Item 1. Business
Item 1. Business
Overview
Hilton is one of the largest hospitality companies in the world, with 7,165 properties comprising 1,127,430 rooms in 123 countries and territories as of December 31, 2022. Founded in 1919, Hilton has been an innovator in the industry for more than 100 years, driven by the vision of founder Conrad Hilton, "to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality." Our premier brand portfolio includes: our luxury hotel brands, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts; our lifestyle hotel brands, Canopy by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Tempo by Hilton and Motto by Hilton; our full service hotel brands, Signia by Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts and DoubleTree by Hilton; our focused service hotel brands, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton and Tru by Hilton; our all-suites hotel brands, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton; our new premium economy brand, Spark by Hilton, launched in January 2023; and our timeshare brand, Hilton Grand Vacations. As of December 31, 2022, we had 152 million members in our award-winning guest loyalty program, Hilton Honors, a 19 percent increase from December 31, 2021; refer to "—Our Brand Portfolio" and "—Our Guest Loyalty Program" below for additional information on our brands, including Hilton Honors.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the global economy and strained the hospitality industry beginning in 2020. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the pervasiveness and severity of travel restrictions and stay-at-home directives have varied by country and state; however, as of December 31, 2022, most of the countries we operate in had eased or completely lifted such restrictions. While the pandemic negatively affected certain of our results for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we have experienced strong signs of recovery since early 2021, with comparable system-wide RevPAR in the third and fourth quarters of 2022 exceeding levels achieved in the same periods in 2019. Although all periods included in
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our consolidated financial statements presented in this Form 10-K were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, none of these periods are considered comparable, and no periods affected by the pandemic are expected to be comparable to future periods.
We operate our business through: (i) a management and franchise segment; and (ii) an ownership segment, each of which is reported as a segment based on (a) delivering a similar set of products and services and (b) being managed separately given its distinct economic characteristics. The management and franchise segment includes all of the hotels we manage for third-party owners, as well as all franchised hotels that license our intellectual property ("IP"), including our brand names, trademarks and service marks, and where we provide other contracted services to third-party owners, but the day-to-day services of the hotels are operated or managed by someone other than us. Revenues from this segment include: (i) management and franchise fees charged to third-party hotel owners; (ii) licensing fees from our strategic partners, including co-branded credit card providers, and HGV for the right to use our IP; and (iii) fees for managing hotels in our ownership segment. The ownership segment primarily derives revenues from nightly hotel room sales, food and beverage sales and other services at our consolidated owned and leased hotels. For more information regarding our segments, refer to "—Our Business—Management and Franchise" and "—Our Business—Ownership" below.
In addition to our current hotel portfolio, we are focused on the growth of our business by expanding our global hotel network through our development pipeline, which represents hotels that we expect to add to our system in the future. The following table summarizes our development activity:
As of or for the Year Ended December 31, 2022
Hotels Rooms (1)
Hotel system
Openings
355 58,200
Net additions (2)
308 48,300
Development pipeline (3)
Additions
664 89,900
Count as of period end (4)
2,821 416,400
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(1) Rounded to the nearest hundred.
(2) Represents room additions, net of rooms removed from our system, during the period, which contributed to net unit growth for the year ended December 31, 2022 of 4.7 percent.
(3) Hotels in our system were under development throughout 118 countries and territories, including 30 countries and territories where we did not currently have any existing hotels.
(4) In our development pipeline, as of December 31, 2022, 205,400 of the rooms were under construction and 243,500 of the rooms were located outside of the U.S. Nearly all of the rooms in our development pipeline will be in our management and franchise segment. We do not consider any individual development project to be material to us.
Overall, we believe that our experience in the hospitality industry, which spans more than a century of customer service and entrepreneurship, and continues to evolve to meet the tastes, preferences and demands of our hotel guests; our strong, well-defined brands that operate throughout the hospitality industry chain scales; our diverse, inclusive workforce, built to focus on providing exceptional customer experiences; and our commercial service offerings will continue to drive customer loyalty, including participation in our Hilton Honors guest loyalty program. We believe that satisfied customers will generate additional business at our properties, yielding strong overall hotel performance for us and our hotel owners. Strong results at our existing properties will encourage further development of additional hotels under our brands and conversions of existing hotels to our brands with both (i) owners who currently have properties in our system and (ii) new owners who sign management or franchise contracts with us in the future, which further supports our growth and future financial performance. We believe that our existing hotel system and development pipeline, which will require minimal capital investment from us, positions us to further improve our business, allocate capital effectively and meet our customers' demands and preferences in the future.
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Our Brand Portfolio
The goal of each of our brands is to deliver exceptional customer experiences and superior operating performance.
December 31, 2022
Brand (1)
Chain Scale Countries/ Territories Properties Rooms Percentage of Total Rooms Selected Competitors (1)
Luxury 17 34 9,401 0.8% Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula, Ritz Carlton,
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis
Luxury 8 11 1,412 0.1% Leading Hotels of the World,
Legend Preferred Hotels & Resorts,
Small Luxury Hotels of The World,
The Luxury Collection
Luxury 23 45 16,210 1.5% Fairmont, Intercontinental,
JW Marriott, Park Hyatt, Sofitel
Upper Upscale 10 38 6,616 0.6% 25hours Hotels, Hyatt Centric,
Kimpton,
Le Meridien, Thompson Hotels
Upper Upscale 1 2 1,814 0.2% Grand Hyatt, JW Marriott
Upper Upscale 94 604 224,370 19.9% Hyatt Regency, Marriott,
Omni, Sheraton, Westin
Upper Upscale 34 138 26,667 2.4% Autograph Collection, Design Hotels,
Destination Hotels,
The Unbound Collection
Upscale 51 660 150,157 13.3% Courtyard by Marriott, Crowne Plaza, Delta, Holiday Inn, Radisson, Sheraton, Wyndham
Upscale 13 95 11,111 1.0% Joie de Vivre, Tribute Portfolio
Upper Upscale 6 263 60,928 5.4% Hyatt Regency, Marriott, Sheraton, Westin
Upscale — — — —% AC Hotels, Aloft, Cambria, Hotel Indigo
Upper Midscale 3 5 1,094 0.1% CitizenM, Freehand, Generator,
Hoxton, Moxy, tommie, Yotel
Upscale 57 971 143,342 12.7% Aloft, Courtyard by Marriott, Four Points,
Holiday Inn, Hyatt Place
Upper Midscale 36 2,863 312,043 27.7% Comfort Suites, Courtyard by Marriott,
Fairfield Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Springhill Suites
Midscale 4 235 23,022 2.0% Avid, Best Western, Comfort Inn & Suites,
La Quinta, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Wingate by Wyndham
Upscale 4 535 61,289 5.4% Element, Hyatt House, Residence Inn, Staybridge Suites
Upper Midscale 3 576 61,352 5.4% Candlewood Suites, Comfort Suites, TownePlace Suites
Timeshare (2)
8 80 13,703 1.2% Bluegreen Vacations, Disney Vacation Club, Holiday Inn Club Vacations,
Marriott Vacations Worldwide,
Travel & Leisure Co.
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(1) The table above excludes 10 unbranded properties with 2,899 rooms, representing approximately 0.3 percent of total rooms, as well as our new premium economy brand, Spark by Hilton, which launched in January 2023. Also, the selected competitors exclude lesser-known regional competitors.
(2) HGV has the exclusive right to use our Hilton Grand Vacations brand, subject to the terms of a license agreement with us.
