IHG Unites with ECPAT and Polaris Against Human Trafficking

IHG Hotels & Resorts has partnered with two leading anti-human trafficking organizations, ECPAT-USA and Polaris, to strengthen the company’s on-going efforts against trafficking and support survivors.

The launch of these engagements coincides with the United Nations’ July 30 observance of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, designed to call attention to the millions of individuals who are trafficked each year.

Through support of ECPAT-USA and Polaris’ programs, IHG will amplify awareness of the prevalence and dangers of human trafficking through education and advocacy. Senior advisors from both organizations will also join IHG’s anti-human trafficking steering committee and provide subject matter expertise for the company’s initiatives to deter criminal behavior through identification and reporting.

In addition, IHG will continue supporting ECPAT-USA and Polaris through the donation of IHG One Rewards loyalty points, which will help the organizations provide refuge for human trafficking survivors escaping dangerous situations.

As an extension of its engagement with Polaris, IHG will serve as the only hospitality sponsor for its partner’s National Survivor Study.

A core component of Polaris’ evidence-based efforts to fight human trafficking, the Study will include feedback from surveys, interviews and focus groups with anti-trafficking leaders and survivors across North America. Polaris anticipates concluding this research in December 2022.

IHG also continues to work closely with a variety of organizations to coordinate efforts and share anti-human trafficking best practices.

In addition to its partnerships with ECPAT-USA and Polaris, IHG is a proud partner of international nonprofit organization It’s A Penalty, which works to stop trafficking around sporting events, and Atlanta nonprofit organization Wellspring Living in the U.S., which focuses on transforming the lives of those at risk for or victimized by sexual exploitation. 

Working together with industry trade groups such as the American Hotel & Lodging Association and its foundation to support its “No Room for Trafficking” program, as well as offering free anti-human trafficking training for all IHG hotels and colleagues, are additional ways the company is working to effectively fight these exploitations that plague communities across the globe.

A global company with a presence in more than 100 countries across more than 6,000 hotels, IHG considers addressing human trafficking a key component of its larger commitment to responsible business.