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Employment > Awards > N.C.P.E.D.P. - Shell Helen Keller Awards 2004

J. W. Marriott Hotel, Mumbai: Spirit to serve

The J. W. Marriott boasts of more than 2,500 hotels with 200,000 employees in over 65 countries all over the world. This didn't happen by accident: three generations of the Marriott family have always had strong family and community values. They also believe in a simple philosophy that they remind their managers of: “Take good care of your employees and they'll take good care of your customers, and customers will come back.”

Marriott International prides itself on its involvement in the community and works hard to ensure it is a good corporate citizen. One of its initiatives is 'Bridges from School to Work', launched in 1989. This scheme develops paid internships with local employers for students with disabilities as they prepare to leave school, enhancing their opportunity to establish a rewarding career. It is equally rewarding for the employers involved, as they gain educated, trained and pre-screened employees. More than 6,000 young disabled people have been rehabilitated with about 1,500 employers in the US.

Things are no different at J. W. Marriott, Mumbai, which decided at inception that it would continue the belief in such values and took the decision to focus on rehabilitating mentally disabled workers.

As part of the 'Spirit to Serve' Programme in India, and to fulfil its responsibility as a good corporate citizen, it established a relationship with the Dilkhush Special School for the intellectually challenged in Juhu. It then became the first hotel in India to hire mentally challenged 'associates', as the J. W. Marriott, Mumbai prefers to call its employees. Today, as many as five mentally challenged associates are working full-time in departments such as laundry, housekeeping and the kitchen. Their duties include folding towels, linen delivery to rooms, cleaning and wiping crockery and cutting and chopping of vegetables and fruits.

J. W. Marriott, Mumbai also believes in charity beginning at the dining table. Recently, it invited Shobha De for a charity campaign, the proceeds of which were donated to Prerana and The Society of the Home for the Aged in Mumbai. On Mother's Day, guests dining at the hotel received a personalised note from her stating: “10% of the bill would be presented to women who deserve our support the most – abandoned mothers”. Guests contributed generously; one man even doubled his order after hearing of the initiative, and the hotel managed to collect and donate Rupees 50,000 each to the two organisations!

By employing people with disabilities, supporting NGOs and taking other measures like cleaning of Juhu Tara Road and Juhu Beach, J. W. Marriott, Mumbai hopes to set a trend in the industry.

One of the best performing hotels in India, the J. W. Marriott, Mumbai was nominated for the Alice Marriott Award for Community Service in 2002.

Juhu Tara Road, Juhu,
Mumbai 400049.
Phone: +91-22-569 33360
E-mail: john.webb@marriotthotels.com

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