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Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts : What began as an iconic hotel in New York City is today a global portfolio of iconic properties in sought-out destinations. Each Waldorf Astoria property provides a unique sense of place with a relentless commitment to personalized service, sophisticated accommodations, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and culinary expertise, enabling guests to create unforgettable moments. In addition, Waldorf Astoria boasts a residential portfolio that provides the comfort of a private home combined with luxury amenities and service synonymous with the brand.
LXR Hotels & Resorts: Found in alluring destinations, LXR Hotels & Resorts is a collection of independent luxury properties that each represent their unique location and offer a singular travel experience native to its place, history and tradition. LXR connects legendary properties into an exclusive network of hotels that are set apart by an unrivaled commitment to personalized service and elegant, yet locally immersive experiences for their guests. Each hotel in the collection features its own pedigree, story and character that is steeped in the originality of its locale and provides a luxurious base of exploration for the intrigued, yet discerning, adventurer.
Conrad Hotels & Resorts : Spanning five continents, Conrad Hotels & Resorts has created a seamless connection between bold design, impactful experiences and curated contemporary art to inspire the conscientious traveler. Conrad is a place where guests are empowered to explore through intuitive service and experiences that authentically connect them with local culture. In addition, the brand also features an expanding residential portfolio combining sophisticated design, best-in-class amenities and purposeful service in inspiring destinations.
Canopy by Hilton: Canopy by Hilton is a vibrant boutique lifestyle brand, providing guests a place in the neighborhood to relax and recharge with simple, guest-directed service, comfortable spaces, an energizing atmosphere and thoughtful local choices. Each hotel is designed as a natural extension of its neighborhood and delivers a fresh approach to hospitality and the guest experience.
Signia by Hilton: Signia by Hilton is a portfolio of premier hotels in highly sought-after urban and resort destinations, offering sophisticated business and leisure travelers an elevated hotel experience combined with exceptional full-service amenities and premium meetings and events spaces.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts : For more than 100 years, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Hilton’s flagship brand and one of the most globally recognized hotel brands, has set the benchmark for hospitality around the world, providing new product innovations and services to meet guests' evolving needs. With hotels on six continents, Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties are located in sought-after destinations and offer exceptional travel experiences to every guest. Hilton Hotels & Resorts are full service properties that feature advanced meeting and event spaces and services; award-winning restaurants; and mindful fitness/wellness facilities.
Curio Collection by Hilton : Curio Collection by Hilton is a global portfolio of one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts handpicked for their distinct character. Curio Collection properties offer guests the ability to experience independent hotels that offer authentic, curated experiences through local offerings and elevated amenities, while providing the benefits of Hilton and its award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors.
DoubleTree by Hilton : DoubleTree by Hilton is a fast-growing, global portfolio of upscale hotels. For more than 50 years, DoubleTree has maintained its philosophy of making guests feel welcome through contemporary accommodations and thoughtful amenities, including diverse food and beverage experiences, state-of-the-art fitness offerings and meetings and event spaces. Whether traveling for business or leisure, every guest is welcomed with the signature, warm DoubleTree chocolate chip cookie at check in, a hallmark of the brand's hospitable service.
Tapestry Collection by Hilton : Tapestry Collection by Hilton is a portfolio of original hotels that offer guests unique style and vibrant personality, encouraging travelers to make an authentic connection to their destination. While each property is unique, every Tapestry Collection property is united by the reliability that comes with the Hilton name, in addition to the benefits of the award-winning Hilton Honors program.
Embassy Suites by Hilton : Embassy Suites by Hilton offers both leisure and business travelers an approachable, upscale experience with best-in-class customer service that anticipates travelers' needs and delivers what matters most to them. All guests are welcomed with a spacious two-room suite with separate areas to work and play, free made-to-order breakfast each morning and complimentary drinks and snacks every night.
Tempo by Hilton: Tempo by Hilton is a stylish and contemporary lifestyle hotel brand with more than 20 properties under development. Thoughtfully designed and uplifting, Tempo by Hilton is dedicated to exceeding the expectations of the
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ambitious, modern traveler by offering accommodations and public spaces to help guests relax and recharge, including an open lobby concept with dedicated spaces to lounge, work and dine, as well as premium culinary options, such as a casual breakfast cafe and an inviting coffee experience. Each Tempo by Hilton experience will include well-being offerings, state-of-the-art fitness facilities and programs, flexible meeting and working spaces and more.
Motto by Hilton : Motto by Hilton is an urban, lifestyle hotel brand designed to help guests live like a local in prime locations globally. Motto by Hilton caters to travelers looking for one-of-a-kind experiences by bringing together the best elements of a lifestyle hotel — centrally located urban locations, modern design, the best of the neighborhood food and beverage and a local vibe. Motto by Hilton delivers a flexible and innovative hospitality experience through elements like first-of-its-kind connecting rooms for group travel, vibrant communal spaces with access to check-in and a coffee house and bar for work and social use by guests and locals alike.
Hilton Garden Inn : Hilton Garden Inn is an award-winning brand where guests find an open, inviting atmosphere with warm, glowing service and simple, thoughtful touches that allow them to socialize and unwind. As a recognized leader in food and beverage offerings, Hilton Garden Inn caters to guests' dining needs by serving cooked-to-order breakfast and offering handcrafted cocktails, shareable small plates and full meals at its on-site restaurants and bars. Flexible meeting space, free Wi-Fi, wireless printing and fitness centers are offered to help guests stay productive.
Hampton by Hilton : Hampton by Hilton is our largest brand and includes both Hampton Inn and Hampton Inn & Suites hotels, with properties located on four continents. Recognized as a leading upper midscale brand in the lodging industry, Hampton has been ranked the #1 lodging brand to franchise by Entrepreneur for 14 consecutive years. Hampton by Hilton hotels around the world provide guests high-quality and thoughtfully designed accommodations, friendly and authentic service and value-added amenities, like complimentary hot breakfast and free Wi-Fi, all backed by the 100% Hampton Guarantee.
Tru by Hilton: Tru by Hilton is a game-changing hotel brand where guests don't have to compromise between a consistent, fun and affordable hotel stay. Spirited, simplified and grounded in value, Tru by Hilton is designed for cross-generational appeal, with a large, reimagined public space where guests can work, play, lounge and eat. Efficiently designed modern guest rooms feature a rolling desk, oversized windows for natural light and bright, spacious bathrooms. Guests can enjoy complimentary amenities, including a build-your-own "Top It" hot breakfast, a multifunctional fitness center and fast Wi-Fi. Premium snacks, light meal options and single-serve wine and beer are available for purchase at the 24/7 Eat. & Sip. market. Tru by Hilton, launched in 2016, had over 230 hotels in the pipeline as of December 31, 2022.
Homewood Suites by Hilton : Homewood Suites by Hilton is the upscale extended-stay hotel brand that delivers the comforts of home for guests and their pets. Homewood Suites by Hilton offers inviting, generous-sized suites featuring separate living and sleeping areas and fully equipped kitchens with full-size refrigerators for guests seeking home-like accommodations when traveling for extended or quick overnight stays. Additional value-driven amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi and free breakfast.
Home2 Suites by Hilton : Home2 Suites by Hilton is a dynamic and savvy brand designed to make guests and their pets feel at home regardless of their length of stay. Our forward-thinking design strikes the perfect balance of being modern and playful, while at the same time remaining functional and comfortable. Our flexible spaces empower guests to maintain their lifestyle with just the right benefits of home and stylish nods to their spirit of adventure. We are committed to empowering our guests by supporting sustainable communities. By packaging amenities and services that enable wellness and environmental health, we create value where it matters for our guests, our communities and our planet.
