A Tradition of Trustworthiness - Marriott Recognized as One of the World's Most Ethical Companies

BETHESDA, Md., March 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fifth time, Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the 2012 World's Most Ethical Companies.  Ethisphere said Marriott was selected for showing leadership in promoting ethical business standards. For the complete list of companies, visit http://www.ethisphere.com/wme/.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090217/MARRIOTTINTLLOGO )

At Marriott, acting with integrity is a core value for the company's associates around the world.  How we do business is just as important as the business we do, and ethical practices are deeply embedded in the Marriott heritage and culture.  These practices and policies are included in Marriott's Business Conduct Guide, available on http://www.marriott.com/corporate-social-responsibility/corporate-values.mi. The guide is available in 15 different languages, including Spanish, German, and Korean.

"Marriott is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year, and we've worked hard to build on the solid foundation of fairness and integrity upon which the company started," said Ed Ryan, executive vice president and general counsel for Marriott International. "We appreciate being included among the distinguished list of Most Ethical Companies and will continue to strive to ensure that good ethics are part of our business platform for all our relationships among guests, owners, franchisees, and associates every day." 

"Each year the competition for World's Most Ethical Companies intensifies as the number of nominations submitted for consideration grows," said Alex Brigham, Executive Director of Ethisphere. "This year's winners know that a strong ethics program is a key component to a successful business model, and they continue to scrutinize their ethical standards to keep up with an ever-changing regulatory environment."

Marriott is consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business operations, which it conducts based on five core values: put people first, pursue excellence, embrace change, act with integrity, and serve our world.  For a list of other awards and recognition, visit http://news.marriott.com/awards-and-recognition.html.

Read about the methodology and view the complete list of the 2012 World's Most Ethical Companies at http://ethisphere.com/wme. The World's Most Ethical Companies will also be featured in the Q1 issue of the quarterly magazine Ethisphere.

About Ethisphere Institute:

The research-based Ethisphere® Institute is a leading international think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability. Ethisphere Magazine, which publishes the globally recognized World's Most Ethical Companies Ranking™, is the quarterly publication of the Institute. Ethisphere provides the only third-party verifications of compliance programs and ethical cultures that include: Ethics Inside® Certification, Compliance Leader Verification™ and Anti-Corruption Program Verification™. The Institute's premier membership group, the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance™, is a business ethics forum that includes more than 100 leading corporations, universities and institutions that collectively leverage their experience, expertise and innovative ways to address emerging compliance challenges. More information on the Ethisphere Institute, including ranking projects and membership, can be found at http://www.ethisphere.com.

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SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.