IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced the IHG Leadership, Inclusivity, Facilitation, and Transformation (LIFT) program, designed to support and enhance opportunities for historically under-represented groups in the hotel ownership domain. Over the next five years, more than $30 million will be allocated to address barriers like access to capital and provide resources throughout the hotel life cycle for eligible owners in the United States and Canada.
As a part of IHG’s larger “Journey to Tomorrow 2030” plan, IHG LIFT contributes to the company’s goal of “emphasizing responsible business and inclusivity for all stakeholders.” IHG has partnered with Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse College to foster diverse talent as part of the LIFT initiative.
“IHG Hotels & Resorts believes anyone who aspires to own and develop hotels should have the opportunity,” according to the IHG website. “IHG LIFT is a continuation of the company’s ongoing and firm commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
With the company’s continuous efforts to support owner diversity within the hospitality industry, IHG also has a history of collaborating with associations like the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers (NABHOOD), the Latino Hotel Association, She Has a Deal, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s ForWard.