Hilton Worldwide

Consumer Services

Risk Level:

Rating - Danger
High Risk

Summary:

Hilton fired an employee for not working Sunday shifts due to religious purposes in 2016; the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) later prosecuted the case successfully. Hilton also vets its suppliers according to their LGBTQ policies. The company does not protect employees from viewpoint discrimination and has signed open letters supporting the Equality Act and opposing Florida's Parental Rights in Education law. The company applies additional scrutiny to religious charities in its charitable giving. For these reasons, Hilton receives a "High Risk" rating.

Criteria
Risk Level
Rationale
Corporate Weaponization
Criteria

Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

Risk Level
Rationale

In 2016, Hilton fired a woman who refused to work on Sundays due to religious convictions, after initially accommodating her requests. The EEOC ruled in her favor in 2019 (1). Hilton received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign. Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (2).

Criteria

Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.

Risk Level
Rationale

Hilton’s foundation will not donate to religious organizations unless “the particular program will benefit a large portion of a community without regard to religious affiliation and does not duplicate the work of other agencies in the company” (1).

Criteria

Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.

Risk Level
Rationale

Hilton does not protect employees from viewpoint discrimination (1).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy
Criteria

Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

Hilton has signed an open letter in support of the Equality Act. Hilton opposed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which prohibits the teaching of gender identity and sexual orientation ideology to children in K-3rd grade (1)(2). Hilton Hotels also denounced the 2016 North Carolina bathroom bill, which required people to use the bathroom of their biological sex (3).

Criteria

Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

Hilton donated to the National Urban League (1). It does not donate to or partner with other ideological groups hostile to freedom of expression (2)(3).

Criteria

Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.

Risk Level
Rationale

Hilton does not donate to ideological groups (1)(2).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
January 2, 2023

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