At Highgate, we have always put people first. We’ve built a culture where every Associate is accepted, valued, and encouraged to thrive. This same spirit thrives in our 500+ hotels globally—After all, welcoming others is at the heart of hospitality.
OUR PEOPLE FIRST PRIORITIES
FOCUS ON THREE KEY AREAS
Ensuring a welcoming and inclusive environment for every Associate.
Attracting and retaining top talent.
Practicing good citizenship and community involvement.
HIGHGATE AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
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Highgate Continues to Win Top Places to Work Accolades
These awards are especially meaningful because they are based solely on the voices of our Associates. In their surveys, Associates highlighted the very qualities that make Highgate an exceptional place to grow a career: our strong culture, commitment to promoting from within, caring and approachable leadership, dedication to professional development, inclusive environment, and our transparency in the way we operate.
The recognition is a reflection of our Associates' passion, contributions, and commitment to making Highgate not only a leader in hospitality, but also a workplace where people feel valued, supported and inspired to succeed.
See what some of our Hotel Leaders are saying about Highgate.
Click on the video below:
GOOD CITIZENSHIP IN ACTION
Through the Highgate Charitable Foundation and Community Engagement, we lead with purpose and integrity. Highgate's Charitable Foundation's mission is to support philanthropic organizations and communities worldwide that address issues related to poverty, education and health care.
HCF fundraises on behalf of a diverse array of public charities dedicated to the betterment of our global community.
VOLUNTEERING
EFFORTS
Throughout 2025, we united around meaningful volunteer efforts, including backpack drives, toy drives, and walks supporting a variety of causes. Together, we surpassed 10,000 hours of service—an impressive jump from the 8,400 hours volunteered in 2024.
PEOPLE FIRST
ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2025
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Philanthropic Efforts: We exceeded our fundraising goal by 11% this summer. Total amount raised: $1,655,803.88. Highgate Charitable Foundation has raised $13M+, along with the Highgate Relief Fund distributing 943 grants to date.
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Employee Retention: Corporate turnover rate is 20%, significantly lower than the hospitality industry average of 70%. This demonstrates that we are creating an environment where Associates feel valued, supported, and engaged.
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Internships: We have a 76% conversion rate for 2025 interns to Highgate employees.
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Glassdoor Ratings: Our Irving Corporate office reviews are a high average of 4.9% out of 5. We're proud to have received our highest DE&I rating today on Glassdoor of 4.0.
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LinkedIn: Highgate has the third most followers for a hospitality company in the industry, with 88,367 followers, a 14% increase from 2024, 577,026 impressions in 2025, and 9,760 reactions (a 58.4% increase) from 2024.
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E-Cornell: We expanded the certificates program from Cornell University in 2025, resulting in 240 enrollments and 87 graduates.
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Cornerstone LMS: Our Associates completed 6,516 training hours in multiple languages in our internal Learning Management System. Our 2026 expansion includes compliance training, an enterprise-wide mentorship platform and EXP AI integration, including streamlining employee engagement, learning and development, HR operations, analytics and decision making.
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Volunteer Hours: Our Associates completed over 10,000 hours of volunteer community service, up 2,000 hours over last year.
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Telus Health: We launched Telus Health in 2025, offering comprehensive FMLA management services that support employees during leave of absence, elevating Associates' leave of absence experience.
HIGH IMPACT 2025 GROUPS
YOUR HIGH IMPACT GROUPS
our High Impact Groups focus on health & wellness, race and ethnicity, cultural awareness and gender/generational pathways. Each High Impact Group has made significant progress.
ETHNIC & RACIAL UNITY
HIGH IMPACT GROUP
Celebrate and promote inclusivity within our community. Through workshops, cultural events, and open forums, we strive to raise awareness about racial & ethnic issues and encourage meaningful dialogue.
GENDER/GENERATIONAL PATHWAYS
HIGH IMPACT GROUP
Cultivate an environment that embraces all generations and genders, offering a safe space for the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and mentoring, while promoting equal opportunities for growth and a fair, inclusive experience for all.
CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
HIGH IMPACT GROUP
Foster an inclusive and connected workplace by cultivating awareness and developing cross-cultural communication skills through education, events, networking, and social gatherings.
PEOPLE FIRST WELLNESS
HIGH IMPACT GROUP
Promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being in the workplace by providing supportive resources, increased awareness, participation, and engagement in Highgate's existing wellness benefit programs.
OUR HIGH IMPACT GROUP LEADERS—GET TO KNOW US!
