier diversity, achieving a 16.2% diversity spend rate in 2016.
Wyndham Worldwide has also been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign as one of the "Best Places to Work for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Equality," as a Top 50 Company for Latinas by LATINA Style, and by the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility.
Associate Wellness: Wyndham Worldwide's signature Be Well program – recognized by the U.S. Surgeon General for reducing health care disparities – supports the company's associates and their families' physical, emotional and financial well-being. Wyndham Worldwide is committed to helping associates and their families achieve their health and wellness goals, and in 2016, 42% of Wyndham associates earned wellness credits by completing health assessments which in turn lowered their medical costs.
As an integrated hospitality company, Wyndham Worldwide is consistently named among the industry's best places to work, earning continued recognition as a global leader in all five of the company's CSR focus areas. The company regularly evaluates the efficacy of its programs while deepening its connections to the communities in which it operates. "We continue to provide leadership and improve the shared value of CSR at Wyndham Worldwide," said Faith Taylor, senior vice president, corporate social responsibility, Wyndham Worldwide. "We're constantly challenging our thinking of what success looks like in delivering great experiences for our customers, results for our shareholders, and service to the world around us."
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
