Corporate Social Responsibility in the Hospitality Industry and its contribution to the welfare of local communities. The case of Hilton Hotels

Bachelor Thesis , 2020 , 85 Pages , Grade: 1,7

Tourism - Hotel Management

This bachelor this thesis attempts to apply Freeman’s (1984) Stakeholder Theory in order to recognize the primary stakeholder groups, in this case, local communities. It will try to answer the following questions: How is the Hilton’s CSR strategic level structured? Which role do communities play in Hiltons’ CSR strategy? What are the current Hilton’s CSR initiatives and goals that contribute to the welfare of communities? Moreover, it helps to clarify the company’s behaviour and relationship with its stakeholders, having in mind Freeman’s major idea that the best responses to the strong influence of stakeholders in a company are to balance their conflicting and challenging demands through the constant evaluation of the company’s sustainable best practices.

In addition, this thesis aims to examine the implication of CSR in the hospitality industry and analyse the current CSR initiatives and best practices in the hospitality industry towards the welfare of communities. Thus, this research intends to evaluate in detail the CSR strategy of one renowned international hotel corporation in order to classify the important role that communities play in the strategy and to identify CSR initiatives and best practices towards the communities as stakeholders in the hospitality industry. This study takes as example the Hilton Worldwide Hotels.

The literature part of this thesis is composed by four main chapters: the introduction and research questions, the development of the CSR idea, followed by its implication in the tourism and hospitality industry and the central problematic of CSR in international hotel companies towards local communities and finally, an introduction to the relation between the hospitality industry and the society and communities. After the introductory part, the second part introduces and describes some of the most relevant literature discoveries on Corporate Social Responsibility. In addition, it highlights the association of CSR and sustainable development, presents a variety of concepts and definitions, and introduces a theoretical review concerning its correlation with society and communities.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
• 1.1 Background
• 1.2 Problem formulation
• 1.3 Overall aim and research questions
• 1.4 Outline of the thesis
• CHAPTER 2: CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
• 2.1 CSR and sustainable development
• 2.2 CSR concepts and values
• 2.3 Types of responsibilities
• 2.4 CSR theories and approaches
• 2.4.1 The stakeholder approach
• 2.4.2 The strategic CSR and shared value
• 2.4.3 The legitimacy theory
• 2.5 Reasons for CSR and critics
• CHAPTER 3: CSR IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM INDUSTRY
• 3.1 Ethical issues and CSR initiatives in tourism
• 3.2 Green hotels or greenwashing
• 3.3 CSR reporting in hospitality
• CHAPTER 4: SOCIETY AND THE TOURISM INDUSTRY
• 4.1 Hotels and communities
• 4.2 Impacts on communities
• 4.3 Challenges towards CSR
• CHAPTER 5: METHODOLOGY
• CHAPTER 6: PRESENTATION OF THE CASE
• CHAPTER 7: RESEARCH FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS
• 7.1 Introduction to Hilton Hotels
• 7.2 Hilton CSR reporting
• 7.3 Hilton's CSR strategic structure
• 7.3.1 Mission and Vision
• 7.3.2 LightStay System
• 7.3.3 Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals
• 7.3.4 Hilton's code of conduct
• 7.3.5 Awards and recognitions
• 7.4 CR Strategy management and implementation
• 7.5 Hilton's stakeholders and communities
• 7.6 Interview
• 7.7 Hilton's initiatives and achievements
• CHAPTER 8: DISCUSSION

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis examines the role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the hospitality industry, focusing on its contribution to the well-being of local communities. The study uses Hilton Hotels as a case example to explore the implementation and effectiveness of CSR initiatives in a global hotel chain.

• The definition and development of CSR in relation to sustainable development.
• The various theories and approaches to CSR, including stakeholder engagement and shared value creation.
• The challenges and opportunities for CSR in the hospitality and tourism sector.
• The specific CSR initiatives and strategies adopted by Hilton Hotels.
• The impact of Hilton's CSR efforts on local communities and stakeholders.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter provides an introduction to the topic of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the hospitality industry. It outlines the background, problem formulation, research aim, and key research questions. Chapter two delves into the theoretical foundations of CSR, defining its core concepts and values, exploring different types of responsibilities, and examining various CSR theories and approaches. Chapter three examines the application of CSR within the hospitality and tourism sector, highlighting the ethical issues, initiatives, and reporting practices related to CSR in the industry. Chapter four focuses on the interplay between society and the tourism industry, analyzing the impacts of hotels on local communities and the challenges they face in implementing effective CSR strategies. Chapter five outlines the methodology employed in the study, including the research design, data collection methods, and analytical techniques used to examine the case study of Hilton Hotels. Chapter six presents a detailed case study of Hilton Hotels, highlighting its CSR reporting practices, strategic structure, and commitment to sustainable development through initiatives like LightStay and Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals. Chapter seven analyzes the research findings, focusing on the implementation, management, and impact of Hilton's CSR strategies. It explores how Hilton engages with stakeholders, including local communities, and highlights its achievements in contributing to social and environmental well-being.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The thesis focuses on the key concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), sustainable development, the hospitality industry, local communities, stakeholder engagement, shared value, ethical issues, green hotels, CSR reporting, and the case study of Hilton Hotels.

• College: University of Applied Sciences Deggendorf
• Grade: 1,7
• Author: Barbara Beltran Torres (Author)
• Publication Year: 2020
• Pages: 85
• Catalog Number: V980698
• ISBN (eBook): 9783346362940
• ISBN (Book): 9783346362957
• Language: English
• Tags: CSR, Hotel, Corporate social responsibility, sustainability, hilton, SDG, tourism, communities, Gesellschaftliche Verantwortung von Unternehmen