On Wednesday, November 18, students from Georgetown’s Division of Professional Communications visited The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company for the latest in the Center’s social impact field trip series. “Our field trip series brings purpose driven students directly to top organizations for a behind-the-scenes look at how social responsibility is created and communicated in the rapidly evolving social impact sector,” said John Trybus, managing director. “By bringing both students and expert practitioners together, such as at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, the Center is working to convene current and future communication and marketing leaders who are dedicated to advancing social good.” Students spent the afternoon learning from the Community Footprints team about the luxury brand’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, read their thoughts below:
Matteo Bacchi takes notes on the presentation.
Community Footprints, An Introduction
Matteo Bacchi
“The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company’s social and environmental responsibility program is called Community Footprints. This program fits in the culture of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, as it involves its employees with volunteer efforts to support the community. Community Footprints focuses on three types of initiatives: child well-being, hunger and poverty relief, and environmental responsibility. There are Community Footprints’ teams in all The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company hotels in the world, and employees of each hotel focus on contributing to the local community. Again, the main idea behind the program is “succeeding through service”, which remarks the importance of the culture of the organization. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company’s CSR program is effective and successful because it is a natural part of the organization’s DNA.”
Ruosi Wu, center, asks a question during the field trip.
First Class Service, Through and Through
Ruosi Wu
“As a hotel brand, providing first-class service is certainly the core value of Ritz-Carlton. An interesting concept I learned at the lecture was that “Happy employees = happy customers = lots of money.” By keeping this in mind, Ritz-Carltoners keep create wonderful living experience for its customers. Another perspective I found very insightful was that the culture of a brand is not something you can talk about, but something happening. I understand this opinion as value drives action, action forms culture. For example, all Ritz-Carlton employees carry a card that printed with service principles, service promise, motto, etc. It is a card that every employee can refer to whenever they get lost with their purpose. With this card, everyone working at the hotel are bond together with certain agreement, which leads them to offer standard service.”
Joie Tolosa, right, listens attentively as The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company team presents on Community Footprints.
Local Impact
Joie Tolosa
“Ritz Carlton incorporated their CSR efforts to the brand and how they believed in giving back to the community. It was very insightful to hear their story of the wall of applause where they treat 8th graders as VIP and show them how the hotel operates. It was encouraging to see how the Ritz Carlton advocated serving with a purpose and creating a local impact as an essential part of their hotel business rather than a separate part of it.”
Aditya Veera, right, listens to a thoughtful reply by Sue Stephenson, VP of Community Footprints for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.
Credo Driven
Aditya Veera
“The daily line-up, which Sue Stephenson [VP of Community Footprints] called the ‘silver bullet of the brand’, is an incredibly powerful tool for mobilizing employees and achieving alignment with the corporate identity, character, mission and purpose. Hearing the components of the daily line-up, including the WOW stories, inspired me – I can only imagine how powerful it must be for an employee to hear WOW stories on a daily basis. It is an outstanding example of storytelling to ignite drive actual service goals vital to business outcomes.”
Sabrina Song, center, networks with members of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company’s mobile experience team.
Applying Daily Line Up Lessons in the Classroom
Sabrina Qingfei Song
“As a PRCC student who currently enrolled in cause consulting class, my team is expected to conduct weekly reflection journal. Seeming to be unnecessary at the beginning, however, now I really appreciate the opportunity to take a moment and reflect from what our team has done. Reflection is the key for success, for it provides an opportunity to learn and grow.”