Spark by Hilton: The newest addition to the Hilton portfolio, Spark by Hilton is a premium economy hotel brand at the intersection of value and consistency. Spark by Hilton provides a reliable and comfortable stay with friendly service for every guest, all at an accessible price. Offering simple design with splashes of color and cheer, Spark by Hilton hotels provide a welcoming sense of arrival with colorful exterior statement walls and inspiring artwork. The public spaces provide multi-functional seating, from communal tables to rocking chairs, and guest rooms are comfortable and relaxing with simple, streamlined furniture. Travelers can enjoy complimentary breakfast with premium coffee and a signature bagel bar.
Hilton Grand Vacations : A premier vacation ownership brand, Hilton Grand Vacations is known for delivering a consistently exceptional standard of service, maximum flexibility for owners and guests and elegant, family-friendly resorts in desirable locations around the world. Signature elements include spacious, well-appointed accommodations and resorts with extensive on-site amenities. A special points-based reservation system gives owners the flexibility to vacation when, where and how they prefer.
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Our Guest Loyalty Program
Hilton Honors is our award-winning guest loyalty program that supports our portfolio of brands. The program generates significant repeat business by rewarding guests with points for each stay at our properties, which are then redeemable for free or discounted room nights at our properties and other goods and services. Hilton Honors members can also use points earned to transact with many strategic partners, including credit card providers, such as American Express, airlines, rail and car rental companies, Amazon, Lyft and others. Hilton Honors members who book through preferred Hilton channels also have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount and free standard Wi-Fi. Members also have access to contactless technology exclusively through the Hilton Honors app, where members can check in, choose their room and access their room using Digital Key. The program provides targeted marketing, promotions and customized guest experiences to 152 million members. Affiliation with our loyalty program encourages members to allocate more of their travel spend to our hotels. The percentage of travel spend we capture from loyalty members increases as they move up the tiers of our program. The program is funded by contributions from eligible revenues generated by Hilton Honors members and collected from properties in our system, as well as our strategic partnerships. The funds collected by the Hilton Honors program are subsequently applied to reimburse hotels and strategic partners for Hilton Honors points redemptions by loyalty members and to pay for administrative expenses and marketing initiatives that support the program.
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Our Business
As of December 31, 2022, our system included the following properties and rooms, by type, brand and region:
Owned / Leased (1)
Managed Franchised Total
Properties Rooms Properties Rooms Properties Rooms Properties Rooms
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
U.S. — — 12 4,489 — — 12 4,489
Americas (excluding U.S.) — — 3 425 — — 3 425
Europe 2 463 4 898 — — 6 1,361
Middle East and Africa — — 7 1,867 — — 7 1,867
Asia Pacific — — 6 1,259 — — 6 1,259
LXR Hotels & Resorts
U.S. — — — — 3 522 3 522
Americas (excluding U.S.) — — — — 1 76 1 76
Europe — — 1 70 1 307 2 377
Middle East and Africa — — 1 41 3 282 4 323
Asia Pacific — — — — 1 114 1 114
Conrad Hotels & Resorts
U.S. — — 6 2,227 2 1,730 8 3,957
Americas (excluding U.S.) — — 3 787 — — 3 787
Europe — — 4 1,155 1 107 5 1,262
Middle East and Africa 1 614 4 1,689 — — 5 2,303
Asia Pacific 1 164 22 7,078 1 659 24 7,901
Canopy by Hilton
U.S. — — — — 26 4,490 26 4,490
Americas (excluding U.S.) — — 2 272 — — 2 272
Europe — — 1 123 4 917 5 1,040
Middle East and Africa — — 1 200 — — 1 200
Asia Pacific — — 4 614 — — 4 614
Signia by Hilton
U.S. — — 2 1,814 — — 2 1,814
Hilton Hotels & Resorts
U.S. — — 60 44,578 186 58,188 246 102,766
Americas (excluding U.S.) 1 405 30 11,559 24 7,241 55 19,205
Europe 38 11,262 46 15,580 43 11,280 127 38,122
Middle East and Africa 4 1,705 39 13,668 4 1,738 47 17,111
Asia Pacific 5 2,999 115 40,610 9 3,557 129 47,166
Curio Collection by Hilton
U.S. — — 10 4,000 64 14,003 74 18,003
Americas (excluding U.S.) — — 2 99 17 2,196 19 2,295
Europe — — 6 516 27 3,534 33 4,050
Middle East and Africa — — 4 741 2 557 6 1,298
Asia Pacific — — 4 773 2 248 6 1,021
DoubleTree by Hilton
U.S. — — 31 10,397 348 79,122 379 89,519
Americas (excluding U.S.) — — 3 587 39 7,822 42 8,409
Europe — — 14 3,580 109 18,610 123 22,190
Middle East and Africa — — 19 4,939 6 825 25 5,764
Asia Pacific — — 83 22,174 8 2,101 91 24,275
(continued on next page)
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Owned / Leased (1)
Managed Franchised Total
Properties Rooms Properties Rooms Properties Rooms Properties Rooms
Tapestry Collection by Hilton
U.S. — — — — 78 9,382 78 9,382
Americas (excluding U.S.) — — 1 138 7 740 8 878
Europe — — — — 6 360 6 360
Middle East and Africa — — 1 50 — — 1 50
Asia Pacific — — 1 266 1 175 2 441
Embassy Suites by Hilton
U.S. — — 38 10,121 216 48,653 254 58,774
Americas (excluding U.S.) — — 2 354 6 1,649 8 2,003
Middle East and Africa — — — — 1 151 1 151
Motto by Hilton
U.S. — — — — 3 871 3 871
Americas (excluding U.S.) — — — — 1 115 1 115
Europe — — — — 1 108 1 108
Hilton Garden Inn
U.S. — — 6 689 737 101,796 743 102,485
Americas (excluding U.S.) — — 13 1,992 51 7,664 64 9,656
Europe — — 18 3,486 61 9,849 79 13,335
Middle East and Africa — — 17 3,555 3 474 20 4,029
Asia Pacific — — 58 12,688 7 1,149 65 13,837
Hampton by Hilton
U.S. — — 23 2,986 2,309 228,576 2,332 231,562
Americas (excluding U.S.) — — 12 1,537 115 13,931 127 15,468
Europe — — 16 2,697 109 16,965 125 19,662
Middle East and Africa — — 5 1,459 — — 5 1,459
Asia Pacific — — — — 274 43,892 274 43,892
Tru by Hilton
U.S. — — — — 231 22,569 231 22,569
Americas (excluding U.S.) — — — — 4 453 4 453
Homewood Suites by Hilton
U.S. — — 9 1,131 499 57,064 508 58,195
Americas (excluding U.S.) — — 3 406 24 2,688 27 3,094
Home2 Suites by Hilton
U.S. — — 2 210 545 57,080 547 57,290
Americas (excluding U.S.) — — — — 7 753 7 753
Asia Pacific — — — — 22 3,309 22 3,309
Other — — 4 1,463 6 1,436 10 2,899
Total hotels 52 17,612 778 244,037 6,255 852,078 7,085 1,113,727
Hilton Grand Vacations — — — — 80 13,703 80 13,703
Total system 52 17,612 778 244,037 6,335 865,781 7,165 1,127,430
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(1) Includes hotels owned or leased by entities in which we own a noncontrolling financial interest.
