Hospitality leader Hilton and its philanthropic arm, the Hilton Global Foundation, have announced notable progress towards the environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals outlined in their Travel with Purpose initiative.

The initiative aims to create a more sustainable and socially responsible travel industry by 2030.

Hilton has made significant strides in reducing its environmental footprint.

Compared to a 2008 baseline, the company has achieved a 45.1% reduction in carbon emissions intensity among its managed hotels and a 25.1% reduction among franchised hotels.

It has also exceeded its initial target for waste reduction, achieving a 63.7% decrease in landfilled waste in managed hotels.

Water use intensity has been reduced by 26.5% in managed properties.

Investing in people and communities

Beyond environmental efforts, Hilton is committed to social impact.

The company provided more than 860,000 opportunities for employee learning and career growth in 2023 and has contributed to 1.5 million opportunities since 2022. 

It has also facilitated 377,000 volunteer hours in communities worldwide, totalling more than 2.5 million since 2017. 

The Hilton Team Member Assistance Fund provided critical support to team members facing hardship, distributing a record-breaking $865,000 in 2023.

Hilton Global Foundation drives positive change

The Hilton Global Foundation awarded more than $4.4m in grants in 2022, funding initiatives that improve local environments, empower underrepresented communities and strengthen community resilience.

The grants have resulted in positive environmental and social outcomes, including diverting 308,000lb of waste from landfills, planting 59,000 trees and restoring 22,000 acres of land.

168,000 meals were distributed, and more than 126,000 pounds of food were donated to communities in need.

The Foundation's work extends to disaster relief and provides support to communities impacted by wildfires in Maui and earthquakes in Türkiye.

Hilton and the Hilton Global Foundation remain committed to their ambitious sustainability and social impact goals. 

Since 2019, the Foundation has awarded $12m in grants, donated millions of pounds of food, served millions of meals and made significant progress on environmental restoration efforts.