A letter from our CEO 
Climate change and global warming have become mainstream issues around the world. You can’t pick up a magazine or newspaper without some kind of story about green campaigns, carbon footprints or the environment. Make no mistake this is more than media hype.
The underlying trends behind these headlines present some alarming challenges. Population growth and global industrialization are accelerating the depletion of our natural resources. Around the world, demand for energy continues to grow and fresh water scarcity is becoming a global reality. How we respond to these challenges will determine the sustainability of our future lifestyles, the sustainability of our communities as we know them, and ultimately the sustainability of our planet.
The good news is that as a global business serving more than a quarter billion guests a year in over 3000 hotels across more than 80 countries, we are in a position to make a big difference. We can serve as leaders in our communities by driving the changes we all need to make, while still providing the highest levels of hospitality anywhere in the world.
Although the impact of population growth and industrialization are indeed significant, they also provide us with great business opportunities around the globe. More and more people are lifting themselves out of poverty, working hard for a better quality of life, and as a result, a truly global market place is emerging, tying together cultures, nations, and regions in ways we are just starting to understand.
If we are to meet this growing demand, we must be able to do so in a sustainable fashion. We must operate our business in ways that provide for our current needs while allowing future generations to meet their own needs. This is the essence of sustainability and this is the path we must follow. Not only is it the right thing to do as responsible global citizens, it’s the right thing to do for our business.
Our sustainability commitments and mission statement are our responses to both the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead of us. They provide a framework for our family of hotels around the world to enroll, engage, and educate all of our stakeholders as sustainability becomes a core part of how we do business. . .a business focused on our guests . . .delivering unsurpassed levels of hospitality – a better night’s sleep, a better meal, a more productive conference all while meeting and exceeding the standards for sustainability necessary to reverse the symptoms of climate change and stabilize our global eco-system.
There is a lot we have already done and lot more to do and we will be prudent and deliberate as we literally seek to transform many of the current ways we do business. Our true success in building a sustainable business will be judged by future generations, not in quarterly reviews. We will make sure that the platform for change we're creating today is one that will serve us well for many years to come, and that supports our efforts to be the most preeminent hospitality company in the world.
I thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to providing you with future updates on our progress.
Christopher Nassetta,
President and Chief Executive Officer
