Marriott International’s CEO is addressing the controversy surrounding the corporate rollback of DEI while reaffirming the company’s commitment to the values behind it, even as the language and messaging evolve.
Michael Bush, CEO of Marriott International, recently spoke at the Great Place to Work For All Summit in Las Vegas, where he candidly addressed how the global company is responding to President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, Fortune
reports. Bush reflected on lessons from his mentor and former chairman, Bill Marriott, reaffirming the company’s ongoing commitment to DEI.“The winds blow, but there are some fundamental truths for those 98 years,” Capuano said. “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.”
After Trump kicked off his return to the White
House in January by making sweeping changes to DEI, many companies scrambled to respond. Marriott leaders were among the few major corporations to publicly state their commitment to DEI.Capuano met with Marriott’s leadership team to process the news before attending the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles, where he faced numerous questions about the company’s DEI plans. His message stayed true to the company’s DEI values, leaving him moved by the 40,000 employees who expressed their appreciation for the company’s continued support of the practice.
“Within 24 hours, I had 40,000 emails from Marriott associates around the world, saying ‘thank you,’” he said, noting the appreciation many expressed to work for a company whose values aligned with their own.
Marriott is known for having one of the happiest workforces in the world, ranking No. 8 on Fortune’s 2025 100 Best Companies to Work For list, with 90% of employees endorsing the company, well above the 57% average. The company is also among Fortune’s Best Companies actively supporting DEI policies, alongside peers like Delta and Cisco.
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