DiversityInc Ranks Marriott in its Top Ten

BETHESDA, Md., March 12 /PRNewswire/ -- DiversityInc magazine unveiled The 2010 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list during an evening gala at the Marriott Metro Center hotel in Washington, D.C. this week. Marriott International was named seventh -- the highest ranking hotel company on the list – and included on three specialty lists – Top 10 Companies for Executive Women, Top 10 Companies for Blacks and Top 10 Companies for Supplier Diversity.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090217/MARRIOTTINTLLOGO )

Marriott was recognized for demonstrating strength in four areas– CEO commitment, human capital, corporate and organizational communications and supplier diversity.

"Our competitive advantage is the richness of our culture, talent and experiences," said Jimmie Paschall, senior vice president, external affairs and global diversity officer, Marriott International, Inc. "We know that when we leverage our diverse strengths in every area of our business, it will further drive innovation and generate strong business results."

"If you want to understand the business case for diversity, you cannot do better than to use Marriott as a case study. I think that diversity is a very personal responsibility of corporate leadership, and in that regard, Marriott is the leading hospitality company, bar none," said Luke Visconti, chief executive officer, DiversityInc.

Marriott has a long-standing commitment to diversity. Last year, the company celebrated two milestones – 20 years with the supplier diversity program and ten years with the Women's Leadership Development Initiative. Additionally, Marriott's diverse hotel ownership program is unmatched with more than 500 hotels opened and owned by women and diverse groups. For more information, visit www.marriott.com/diversity.

The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity is in its 10th year. A total of 449 companies participated this year, up 12 percent from last year. For methodology and a complete list, visit www.diversityinc.com.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information.

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.