AHLA Foundation Launches No Room for Trafficking Advisory Council; Announces Survivor Fund Grantees
August 15, 2023
The American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) Foundation has established the No Room for Trafficking (NRFT) Advisory Council as part of its No Room for Trafficking program, which works to prevent human trafficking and support survivors.
NRFT Advisory Council efforts include the development and oversight of the NRFT Survivor Fund, which provides community-based organizations with the resources they need to engage and support the survivors of human trafficking.
Council members will help champion and shape the hotel industry’s unified efforts to support human trafficking survivors with critical resources on their path toward empowerment and self-sufficiency, while uniting and inspiring the industry in the continued fight against trafficking, according to AHLA officials.
“The esteemed group of leaders we’ve assembled as part of our inaugural NRFT Advisory Council underscores the hotel industry’s deep commitment to fighting human trafficking,” said AHLA Foundation President Anna Blue. “With their leadership alongside AHLA and the AHLA Foundation’s steadfast commitment to this effort, we will continue to work across our industry on critically important human trafficking prevention efforts.”
NRFT Advisory Council members include the following top industry leaders:
- Co-chair: Farah Bhayani, general counsel and chief compliance officer, G6 Hospitality
- Co-chair: Joan Bottarini, CFO, Hyatt Hotels Corporation
- Jay Caiafa, COO, The Americas, IHG Hotels & Resorts
- Paul Cash, general counsel and chief compliance officer, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
- George Limbert, president, Red Roof Franchising
- Katherine Lugar, executive vice president of corporate affairs, Hilton
- John Murray, president and CEO, Sonesta International Hotels
- Mitch Patel, president and CEO, Vision Hospitality Group
- Kelly Poling, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, Extended Stay America
- Tricia Primrose, executive vice president and chief global communications and public affairs officer, Marriott International
- Marsha Ray, senior vice president of operations, Aimbridge Hospitality
- Ben Seidel, president and CEO, Real Hospitality Group
- Simone Wu, senior vice president and general counsel, Choice Hotels International
AHLA Foundation’s NRFT program has supported free anti-trafficking training for hundreds of thousands of hotel employees since 2020 through a partnership with ECPAT-USA while building awareness of this issue across the industry and its stakeholders.
Additionally, in 2022, AHLA Foundation announced expanded efforts to support trafficking survivors through the industry’s first-ever Survivor Fund, which has raised $3.4 million since its inception. AHLA Foundation will match NRFT Survivor Fund contributions up to $5 million as part of its continued commitment to combatting this issue, with an overall goal of $10 million in total contributions by the end of 2023.
The AHLA Foundation recently announced $500,000 in inaugural NRFT Survivor Fund grants to four community-based organizations that serve human trafficking survivors.
The 2023 NRFT Survivor Fund grant recipients will provide and promote resources to build survivors’ stability and self-sufficiency — from childcare and housing to transportation, career training and employment opportunities.
The 2023 grantees include:
- Safe House Project, Emergency Services Program
- Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST), Safe Jobs Collaborative
- Restore NYC, Inc., Economic Empowerment Program
- University of Maryland Support, Advocacy, Freedom, and Empowerment (SAFE) Center for Human Trafficking Survivors, “Future in Training” Hospitality Job Readiness Program
The NRFT Survivor Fund, a first for the hospitality sector, has grown to $3.4 million since its launch last year.
“The No Room for Trafficking Survivor Fund shows unprecedented alignment by the industry in the fight against trafficking and provides crucial support to survivors on their path forward,” Blue said. “By investing in organizations leading on the front lines of survivor support, the collective impact of the industry can help break the trafficking cycle and make a positive difference in the lives of survivors.”
The grants were announced as part of the NRFT Summit at the Park Hyatt in Washington, D.C. The event highlighted the hotel industry’s critical efforts in the fight against human trafficking and featured a keynote address from Cindy Dyer, United States ambassador-at-large to monitor and combat trafficking.
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Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.
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