Arne Sorenson on workforce dignity
From #19 CEO of Marriott, Arne Sorenson: On the Future of Travel & How To Be A Great Leader · · 3 Takeaways™
“There is dignity, there is value, there is joy in taking care of each other. I run a company which is in the service business and too often what we tell each other in the news is service jobs, I don't know, they're not good enough. We tell stories of billionaires or millionaires and the things that they've invented, and we've got to find a way to remember that the folks who are taking care of us... they are playing important roles. They deserve as much respect and dignity as anybody else.”
On , Arne Sorenson, Former President & Chief Executive Officer at Marriott International, spoke about workforce dignity during #19 CEO of Marriott, Arne Sorenson: On the Future of Travel & How To Be A Great Leader on 3 Takeaways™.
About Arne Sorenson
Arne Sorenson, then President and CEO of Marriott International, received the 2020 Humanitarian Lifetime Impact Award from the National Center for Children and Families (NCCF). In his acceptance remarks, Sorenson stated that the COVID-19 pandemic had been "a horrible event for all of humankind" and described its disproportionate impact on those living in poverty. He noted that the organization had remained open during the pandemic to provide essential support services, and he accepted the award on behalf of Marriott's associates, citing the company's legacy of community service. In early 2020, Sorenson discussed Marriott's business strategy and his personal health in interviews at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He described the company's focus on strengthening its loyalty program and expanding into adjacent spaces such as home-sharing and all-inclusive resorts. Regarding the then-emerging coronavirus, Sorenson said it was "still way too early to talk about" and that Chinese authorities needed to understand the situation. He also provided updates on his cancer treatment, stating that he had undergone surgery in November 2019 and felt "very optimistic." In earlier appearances, Sorenson addressed Marriott's data breach, the company's growth plans, and the importance of diversity and inclusion, stating that the company had set targets for workforce diversity and that inclusion should not leave people feeling excluded.