Management and Franchise
We manage hotels and license our brands through our management and franchise segment, which included 778 managed hotels and 6,255 franchised hotels consisting of 1,096,115 total rooms, as of December 31, 2022. This segment generates its revenue primarily from fees charged to hotel owners under management and franchise contracts, as well as from fees associated with license agreements. We grow our management and franchise business by attracting owners to become a part of our system and participate in our commercial services to support their properties. Our management and franchise contracts provide significant return on investment for us as fees are earned and paid.
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Hotel Management
Our core management services consist of operating hotels under management contracts for the benefit of third parties who either own or lease the hotels and the associated personal property. Often, particularly in the U.S., we employ the individuals working at these locations. Terms of our management contracts vary, but our fees generally consist of a base management fee, which is generally based on a percentage of the hotel’s monthly gross revenue, and, when applicable, an incentive management fee, which is generally based on a percentage of the hotel's operating profits, normally over a one-year calendar period, and, in some cases, may be subject to a stated return threshold to the hotel owner. In general, the owner pays all operating and other expenses and reimburses our out-of-pocket expenses. In turn, our managerial discretion typically is subject to approval by the owner in certain major areas, including the approval of annual operating and capital expenditure budgets and the appointment of certain key personnel. Additionally, the owners generally pay a monthly program fee based on the underlying hotel's sales or usage, as reimbursement for the costs related to our: (i) advertising and marketing programs; (ii) internet, technology and reservation systems; and (iii) quality assurance programs. Owners are also responsible for various other fees and charges, including payments for participation in our Hilton Honors guest loyalty program, training, consultation and procurement of certain goods and services. As of December 31, 2022, we m anaged 778 hotels with 244,037 r ooms, which does not include hotels in our ownership segment.
The initial terms of our management contracts are typically 20 to 30 years. In certain cases, we are both the franchisor and manager of the hotel, when we enter into a franchise contract in addition to the management contract, and, in these cases, we classify the hotel as managed in our system. Extension options for our management contracts are negotiated and vary, but typically are more prevalent in full service hotels. Generally, these contracts contain one or two extension options that are for either five or 10 years and can be exercised at our or the hotel owner's option or by mutual agreement, as specified by the contract.
Some of our management contracts provide early termination rights to hotel owners upon certain events, including the failure to meet certain financial or performance criteria. Performance test measures typically are based upon the hotel’s performance individually and/or in comparison to specified competitive hotels. We often have an optional cure right to pay an amount equal to the performance shortfall over a specified period, although in some cases our cure rights are limited.
Franchising
We license our IP, including our brand names, trademarks and service marks, and our operating systems to hotel owners under franchise contracts. We do not own, manage or operate franchised properties, do not employ the individuals working at these properties and do not have any legal responsibility for the employees or the liabilities associated with operating these properties. We conduct periodic inspections of our franchised hotels to ensure that brand standards that we establish are maintained. For newly franchised hotels, including both new construction and conversions of existing hotels outside of our system, we approve the location, as well as the plans for the facilities, to ensure the hotels meet our brand standards. For existing franchised hotels, we provide franchisees with property improvement plans that must be completed to keep the hotels in compliance with our brand standards, so that they can remain in our hotel system. We also earn license fees from license agreements with strategic partners, including co-branded credit card providers, and HGV for the use of our IP.
Each franchisee pays us an application, initiation or other fee in conjunction with the inception of a franchise contract. Franchisees also pay a royalty fee, generally based on a percentage of the hotel’s monthly gross room revenue and, in some cases, may also include a percentage of gross food and beverage revenues and other revenues, as applicable. Additionally, the franchisees generally pay a monthly program fee based on the underlying hotel's sales or usage, as reimbursement for the costs related to our: (i) advertising and marketing programs; (ii) internet, technology and reservation systems; and (iii) quality assurance programs. Franchisees are also responsible for various other fees and charges, including payments for participation in our Hilton Honors guest loyalty program, training, consultation and procurement of certain goods and services. As of December 31, 2022, we franchised 6,335 hotels and resorts, including timeshare properties, with 865,781 rooms.
Our franchise contracts typically have initial terms of approximately 20 years for new hotels and approximately 10 to 20 years for hotels converting from hotels outside of our system. At the expiration of the initial term, we may have a contractual right or obligation to relicense the hotel to the franchisee for an additional term generally ranging from 10 to 15 years. We have the right to terminate a franchise contract upon specified events of default, including nonpayment of fees or noncompliance with brand standards. If a franchise contract is terminated by us because of a franchisee’s default, the franchisee is contractually required to pay us liquidated damages.
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Ownership
As a hotel owner and lessee, we focus on maximizing cost efficiency and profitability of the portfolio by, among other things, maximizing hotel revenues, implementing cost-effective labor management practices and systems and reducing fixed costs. Through our disciplined approach to hotel and asset management, we develop and execute on strategic plans for each of our hotels to enhance their competitive position and, at many of our hotels, we invest in renovating guest rooms and public spaces and adding or enhancing meeting and retail space to improve profitability. As of December 31, 2022, the segment included 52 hotels totaling 17,612 rooms, comprising 45 hotels that we leased, two hotels that were each leased by a consolidated variable interest entity ("VIE") and five hotels owned or leased by unconsolidated affiliates.
Environmental, Social and Governance
Hilton strives to create long-term value for all of our stakeholders through: (i) our resilient business model; (ii) our ESG efforts to support the long-term viability of our business; and (iii) our more than 100-year history of filling the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality and making the world a better place through travel and connection.
As one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, we recognize Hilton has a responsibility to protect the planet and support the communities we serve to ensure our hotel destinations remain vibrant and resilient for generations of travelers to come. Hilton is committed to driving responsible travel and tourism globally and furthering positive environmental and social impact across our operations and communities through our ESG strategy, Travel with Purpose. We believe that the need for responsible leadership commensurate with our global scale will continue to be of great importance in the years to come. In 2022, Hilton was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices ("DJSI") for the sixth consecutive year, scoring in the 100th percentile in our industry, reflecting Hilton's significant investment in building a leading ESG strategy.
We continue to make progress in our ESG commitments and, in 2022, refreshed our ESG strategic framework to focus and communicate our ESG strategy across all three ESG pillars: (i) environmental — aiming toward a net zero future with well-defined targets for watts (carbon and energy), water and waste; (ii) social — supporting and advancing careers, communities and responsible conduct; and (iii) governance — advancing and measuring our goals with a focus on integrity and transparency and leveraging our public affairs and advocacy work, our partnerships and our policies and reporting.
As part of the 2022 update to our ESG strategic framework, we launched new environmental and social impact goals, including updated emissions reduction targets. Our updated 2030 Goals align with the global Sustainable Development Goals ("SDGs") adopted by the United Nations in 2015 and are guided by our evaluation of the social and environmental issues that are critical to our business and our long-term success. Further, our ESG efforts are supported by a robust governance structure, designed to ensure our ESG objectives are an important part of our business and strategic priorities as we work towards our 2030 Goals. Our Chief ESG Officer reports directly to our Chief Executive Officer, and our executive committee receives at least quarterly updates on our ESG programs and progress towards our 2030 Goals. The Nominating & ESG Committee, one of the three standing committees of Hilton's board of directors, receives quarterly reports on progress toward our 2030 Goals, reviews and assesses our ESG strategy and makes recommendations to the board and management as appropriate. The board of directors also receives annual updates on progress towards our 2030 Goals.
