Article One: As Vice President of Social Responsibility at Starwood Hotels you lead the company’s human rights work.  How were you able to ensure human rights was high on the company’s agenda? 

...In order to gain initial buy-in, we focused on areas of highest risk to our brands and operations, retelling the story of relevant incidences with a new lens.  By reframing the conversation, business leaders were able to better understand how human rights can be affected on large and small scales throughout our global operations...

Article One: What was the impetus for Starwood to focus on its human rights impacts?

...The focus on sex trafficking was the beginning, but as our awareness and knowledge increased, we realized that we wanted to play a more active role in addressing potential and actual human rights abuses that may be caused, directly or indirectly, by our operations. Through our corporate Human Rights Impact Assessment and Gaps Analysis, we were able to determine what we were already doing well as a company and where there was greater opportunity for impact in addressing human rights...

Article One: The Starwood Foundation is sponsoring a human rights impact assessment of the hospitality sector in Mexico. What do you hope to accomplish through that assessment?

...We hope that this effort will elevate the conversation on human rights throughout our industry, and inspire similar HRIA efforts to be conducted in high risk, popular tourism destinations around the globe...

Article One: What recommendations do you have for other human rights champions seeking to advance corporate respect for human rights within their own companies?

...[I]n order to make progress, there needs to be education of and buy-in from key executives.  The education piece includes internal understanding of the UNGPs, and what potential human rights risks exist throughout all aspects of the business.  The buy-in piece can only happen after company leaders feel fully informed and equipped to take the tough stand that may be needed when (not if) controversial issues arise.