Hilton Announces Partnership With CFPA To Develop China’s Future Leaders

 Hilton (NYSE: HLT) has become the first hospitality company to partner with the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA), in a bid to provide leadership training and fund projects that bring about positive societal change.  

The partnership, officially launched at an event in Shanghai, focuses on the Charity Future - Hilton program, an incubator project to support student-led charity societies. Over the next two years, the partnership aims to provide youth leaders from 200 student-led charity societies across 100 universities with access to leadership and training opportunities. Students can also apply for seed funding to implement local social impact projects.

“Our youth will be the next generation of change-makers in business and society, it is critical that we recognize the challenges they face and provide them with better opportunities,” said Qian Jin, president Greater China and Mongolia, Hilton. “We are pleased to partner with the CFPA, to share our expertise and leverage our growing portfolio in China, to support young people and local communities across the country.”

Charity Future - Hilton draws heavily on the vast network and extensive experience of the CFPA, one of China’s most influential NGOs. The CFPA’s efforts to alleviate poverty have impacted more than 29 million people in need across China.

Mr. Yadong Ding, Secretary General of the CFPA, said, “Charity Future - Hilton represents an important model for our organization to collaborate with industry leading businesses. Through this partnership we can make practical, lasting changes to the lives of a whole generation of students as well as the communities where they live.”

This year, Hilton and CFPA have awarded 60 charity societies with seed grants worth RMB 10,000 or RMB 5,000. Student leaders from these charity societies gathered at East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST), where they presented progress on their self-organized charitable projects, received valuable feedback from experts, and underwent leadership training.

The awarded projects focus on a range of societal issues, including poverty alleviation, environmental protection, services to disadvantaged community members and advocacy for community causes. Charity Future - Hilton is an integral piece of the company’s Travel with Purposecommitment to create meaningful opportunities for people, strengthen communities and preserve the environment. The program is expected to impact 10,000 young people, helping Hilton towards its goal to impact 1 million youth by 2019.

In addition to collaborating with organizations such as the CFPA to develop and equip youth, Hilton has also partnered with the International Youth Foundation to present the Global Youth Wellbeing Index, the second edition of which was recently previewed at the United Nations Youth Assembly. The Index indicates that too many young people remain disconnected from vital job skills and economic opportunities, and that investment in youth is urgently needed at this moment in history, when half of the world’s population is under 30.

More than 24,000 people are employed across Hilton’s portfolio of over 100 hotels and corporate offices in China. Tens of thousands more jobs re being created with its existing pipeline of 275 hotels. To help meet its demand for talent, the company has also built strategic alliances with various Chinese universities and academic institutions across the country.

About CFPA
Founded in 1989 and registered with China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) and administrated by The State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development (CPAD), China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) is a Chinese poverty alleviation non-governmental organization (NGO). In the Chinese foundation ranking reviews organized by the MCA in 2007 and 2013, CFPA was awarded as one of 5A foundations (the highest level). With the support from multiple donors, CFPA has raised RMB 24.867 billion in poverty alleviation funds and materials by 2016, and benefited more than 29 million poverty-stricken and disaster-affected people. They have already become the largest and most influential NGO that specializes in poverty alleviation in China.

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company, with a portfolio of 14 world-class brands comprising more than 5,000 properties with more than 825,000 rooms in 103 countries and territories. Hilton is dedicated to fulfilling its mission to be the world’s most hospitable company by delivering exceptional experiences – every hotel, every guest, every time. The company’s portfolio includes Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Curio Collection by HiltonTM, DoubleTree by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by HiltonTM, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton, Tru by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages an award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton Honors. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose exactly how many Points to combine with money, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else and free standard Wi-Fi. Visit newsroom.hilton.com