Oportunidad or Gelegenheit: No Matter How You Say It, Marriott Means Opportunity

BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Marriott International (NYSE: MAR) has been named one of the "World's Best Multinational Workplaces" by Great Place to Work® Institute.  The ranking is the world's largest annual study of workplace excellence and identifies the top 25 best companies to work for in the world.  Marriott ranked in the top 10, and was the only lodging company to be included on this inaugural list.  Marriott has a history of being named on "best places to work" lists in countries around the world, including India, Mexico, Peru, United Arab Emirates, and the U.S.

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

(To view the entire World's Best Multinational Workplaces list, please visit www.greatplacetowork.net/worldsbest.)

David Rodriguez, Marriott's executive vice president of Global Human Resources, attributes this not to any one program, but instead to the consistency of the company's culture of listening and responding to the needs and concerns of its employees. "The one thing that translates in every country is Marriott's culture of putting people first...that is part of our core value DNA.  We treat our employees the same way we expect them to treat our guests," said Rodriguez.  

Marriott's employee engagement and satisfaction scores have been at world-class levels and have been steadily climbing despite difficult economic conditions.  The company exceeded the best employer benchmarks and climbed to record levels in many locations around the world this past year.  The company has also been recognized for its training and growth opportunities for employees at hotels around the world.  

"We pride ourselves in helping our employees find their own paths," said Rodriguez.  "Marriott has a lot to offer in terms of career growth and opportunity–you can start out in an entry-level position and work your way up to general manager or to an executive level."

Marriott has aggressive global growth plans including doubling its presence in Europe by 2015, doubling its portfolio in China in the next five years, and increasing hotels in India to 100 hotels across seven brands by 2015.  Extensive growth is also planned in the Middle East and Africa where the company recently appointed a new president to oversee that region.  

Since launching the first Best Companies to Work For® lists in partnership with FORTUNE magazine in the United States and Exame in Brazil in 1997, Great Place to Work now recognizes leading workplaces in some 45 countries. Qualifying companies must have a significant global presence with at least 40 percent of their global workforce working outside of the company's home country.

"The companies listed on the World's Best Multinational Workplaces List have established work cultures that set the standard around the globe," said Jose Tolovi, Jr., Global CEO of Great Place to Work. "Every day, they are creating workplaces that foster trust, pride and camaraderie amongst their employees. All 25 companies should be immensely proud of this significant accomplishment."

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

About Great Place to Work®:

Great Place to Work® Institute is a global research, consulting and training firm that helps organizations identify, create and sustain great workplaces through the development of high-trust workplace cultures. Great Place to Work serves businesses, non-profits and government agencies in 45 countries on all six continents.

NOTE: The statements about Marriott's anticipated global growth are "forward looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws, not historical facts, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including supply and demand changes for hotel rooms; competitive conditions in the lodging industry; relationships with clients and property owners; the availability of capital to finance hotel growth; and other risk factors identified in Marriott International, Inc.'s most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q; any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by our statements. These statements are made as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.