In an era where the term “DEI” has become political dynamite, Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano publicly reinforced the hotel chain’s longstanding commitment to inclusivity. The response he got was overwhelming.

A hotel executive saying his company’s properties welcome all guests and create opportunities for all who want to work there wouldn’t have so much as raised an eyebrow in times past. But when Marriott CEO publicly reaffirmed the company’s long-standing values at the Great Place To Work For All Summit in April 2025 in Las Vegas in a response to the Trump administration’s executive orders restricting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, the reaction was immediate and overwhelming. Within 24 hours of his speech, Capuano received over 40,000 emails from Marriott employees worldwide, expressing gratitude and support for his stance.

After discussing with his executive team how Marriott should respond to the Trump administration’s executive orders restricting DEI programs, and drawing inspiration from his mentor Bill Marriott and the company’s nearly century-long history, Capuano said, “The winds blow, but there are some fundamental truths for those 98 years. We welcome all to our hotels and we create opportunities for all — and fundamentally those will never change. The words might change, but that’s who we are as a company.”

In addition to the Marriott employees who thanked him for upholding Marriott’s inclusive culture and shared their personal stories of how DEI had positively impacted their lives and careers at the company, Capuano’s decision to stand firm on DEI also received accolades from business leaders and the public. Marriott joins a growing list of companies like Apple, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Costco, Delta, Cisco, Ben & Jerry’s, and e.l.f. Beauty that have publicly reaffirmed or even expanded their DEI commitments.

In contrast, several major companies — including McDonald’s, Meta, Ford, Walmart, Molson Coors, Harley-Davidson, Toyota, Target and Paramount — have responded to political and legal pressure by reducing or rebranding DEI initiatives. This includes ending diversity quotas, rolling back training programs, and removing DEI from executive compensation metrics

While some other hotel chains have made general statements about inclusivity, so far they haven’t matched Marriott’s level of public commitment to inclusivity. In fact, there is some evidence that some hospitality companies are quietly scaling back DEI programs, though they are not publicly calling attention to the fact.

Marriott appears to be standing by the formal, holistic DEI program it has had in place for more than 30 years, which includes one of the first board of directors-level committees dedicated to monitoring and reporting progress on DEI across all business areas. More than half of its board of directors and senior global leadership are diverse, approximately 1,556 of its hotels are owned by women and people of diverse backgrounds, and the company has spent more than $6 billion with diverse-owned suppliers over the past 10 years. Marriott also provides bias awareness training for managers and executives.

The outpouring of support Capuano received shows that its employees appreciate the company’s reputation for a strong, inclusive culture. Marriott boasts a 90% employee endorsement rate and consistently ranks among the top companies to work for in the U.S., ranking eighth on Fortune’s 2025 list. Marriott also consistently ranks at the top of the list of hotel brands contracted by ConferenceDirect associates and clients.

While some brands are staying on the sidelines or possibly quietly caving to political pressure when it comes to supporting DEI initiatives, Capuano’s reaffirmation and the response he engendered indicate that Marriott’s integration of DEI into its company culture may be a structural advantage for a hospitality company, even in today’s super-charged political environment.