Significant ESG risks, including risks related to climate change, natural disasters, supply chain disruption, health and safety and ethics, fraud and corruption are integrated in Hilton's Enterprise Risk Management program as part of Hilton's annual Enterprise Risk assessment process. The results of this process are reviewed by our executive committee and our board of directors, including the Audit Committee, to inform enterprise-wide strategic planning. We also engage with stakeholders on an ongoing basis to refine and enhance our strategy, to help align our programs with the issues that matter the most to our business and stakeholders.
As part of this effort, we completed a thorough ESG materiality assessment in 2020, leveraging guidance from the Global Reporting Initiative ("GRI"), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board ("SASB") and the World Economic Forum. Of the more than 200 ESG issues considered, our stakeholders were most focused on the following: climate action; employee development and well-being; diversity, equity and inclusion ("DE&I"); employee and guest health, safety and security; human rights; and ethical business practices and regulatory compliance. We used the results of this materiality assessment to advance our Travel with Purpose strategy in alignment with organizational priorities, inform management of ESG risks and drive long-term value for our business and our stakeholders.
We remain committed to reducing our carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions in line with climate science. We evaluate our climate change risks and report annually on our ESG performance, with our reporting prepared in accordance with the GRI
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standards, while integrating the recommendations of the SASB and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures ("TCFD").
LightStay, our proprietary and award-winning ESG management system, is aligned with the criteria of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council ("GSTC") and is used to measure, manage and report many of Hilton's key environmental and social performance metrics, including, but not limited to, carbon emissions, energy, water, waste, volunteer hours, in-kind donations and efficiency projects. Our hotels use LightStay to track and report environmental and social impact data, assess performance and recognize performance improvement opportunities and achievements.
We recognize that achieving meaningful progress towards our 2030 Goals and the SDGs requires collaboration across a wide range of partners and external stakeholders, including the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance ("SHA"), an organization that represents the hotel industry’s collective efforts to support and protect destinations and communities for future generations. Hilton leaders continue to engage with SHA and its membership and have participated in recent efforts to advance the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative and the Hotel Water Measurement Initiative methodologies, which are designed to enable the industry to more consistently measure and report on carbon emissions and water consumption in hotels.
The Hilton Global Foundation (formerly known as the Hilton Effect Foundation), which was launched in 2019, supports nonprofits and local community organizations that serve as partners to amplify our environmental and social impact around the world. The Hilton Global Foundation is our primary international philanthropic arm and is registered as a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) charitable organization. In 2022, we launched the Hilton UK Foundation to support Hilton's mission to support a sustainable future in the UK. Hilton has a long history of partnering with organizations in the UK whose environmental and social priorities align with Hilton's, and we expect to continue these partnerships through the work of the Hilton UK Foundation. The Hilton Global Foundation and Hilton UK Foundation are collectively referred to as the Foundation.
In 2022, the Foundation awarded more than $2 million in grants to organizations supporting destination stewardship, climate action, career development and community resilience. Since 2019, the Foundation has awarded more than $8 million in grants to more than 130 nongovernmental and community-based organizations.
Environmental Impact
In 2022, we reevaluated our environmental impact 2030 Goals and set more ambitious targets. Hilton was the first major hospitality company to set science-based targets that were approved by the Science Based Targets initiative ("SBTi") and the first major hotel brand to obtain revalidation by SBTi. In June 2022, SBTi verified our near-term targets (1.5°C by 2030), which are in alignment with our updated environmental 2030 Goals to cut emissions intensity of our managed hotel portfolio by 75 percent and of our franchised hotel portfolio by 56 percent, with 2008 as our baseline. We continue to work toward our 2030 Goal of reducing water and waste intensity at the hotels we operate, including those that are owned, leased and managed, by 50 percent, with 2008 as our baseline. To achieve our reduction targets, we partnered with a global leader in the field of sustainability and energy procurement to help map out a phased implementation strategy to help us make informed decisions and chart a path to achieving our energy reduction goals. Although we believe that our environmental impact 2030 Goals are ambitious yet attainable, there can be no assurance that we will be able to meet them. As climate science continues to evolve we may further refine our environmental impact 2030 Goals.
In 2022, we continued the certification of our portfolio of hotels to ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environmental) and ISO 50001 (Energy) standards, which marks 11 years of our properties certified to ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 and eight years for ISO 50001. Further, in alignment with our science-based targets, we continue to take steps to increase our sourcing of renewable energy at our hotels around the world. In the Europe, Middle East and Africa ("EMEA") region, one third of the hotels we operated, as well as our Watford and Glasgow corporate offices, were supplied with 100 percent renewable energy during 2022. In the U.S., we continue to have a renewable energy option for our managed hotels. Additionally, we provide our customers with the opportunity to make their meetings and events sustainable through our Meet with Purpose offering, a program launched to help customers gather responsibly, incorporate food donations into their programs and positively impact their destinations, or offset their meeting through our carbon neutral meeting offering at select participating hotels.
We continued our focus on our food waste reduction and food donation initiatives, with many of our managed hotels in the U.S. and EMEA piloting donation programs and analytical software to help reduce food waste and associated costs. We also operate a soap recycling program, with over 5,500 of our hotels partnered with soap recycling organizations to donate soap bars and other unused supplies from our hotels to those in need, consistent with our effort to reduce waste. We have made progress on our commitment to reduce single use plastics at our hotels, offering Digital Keys at more than 80 percent of our hotels and requiring all hotels to comply with the adoption of bulk amenities by 2023.
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In 2022, the Foundation partnered with organizations, such as the Global Water Challenge, One Tree Planted and the Ocean Conservancy, that are making a positive impact in our communities and on the environment. Specifically, the Foundation works with partners that advance: (i) climate action with initiatives that combat urgent climate change and its impact, reducing carbon footprint, energy, water and waste; and (ii) destination stewardship with initiatives that improve travel destinations and positively impact the environment, including conducting clean up, conservation and preservation activities.
We primarily generate carbon emissions from the operation of our hotels. During 2022, our hotels continued to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and occupancy at our owned, leased and managed properties exceeded 2021 levels, and, by the second half of 2022, it approached 2019 levels. As such, we experienced a year-over-year increase in consumption of energy, water and waste in 2022 in-line with the year-over-year increase in occupancy. However, this consumption, on both a per square meter and absolute basis, remained below 2019 levels, and we remain on track to achieve our updated 2030 Goals.
We have achieved the following reductions in environmental impact since 2008:
Percent Reduction Achieved Since 2008 (1)
Reduction in water consumption per square meter (2)
33 %
Reduction in landfilled waste per square meter (2)
65
Reduction in carbon dioxide emissions per square meter (2)
47
Energy consumption per square meter (2)
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____________
(1) Reflects data as of December 31, 2022 that has been reviewed by an independent third party.
(2) Reflects performance across Hilton's owned, leased and managed properties, which totaled approximately 28.4 million square meters as of December 31, 2022. Although consumption and waste generation were higher in 2022 than in 2021 and 2020, correlated with the increase in occupancy resulting from our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, they remain below 2019 levels.