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Wei Huang
Co-Chair
Gender and Generational Pathways
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Adreena Martin
Co-Chair
Ethnic & Racial Unity
Abdul Rahman
Co-Chair
Gender and Generational Pathways
Kendall Williams
Co-Chair
Ethnic & Racial Unity
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Marianne Balfe
Co-Chair
People First Wellness
Victoria Garcia
Co-Chair
Cultural Connections
Dina Winder
Co-Chair
People First Wellness
Diana Mills
Co-Chair
Cultural Connections
PEOPLE FIRST WELLNESS HIGH IMPACT GROUP
PRIORITIZING OUR HEALTH
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In 2025, our People First Wellness Group focused on health education and lifestyle skills.
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Workplace Ergonomics: Stretch Breaks and Movement
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Healthy Eating: Snacks and Hydration
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Participation in Wellness Events throughout the year
9/7—2025 Komen NYC Race for the Cure | NYC |
9/21—American Heart Association Heart Walk | Dallas |
9/22—5th Annual HCF Golf Event | Roxiticus Golf Course, NJ |
10/18—2025 Komen NYC Race for the Cure | Dallas |
10/25—Shatterproof Walk | NYC |
11/15—Shatterproof Walk | Dallas |
ETHNIC & RACIAL UNITY HIGH IMPACT GROUP
CREATING A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT
At Highgate, kindness isn’t just a moment, it’s woven into how we lead, how we serve and show up for one another every day. We created a heartfelt video message for World Kindness Day, November 13, 2025 to strengthen our sense of connection and community every day at Highgate.
We encourage participation in the international "Together We Dine" movement. Project Unity brings people together from diverse backgrounds for meaningful, non-confrontational discussions about race relations, facilitated by Project Unity volunteers. Bringing people together to discuss important topics in person or virtually over a meal is always an enlightening experience.
Virtual Together We Dine conversations with Project Unity are open to all Highgate Associates at no charge. Simply register below:
The Ethnic & Racial Diversity High Impact Group has curated a list of courses relevant to inclusion in the workplace. These courses are available in Cornerstone, including many others: Equity, Belonging, Neurodivergence, Inclusion, Equality, and Disability. Log in below:
GENDER AND GENERATIONAL PATHWAYS GROUP
TRANSCENDING BARRIERS,
FORGING PATHWAYS
In 2025, we focused on featuring the valuable voices of NextGen, specifically our Highgate Summer Interns. We asked them to record their perceptions of Highgate after working at Highgate hotels and in the corporate office.
We continue to explore how we all learn from each other and build trust among our colleagues in the workplace and how different departments and generations can implement and utilize technology, including AI, to share ideas and increase productivity.
Our interns' insights highlight the creativity, collaboration, and energy that make our workplace thrive.
CULTURAL CONNECTIONS HIGH IMPACT GROUP
FOSTERING
CROSS CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING
Our High Impact Group focused on being open to learning about each other—different cultures, communities, and cuisines. We held in-person and virtual events. Our Highgate community continues to expand around the globe.
Our Cultural Connections Team recently hosted a Holiday Crossover Event designed specifically for our remote associates. This initiative brought together colleagues from across the globe and reaffirmed our commitment to fostering connection and engagement within our distributed workforce. During the event, participants had the opportunity to learn about a variety of holiday customs, attire, and traditions celebrated by cultures around the world. This meaningful exchange not only highlighted the rich diversity within our organization but also strengthened our shared sense of community.
2026 FOCUS FOR HIGH IMPACT GROUPS
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Racial and Ethnic Unity: Embrace Kindness, Gratitude, and Opportunities to Unify by Including “Otherness” and Embracing Our Differences.
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People First Wellness: Focus on physical and emotional well-being for all Associates.
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Cultural Connections: Encourage exploration and observances of cultures and shared experiences in person and virtually.
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Gender and Generational Pathways: Create career-path knowledge-sharing at all stages, focused on conversations about issues that bind us all together.
GET INVOLVED
IN A HIGH IMPACT GROUP
High Impact Groups at Highgate provide personal and professional opportunities for Associates. Our teams give back through cultural and community-focused events as we proudly partner with organizations that uplift diverse communities. Join a High Impact Group to help drive our mission forward. Scan the QR code to apply on Highgate InTouch. Password: wearehighgate
LOOKING AHEAD
Together, we’re making Highgate stronger and more inclusive, every day.
Our commitment to Putting People First remains unwavering. We will continue striving to make Highgate a vibrant and inclusive environment where every associate feels recognized, heard, and valued. Our journey continues, and together, we are shaping a future where everyone belongs. Every day, we’re strengthening Highgate and fostering a more inclusive culture, with People First at the heart of everything we do.
Geri Williams-Fitts
Chief People Officer
We hope you enjoyed our Winter Newsletter. The next edition of our People First Newsletter will be published this spring. Any questions or suggestions? Contact: CorporateHR@Highgate.com