Page 259 - The New Gold Standard

Sustainability and Stewardship
ate opportunity for them to regain housing. We knew the hotel
would be closed for a significant period of time. Some business
leaders would need to know the return on an investment before
they would support such a decision. Ultimately, we knew that
doing the right thing for our people is what produces our uniquely
engaged workforce. Our company has always been focused on
the right work environment. By creating that environment for
the Ladies and Gentlemen, they deliver great service to the cus-
tomers.” President Simon Cooper goes on to note that many
staff members seized the opportunity for relocation; managers,
for example, “were relocated around the system. We also had a
reunion for them in Miami about a month later. National Bas-
ketball Association star, Shaquille O’Neal, spent an hour with
our Ladies and Gentlemen. Our hotel owners reached out, es-
pecially Mercer Reynolds, owner of The Ritz-Carlton, Reynolds
Plantation, who also offered free housing to a number of em-
ployees.”
The spirit of assistance in crisis transfers to the actions of
the Ladies and Gentlemen, as articulated in a letter written to the
Miami Herald by Beatrice Hines. She was a guest at The Ritz-
Carlton, Golf & Spa Resort, Rose Hall, Jamaica, when Hurri-
cane Dean hit the island. Beatrice wrote, “First Class to all the
Ladies and Gentlemen who ensured that all guests and the chil-
dren from Blossom Gardens Orphanage were safe and comfort-
able throughout the night.You all did an amazing job in preparing
the hotel for the hurricane and then worked very hard to bring
the property back to life by clearing debris and refreshing our
guest rooms. The day immediately after the hurricane, the guests
started enjoying their vacation again, as if nothing had hap-
pened, and it is all because of your efforts and hard work in en-
livening the Credo.”
The Ritz-Carlton, Rose Hall, “adopted” the Blossom Gar-
den Orphanage in 2001. Since that time, the Community Foot-
prints activities established by the employees at that location
have included hosting quarterly “fun days for the children” with

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