Marriott International

Marriott fired a social media manager for using the company’s Twitter to like a tweet thanking Marriott for recognizing Tibet and Taiwan as separate entities from China. Marriott allegedly fired the employee in order to smooth over business relationships in China (1)(2). The company received a score of 100 on the 2026 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. The company recruits employees based on sexual identity issues. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (3)(4)(5). Marriott received a score of 100 on the 2025 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. The company recruits employees based on sexual identity issues. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (6)(7). The company integrates ESG into its business practices. From its Supplier Code of Conduct: “Suppliers must provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate business operations are in compliance with the following requirements:… Measures are in place to monitor, manage, reduce and report greenhouse gas emissions, energy, water, and waste” (8).

Marriott’s HRC 2026 CEI rating indicates the company will not donate to non-religious charities unless they embrace controversial sexual identity policies (1)(2)(3). The company’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company will not donate to non-religious charities unless they embrace controversial sexual identity policies (4)(5). Marriott does not appear to discriminate against religious organizations based on views or beliefs. However, it will only give to religious organizations that provide non-sectarian services (6).

Marriott’s HRC 2026 CEI rating indicates the company forces employees to attend at least one, controversial training on gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender issues, and divisive racial ideology. The company provides gender transition guidelines for its employees and a specific benefits guide with a comprehensive explanation of transgender services funded by the company (1)(2)(3). The company’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company forces employees to attend multiple, controversial trainings on gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender issues, and divisive racial ideology. The company provides gender transition guidelines for its employees and a specific benefits guide with a comprehensive explanation of transgender services funded by the company (4)(5). Marriott offers unconscious bias and DEI training to its employees (6). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its leadership composition. From its 2024 Serve 360 Report:  “Continue efforts and maintain strong representation of women in executive positions, and increase the representation of women in general manager roles across the globe. In the U.S., continue to increase the representation of people of color in executive positions and general manager roles.” The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its supply chain: “Marriott’s supplier diversity program is designed to expand knowledge of and access to diverse-owned businesses, spur innovation, and inspire us all to do business better. Over the past 10 years, more than $6.2 billion has been spent with diverse suppliers, including minority-, women-, veteran-, disabled-, and LGBT-owned businesses” (7). Marriott does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (8).

Marriott’s HRC 2026 CEI rating indicates the company potentially agrees to allow a controversial stakeholder group focused on sexual identity issues to dictate marketing or advertising strategy. By doing so, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2)(3). The company’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company agrees to allow a controversial stakeholder group focused on sexual identity issues to dictate marketing or advertising strategy. By doing so, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (4)(5). Marriott signed an open letter endorsing the Equality Act, a contentious proposal to amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act by adding sexual orientation and so-called gender identity as protected categories. The legislation would, among other implications, grant biological men access to women-only spaces such as sports teams and public restrooms, and compel healthcare providers to deliver sex-denying healthcare (6). The company opposed both the 2014 Arizona Religious Freedom Restoration Act (religious freedom bill) and a similar bill in Georgia in 2015 (7)(8). Marriott opposed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which would prohibit teaching gender identity and sexual orientation to kids in K-3rd grade (9). The company’s CEO Anthony Capuano is a member of the Business Roundtable and Former CEO Arne Sorenson signed its 2019 Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism over traditional obligations to shareholders (10)(11). Marriott opposed various state and local legislation intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (12). The company opposed legislation in Iowa intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (13). Marriott signed an amicus brief in opposition to the 2016 North Carolina bathroom bill HB2, which required people to use the bathroom of their biological sex (14). The company’s CEO, Anthony G. Capuano, signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, which includes a commitment to promote DEI through bias education training in the workplace (15)(16). Marriott is committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 (17). The company supports DEI within its business practices, hosting a Inclusion and Social Impact Committee (ISIC) Committee (18). Marriott supports DEI within its business practices. From its Human Rights Policy Statement: “Marriott supports and upholds the elimination of discriminatory practices with respect to all aspects of employment, and promotes and embraces diversity and inclusion within its business operations” (19). The company supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2024 Serve 360 Report: “The foundation of our business for over nine decades, Marriott’s core values guide and connect our ESG efforts to the company’s strategy” (20).

Marriott’s HRC 2026 CEI rating indicates the company covers transgender related costs for its employees and their children, including paid short-term leave, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, chest surgeries, genital surgeries, medical visits, lab monitoring, and mental health benefits. The company also covers at least five of the following services: reconstructive hair removal, cosmetic hair removal, tracheal shave or reduction, facial surgeries, voice modification surgery, voice modification therapy, lipoplasty or filling for body masculinization or feminization, and travel and lodging expenses. Additionally, the company has potentially pledged philanthropic support of at least one organization or event that promotes sex and gender ideology. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company increases health care costs and risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2)(3)(4). The company’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company covers transgender related costs for its employees and their children, including paid short-term leave, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, chest surgeries, genital surgeries, medical visits and lab monitoring, travel and lodging. Additionally, the company has pledged philanthropic support of at least one organization or event that promotes sex and gender ideology. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company increases health care costs and risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (5)(6). Marriott corporately donated to Planned Parenthood (7). The company pledged support to Black Lives Matter and related causes (8)(9)(10). Marriott is a copper sponsor of Out & Equal and a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (11)(12). The company is a Gold partner of PFLAG, an LGBTQ+ activist group that promotes books for children with sexually explicit and gender fluid content and advocates against laws that inform parents of their child’s gender dysphoria or prevent unapproved transgender medical treatments for minors (13)(14)(15). Marriott is a partner of National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) (16). The company sponsored the 2025 HRC National Dinner (17). Marriott Bonvoy is a partner of the HRC’s Foundation (18)(19). The company sponsored the following 3x events in 2025: Gulf Association of Pride, Cincinnati Pride, 2025 Pride “Bigger Than” Texas Festival (20)(21)(22). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of Marriott using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (23).

Marriott’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company publicly advocated for controversial sex and gender ideology through local, state or federal legislation or initiatives. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). In 2018, 2020, 2022, 2024 the company donated to Equality PAC (3)(4)(5)(6)(7). In 2021, Marriott lobbied for Equality Act (8).