The data in the following tables, which have been reviewed by an independent third party, reflect the key sustainability metrics for our managed, owned and leased properties, as well as recommendations of the SASB within their Hotel & Lodging and Restaurant Standards:
Year Ended December 31,
Metric 2022 (1)
2021 (1)
2020 (1)
2019 (1)
Energy management
Total energy consumed, in gigajoules per square meter 0.86 0.81 0.72 1.03
Percent total energy from grid electricity 56.7 % 56.3 % 56.3 % 53.8 %
Carbon emissions
Total emissions (Scope 1 and 2), in metric tons CO 2 e per square meter (2)
0.083 0.079 0.069 0.101
Water management
Amount withdrawn, in cubic meters per square meter 1.94 1.79 1.55 2.35
Amount consumed, in cubic meters per square meter 0.485 0.447 0.388 0.586
Percent in regions with high or extremely high baseline water stress (3)
39 % 37 % 37 % 32 %
Waste management
Amount generated, in metric tons per square meter 0.0051 0.0042 0.0039 0.0080
Percent diverted from landfills (4)
35.7 % 32.0 % 33.9 % 34.8 %
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Year Ended December 31,
Absolute Consumption (5)
2022 (1)
2021 (1)
2020 (1)
2019 (1)
Total energy consumed, in million gigajoules 24.5 22.2 17.8 24.6
Direct emissions (Scope 1), in million metric tons CO 2 e
0.45 0.42 0.33 0.48
Indirect emissions (Scope 2), in million metric tons CO 2 e (2)
1.90 1.76 1.39 1.93
Water withdrawn, in million cubic meters (m 3 )
55.1 49.1 38.7 56.1
Water consumed, in million cubic meters (m 3 )
13.8 12.3 9.7 14.0
Waste generated, in million metric tons 0.14 0.11 0.10 0.19
____________
(1) The decreases in consumption reflected in these measures during the year ended December 31, 2020 and then the increases in consumption reflected in these measures, if applicable, during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022 were primarily attributable to the reduction in occupancy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020, followed by Hilton's recovery from the impact of the pandemic during 2021 and 2022 and the related increases in occupancy. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the hotel operations at approximately 380 of our managed, owned and leased hotels were completely or partially suspended for some period of time, while only approximately 120 had suspended operations for some period of time during 2021. Substantially all of our hotels had re-opened by the end of 2021 and have remained open and operating since then. The changes in occupancy and the number of hotel suspensions were directly correlated with and impacted the consumption of energy, water and waste at our hotels around the world.
(2) Scope 2 market-based emissions as defined by The Greenhouse Gas Protocol: A Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard (Revised Edition).
(3) Water stress as defined by the World Resources Institute ("WRI"). Represents the percentage (by square meter) of owned, leased and managed hotels, in regions with baseline water stress, that have high or extremely high baseline water stress.
(4) Amount of waste not diverted from landfills in metric tons per square meter was 0.0033, 0.0029, 0.0026 and 0.0052 for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019. Although the amount was higher in 2022 than in 2021 and 2020, correlated with the increase in the amount of waste generated resulting from our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, it remained below 2019 levels.
(5) Total floor area of Hilton's owned, leased and managed properties, for which absolute consumption is reflected, was 28.4 million square meters, 27.5 million square meters, 24.9 million square meters and 23.9 million square meters as of December 31, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Absolute consumption increased during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 due to our increased floor area and increased occupancy, as described above.
Social Impact
With a presence in 123 countries and territories, we use our global scale to focus on creating learning and career growth opportunities, positively impacting our communities and promoting responsible, inclusive conduct across our value chain, all with consideration for human rights and DE&I.
As such, in 2022, we updated our social impact 2030 Goals to the following: (i) to provide 5 million learning and career growth opportunities for our employees and our communities with a focus on underrepresented groups; (ii) to meaningfully impact 20 million community members; and (iii) to promote responsible, inclusive conduct across 100 percent of our value chain operations. We used these goals to guide our social impact initiatives in 2022.
Through our Foundation, we partner with the International Youth Foundation by providing our Passport to Success Concierge program, an online course that is free to youth around the globe who are interested in building the core skills for a career in travel and tourism. Since its launch in August 2021, over 22,000 youth and Hilton employees have accessed the program through 2022. We partner with organizations around the globe supporting career development including Jobs for America's Graduates, Travis Early College High School Hospitality College, The Punlaan School and R.O.L.E. Foundation.
Hilton also remains committed to combating human trafficking, and we require all hotel-based employees to complete an annual training on identifying signs of trafficking. We partner with expert organizations, including Vital Voices, It’s a Penalty and ECPAT, to help prevent and mitigate such risks, including at an industry level through the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, World Travel and Tourism Council, American Hotel & Lodging Association and United Kingdom ("U.K.") Stop Slavery Hotel Industry Network. The Foundation furthered these efforts by committing to grant $500,000 in total over the next three years to the AHLA Foundation's No Room for Trafficking ("NRFT") Survivor Fund, starting in 2023. The NRFT Survivor Fund aims to equip community-based organizations with the resources to engage and support trafficking survivors – from direct financial support of their short-term, baseline needs to career-related support.
Further, we have reached more than 35,000 refugees since 2015 through volunteering, in-kind donations, purchasing, training, shelter and employment. In addition, in 2022, in partnership with #HospitalityHelps and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (a UN Refugee Agency), we supported the Ukraine refugee crisis by providing accommodations to more than 42,000 refugees seeking shelter across our EMEA region. Further, Hilton is part of the Tent Coalition for Refugees ("Tent") in the U.S. and Canada, and in 2022, we expanded our hiring commitment in partnership with Tent to hire 1,500 refugees in the U.S. over the next three years.
During 2022, Hilton and the Foundation supported our hotel teams and surrounding communities through disasters and crises, including Hurricane Ian and the Ukraine refugee crisis. This approach included donating to organizations at the
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frontlines of the crises, supporting the delivery of meals, medical care and other basic needs, as well as support for the families of impacted employees through Hilton's third-party operated Team Member Assistance Fund ("TMAF"). In August 2022, Hilton expanded its TMAF program to provide further assistance to its employees. In addition to continuing to support Team Members following disasters, the expanded program enables the TMAF to support employees experiencing undue financial hardship due to unexpected personal circumstances and larger crisis situations. Hilton employees, as well as individuals working at managed and franchised hotels who are not employed by Hilton, can apply for financial assistance when impacted by disaster and extreme hardship. In 2022, the TMAF provided assistance grants to more than 1,400 individuals.
In addition to collaboration across our industry and within the business community, we are focused on achieving change by leveraging the scale of our supply chain. We remain committed to embedding robust due diligence across our supply chain and partnering with suppliers to advance positive impact in our communities. Furthermore, by leveraging our size and scale, we also aim to expand local sourcing from small businesses and strengthen business with diverse suppliers. Through our award-winning Supplier Diversity Program, we engage women-, minority-, veteran-, disabled- and LGTBQ+ owned businesses in sourcing opportunities across Hilton in all categories.
During 2022, our employees around the world reported nearly 345,000 volunteer hours in their local communities, including during our Travel with Purpose Week, an annual week of volunteering focused on destination stewardship, including beach cleanups, tree planting, trash pickup and clothing donations.
Human Capital Management
As of December 31, 2022, we employed or managed approximately 159,000 individuals working at our owned, leased and managed properties and corporate offices. There were an additional 259,000 individuals employed by third-party owners working at our franchised properties.
We strive to be the most hospitable company in the world, and we believe that an effective human capital management strategy is an essential component of that effort. Our strategy focuses on attracting, developing and retaining the best talent in the industry, and our executive committee reviews talent strategy and succession plans on a quarterly basis to assess current and future talent needs. We want to build a strong employee-centered culture that creates connectivity, camaraderie and trust among all employees, which then supports our employees to deliver positive experiences to guests at our hotels.
