Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, Hyatt Hotels
Search every verified Margaret Egan interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Margaret Egan, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at Hyatt Hotels, discussed her role and the company's corporate responsibility efforts in a September 2024 podcast interview. Egan described her responsibilities as including oversight of compliance programs, governance as corporate secretary, and serving as the executive sponsor for Hyatt's ESG platform, World of Care. She stated that the platform focuses on "caring for people, caring for responsible business, and caring for the planet," and that the company deliberately avoided getting caught up in the "politics or polarization of ESG terminology." Egan noted challenges in keeping up with a "patchwork of local regulations" across the US, EU, and Asia regarding ESG reporting, citing a lack of consistency even across US states. She said Hyatt has science-based targets and public goals for 2030 that guide its reporting and compliance. Egan also highlighted specific initiatives, including a zero-tolerance approach to human trafficking with mandatory employee training, hiring 500 refugees through the Tent Partnership for Refugees, and the Rise High program, which she said has hired over 5,300 people globally. She mentioned sustainability efforts such as replacing plastic room keys with sustainable materials at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong and implementing solar panels and water filtration at various properties. Egan stated that benchmarking against competitors is less important than aligning with the company's purpose of care and listening to stakeholders.
“Our legal team is working in about a dozen offices around the world supporting transactions, operations, just everything that Hyatt does. My main role as chief legal officer involves compliance, overseeing compliance programs, governance as corporate secretary, and also being the executive sponsor for World of Care, ou...”
“When we thought about ESG, we took a look at who we are, our culture, our purpose, and where we make a difference. World of Care is about caring for people, caring for responsible business, and caring for the planet. We deliberately avoided getting caught up in the politics or polarization of ESG terminology because we...”
“It's difficult to keep up with the patchwork of local regulations across the US, EU, and Asia regarding ESG reporting. There isn't real consistency even across US states. We're waiting on the SEC for guidance, but we have science-based targets and public goals for 2030 that guide our reporting and compliance efforts.”
“We have a zero tolerance approach to human trafficking. Every employee at Hyatt takes human trafficking training to be on the lookout for signs and to act if they see something. Our CFO co-chairs the No Room for Trafficking advisory council, and this training has led to real interventions that have saved lives.”
“The hospitality industry faces sustainability challenges such as managing energy consumption in longstanding buildings and moving away from single-use plastics like plastic room keys and toiletries. Our hotel teams are creative, implementing solar panels, water filtration, and food waste reduction, but integrating thes...”
“At the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, we replaced plastic room keys with sustainable materials and offer app-based room access. This innovation reduces plastic waste and is part of a broader trend in hospitality to find sustainable alternatives for frequently cycled items.”
“We joined the Tent Partnership for Refugees and have hired 500 refugees. Our Rise High program supports job training and has hired over 5,300 people globally. Hospitality offers transferable skills and career growth opportunities, making it a powerful platform for social impact.”
“Benchmarking against competitors is less important than aligning with our purpose of care and listening to our colleagues, investors, and hotel owners. If our stakeholders support our path and we operate consistently with our purpose, then we feel confident in our progress on sustainability and DEI.”
“The pandemic taught us to work differently with agility and collaboration. We're challenging ourselves to blow up old ways of working and come at things differently to advance care for our guests and colleagues. This new phase is invigorating and full of opportunity.”
https://impactpodcast.com/episode/2024/03/making-corporate-responsibility-a-top-priority-with-margaret-egan-of-hyatt-hotels/
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