Attracting and retaining talent remains a leading area of focus, as competition for talent across industries remains strong. While our hiring levels in 2022 were higher than they were before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been affected by global labor shortages, making it more difficult to recruit talent. In response, we continue to review our compensation policies to maintain competitiveness and we have invested in employee programs and offerings and enhanced our recruiting strategies to tap into new pools of talent.
DE&I
Our workforce should represent the communities where we live and work, which is why we are committed to achieving global gender parity and 25 percent U.S. ethnic representation at our corporate leadership levels by the end of 2027. Our leaders are committed to our diversity and inclusion efforts, and we hold them accountable through our organizational objectives that measure their performance against our commitments.
As of December 31, 2022, the global workforce that we employ or manage was 43 percent women. Globally, corporate leadership was 40 percent women and hotel leadership was 25 percent women. As of December 31, 2022, in the U.S., our workforce was 72 percent ethnically diverse, with U.S. corporate leadership being 19 percent ethnically diverse and U.S. hotel leadership being 23 percent ethnically diverse. As of December 31, 2022, our board of directors, excluding management directors, was 50 percent women and 25 percent ethnically diverse.
Hilton has a long legacy of supporting the military dating back to our founder, Conrad Hilton, a World War I veteran. Since the launch of our Operation Opportunity program in 2015, we have hired more than 35,000 veterans, spouses, caregivers and dependents. Veterans and their spouses are valuable assets for our company as they bring a unique set of highly transferable skills, experience and values.
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As part of our commitment to an inclusive environment, we offer the following resources to our employees:
• Team Member Resource Groups ("TMRG") – Our nine TMRGs have global reach and each one is sponsored by an executive leader. They provide members with opportunities for career development and the chance to share their unique perspectives and viewpoints with leadership and other colleagues to drive important conversations about inclusion and equity across the enterprise.
• Courageous Conversations – Courageous Conversations is a global, virtual learning series featuring internal and external thought leaders who explore elements of DE&I to help drive greater awareness, understanding and a more inclusive workplace.
• Pathway Programs – Hilton helps foster economic mobility for historically underrepresented talent and supports diversity efforts across our organization. We have partnerships with racial and social justice organizations, university scholarship programs and a Pathways Program Office, which is focused on expanding our current pathways programs and stewarding the creation of new pathways for future employees to join Hilton.
• Annual trainings – We require all employees to complete training as part of our Inclusive and Respectful Workplace curriculum, which is based on the underlying principles of our Code of Conduct. This annual requirement includes training on unconscious bias, DE&I, preventing human trafficking and anti-harassment. Our Code of Conduct states that we do not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment on the basis of any characteristic protected by applicable law. For our guest-facing employees, our mandatory DE&I training is scenario-driven training designed to promote positive, inclusive behaviors.
Thrive at Hilton
Thrive at Hilton is our value proposition designed to enable employees to grow and flourish in both their professional and personal lives. To make that happen, we offer programs designed to provide our employees with tools to excel in their roles.
We offer a range of benefits and programs to help our employees thrive at work and at home. Such benefits and programs include paid time off, parental leave, adoption assistance, subsidized health insurance, education assistance and flexible work arrangements, including remote work opportunities for our corporate employees, and Go Hilton Travel programs, which make discounted rooms available to hotel and corporate employees, as well as their families and friends.
We strive to provide medical and mental health care that is convenient, accessible and affordable for our employees. Our programs include:
• Care for All – a global platform launched in 2022 focused on caregiving that provides resources for employee self-care, as well as enabling employees to care for others, including sick, disabled or elderly family members, children and pets. This benefit is also extended to employees' families and friends.
• Wellthy – a caregiving concierge service which provides assistance to employees working through the logistical and administrative tasks related to care, such as finding the right in-home aide, contesting medical bills, evaluating care providers or finding care options for veterans for eligible employees in the U.S., U.K. and Ireland.
• Employee Assistance Program – offers free and confidential services, such as counseling and recommending resources to find services such as child and eldercare, legal advice and apartment hunting and relocation.
We regularly survey our employees to gauge the level of job satisfaction and effective relationships with management, among other things and use their feedback to inspire program enhancements and new offerings. We strive to maximize employee retention and minimize attrition with these and other measures. Approximately 35 percent of our U.S. employees have been with Hilton for at least 10 years.
Compensation and Benefits
Hilton offers competitive pay and benefits to its employees, including a variety of compensation programs and comprehensive benefit programs. Hilton has hired consulting firms to independently evaluate the effectiveness of executive compensation and benefit programs and utilized their feedback to further our commitment to deliver competitive levels of
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compensation and benefits. We regularly review gender and diversity pay parity among our employees as part of our ongoing talent processes.
We also want our employees to share in our success and, as a result of employee feedback, we offer an employee stock purchase plan ("ESPP") for eligible employees in the U.S., U.K. and United Arab Emirates. Through our ESPP, eligible employees can purchase Hilton stock through after-tax payroll deductions at a 15 percent discount from the market stock price and benefit from the hard work they put into making Hilton a success.
As of December 31, 2022, approximately 30 percent of people employed or managed by us globally and approximately 40 percent of people working in the U.S. were covered by various collective bargaining agreements that generally address pay rates, working hours, other terms and conditions of employment, certain employee benefits and orderly settlement of labor disputes.
Development and Training
Our career development approach emphasizes customized experiences so that employees can follow a training and career path best suited to their goals. Hilton University, our global learning platform, gives employees access to a robust library of learning resources. We partner with leading educational institutions and content providers across the globe to deliver high-quality, relevant content to our employees, including a wide array of general business, industry or function-specific technical skills and leadership development courses and programs. Our Hilton University platform, Job Skills Hubs and LinkedIn Learnings Playlists provide flexible, accessible learning designed to help our employees learn and grow.
Our employees have the opportunity to grow their leadership skills and careers through our Lead@Hilton framework, which is designed to develop leaders throughout their careers and features the Hilton Leaders Teaching Leaders video series, as well as content from partners such as Cornell University and Harvard University. Curriculums curated for varying levels of experience aim to provide foundational tools, as well as coaching, mentoring and wellness resources.
Our GM Academy curriculum is centered on nine core General Manager ("GM") business capabilities, some of which include leadership and people management, asset management, customer engagement and commercial performance. Additionally, Hilton's Signature Leadership Development programs focus on building effective leaders across the enterprise to grow our leadership bench strength. These programs provide opportunities for participants to develop key capabilities, network with and learn from senior leaders and enhance leadership and business acumen.
In 2022, we launched our partnership with Guild Education to provide our U.S. employees with a continuing education platform to help them pursue and attain their educational goals debt-free. Through this partnership, employees have access to a wide variety of educational credentials from leading universities and learning providers including high school completion, English language learning, college degrees and professional certifications.
Awards and Recognition
We have consistently been recognized for our Hilton culture, and our awards for 2022 included: Following our placement as #1 in 2021, an induction into DiversityInc's Hall of Fame for the Top Companies for Diversity, Military Times Best for Vets #14 (Overall) and #1 (Hospitality), Military Friendly Employer with Gold distinction, Veteran Magazine Best of the Best Veteran Friendly Company, Great Place to Work Institute ("GPTW") #2 World’s Best Workplace, GPTW & Fortune #2 Best Place to Work in the U.S., GPTW & Fortune #1 Best Place to Work for Women in the U.S. (for the fourth consecutive year) and GPTW & Fortune #1 Best Place to Work in six countries (Austria, China, Ireland, Peru, Turkiye and Uruguay). Additionally, we received a 100 percent rating in the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign for our commitment to corporate policies, practices and benefits pertinent to LGBTQ+ employees for the ninth consecutive year.
Governance, Ethics and Regulatory Compliance
As a core underpinning of our entire organization, our ethics and compliance program is overseen by our board of directors, which expects all Hilton employees to conduct themselves at high standards with respect to all ethics and compliance matters. Our Code of Conduct establishes a set of global business principles, with our compliance organization, training, risk management and monitoring activities tailored to address unique risks by geography, business line, function and level. Our Code of Conduct is supported by a robust set of compliance policies addressing risk areas such as corruption, trade sanctions, insider trading, privacy, confidential information, antitrust and escalation of concerns. Our legal and compliance training program, which is an annual requirement for all of our employees, provides the ability to convey a consistent set of compliance
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standards across the organization in formats designed to target different knowledge levels, learning styles and functional needs. Our annual training calendar includes mandatory training and supplemental training that is supported by company-wide awareness campaigns highlighting Hilton-specific risks and scenarios. We also use passive communication channels, including electronic bulletin board screens in the employee break room areas of our hotels, and internal newsletters, including a publication that highlights real Hilton Hotline matters and their resolutions.
In governing the physical safety of our properties and teams, to help ensure the safety and security of our employees and guests, we constantly monitor threats and incidents around the world through online tools and external networks and partnerships; support our properties globally with crisis alert communications, crisis plans and area crisis teams; provide employees with safety and security training resources; and conduct safety and security audits annually using a risk-based approach.
Our legal compliance team administers a third-party risk management program so that we understand the qualifications, reputation and associations of third parties with whom we transact, particularly third parties who interface with government officials and third parties who act in Hilton’s name, such as owners of our hotels. The third-party risk management program includes due diligence, education materials for third parties, ongoing monitoring of relationships and appropriate contract audit and termination rights. Our legal compliance team also monitors EthicsPoint, a comprehensive and confidential reporting tool to assist management and employees address fraud, abuse and other misconduct in the workplace. The Audit Committee of our board of directors receives regular updates from our legal compliance team.
Competition
We encounter active and robust competition as a hotel and resort manager, franchisor, owner and lessee. Competition in the hospitality industry is based on several criteria, generally including: the attractiveness of the facility; location; level of service; quality of accommodations; amenities; food and beverage options and outlets; public and meeting spaces and other guest services; consistency of service; room rate; brand reputation; and the ability to earn and redeem loyalty program points through a global system. Our properties and brands compete with other hotels, resorts, motels, inns and other accommodation rental services in their respective geographic markets or customer segments, including facilities owned by local interests, individuals, national and international chains, institutions, investment and pension funds and real estate investment trusts ("REITs"). We believe that our position as a multi-branded manager, franchisor, owner and lessee of hotels with an associated global, system-wide guest loyalty and commercial platform helps us continue to maintain our position as one of the largest and most geographically diverse hospitality companies in the world.
Our principal competitors include other branded and independent hotel operating companies, national and international hotel brands and ownership companies. While local and independent brand competitors vary, on a global scale, our primary competitors are Accor S.A., Choice Hotels International, Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Marriott International, Radisson Hotel Group and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.
Seasonality
The hospitality industry is seasonal in nature. The periods during which our properties experience higher or lower levels of demand vary from property to property, depending principally upon their location, type of property and competitive mix within the specific location. While results were less predictable as a result of COVID-19 and related travel restrictions, based on historical results, we generally expect our revenues to be lower in the first quarter of each year than in each of the three subsequent quarters.
Cyclicality
The hospitality industry is cyclical, and demand generally follows, on a lagged basis, key macroeconomic indicators. There is a history of increases and decreases in the development and supply of and demand for hotel rooms, occupancy levels and room rates realized by hotel owners through economic cycles. The combination of changes in economic conditions and in the supply of hotel rooms can result in significant volatility in results for owners and managers of hotel properties. The costs of running a hotel, including personnel costs, rent, property taxes, insurance and utilities, tend to be more fixed than variable. As a result of such fixed costs, in a negative economic environment, the rate of decline in earnings can be higher than the rate of decline in revenues. In 2020, we and our hotel owners experienced a downturn in the current industry cycle driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, which continued into the beginning of 2021. However, the level of travel in 2021 and 2022 recovered substantially when compared to that of 2020, and in the third and fourth quarters of 2022, such performance exceeded performance for the same periods in 2019.
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Intellectual Property
In the highly competitive hospitality industry in which we operate, trademarks, service marks, trade names, logos and patents are very important to the success of our business. We have a significant number of trademarks, service marks, trade names, logos, patents and pending registrations and expend significant resources each year on surveillance, registration and protection of our IP, which we believe has become synonymous in the hospitality industry with a reputation for excellence in service and authentic hospitality.
Government Regulation
Our business is subject to various foreign and U.S. federal and state laws and regulations, including laws and regulations that govern the offer and sale of franchises, many of which impose substantive requirements on franchise contracts and require that certain materials be registered before franchises can be offered or sold in a particular jurisdiction.
In addition, a number of states regulate the activities of hospitality properties and restaurants, including safety and health standards, as well as the sale of liquor at such properties, by requiring licensing, registration, disclosure statements and compliance with specific standards of conduct. Operators of hospitality properties also are subject to laws governing their relationship with employees, including minimum wage requirements, overtime, working conditions and work permit requirements. Our franchisees are responsible for their own compliance with laws, including with respect to their employees, minimum wage requirements, overtime, working conditions and work permit requirements. Compliance with, or changes in, these laws could reduce the revenue and profitability of our properties and could otherwise adversely affect our operations.
We also manage hotels with casino gaming operations as part of or adjacent to the hotels. However, with the exception of casinos at certain properties in Puerto Rico and Egypt, third parties manage and operate the casinos. We hold and maintain the casino gaming license and manage the casinos located in Puerto Rico and Egypt and employ third-party compliance consultants and service providers. As a result, our business operations at these facilities are subject to the licensing and regulatory control of the local regulatory agency responsible for gaming licenses and operations in those jurisdictions.
For additional information on government regulation, including environmental regulations and requirements, refer to "Part I—Item 1A. Risk Factors."
Insurance
U.S. hotels that we manage are permitted to participate in certain of our insurance programs by mutual agreement with our hotel owners. If not participating in our programs, hotel owners must purchase insurance programs consistent with our requirements. Generally, U.S. franchised hotels are not permitted to participate in our insurance programs, but rather must purchase insurance programs consistent with our requirements. Foreign managed and franchised hotels are generally required to participate in certain of our insurance programs. In addition, our management and franchise contracts typically include provisions requiring the owner of any hotel to indemnify us against losses arising from the design, development and operation of such hotel.
Most of our insurance policies are written with self-insured retentions or deductibles that are common in the insurance market for similar risks, and we believe such risks are prudent for us to assume. Our third-party insurance policies provide coverage for claim amounts that exceed our self-insurance retentions or deductible obligations. We maintain insurance coverage for general liability, property, business interruption, terrorism and other risks with respect to our business for all of our owned and leased hotels, and we maintain workers' compensation or equivalent coverage for all of our employees. We also are self-insured for health coverages for some of our U.S. and Puerto Rico employees, which include those working at our corporate operations and managed hotels, with purchased insurance protection for costs over specified thresholds. In general, our insurance provides coverage related to any claims or losses arising out of the design, development and operation of our hotels.
Where You Can Find More Information
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the internet at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Our SEC filings are also available free of charge on our website at ir.hilton.com as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with or furnished to the SEC. Our website and the information contained on or connected to that site are not incorporated into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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