Contact details

Submitted by: Helen Lock, Senior Corporate Responsibility Coordinator, The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited

Email: [email protected]

Website: hshgroup.com/

Introduction to the project 

Country

Chicago, USA

Duration

2001 - Ongoing

Description

The Peninsula Chicago has been providing training demonstrations to refugees enrolled in the Heartland Alliance's Hospitality Program since its opening in 2001 to support refugee's gainful employment as they transition to their new lives in the United States. 

Project aims 

1. Supporting the gainful employment program for refugees in the Mid West USA
2. Tap into an alternative labour market

Resources used 

• Support/buy-in and openness of the Human Resources team and the GM, The Peninsula Chicago
• Partnership with relevant NGOs

Partners

Heartland Alliance

Results of the Good Practice 

Continued recruitment of refugees from this programme since 2001.

How the project meets the GCR Objectives

Objective 1: Ease the pressures on host countries

• Contribute to burden and responsibility sharing
  Companies nowadays pay more and more attention to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Other than seeking profits, more focus has been placed on how the company can share the burden of the society. Providing training to refugees and helping them to get hired can help relieving the financial burden of local government and NGOs as refugees will then rely less on social assistance.
• Have the potential to be adapted, replicated, and/or broadened in scale. It could encourage private sector actors from all over the world to hire refugees and to provide training to them.

Objective 2: Enhance refugee self-reliance

• Respond to the needs of refugees and host communities, yielding sustained and positive benefits for them
  Refugees may need training before starting to work. Training can prepare them for the work environment in the host country, helping them with the transition to a normal life. Once get hired, refugees no longer need to rely solely on the social assistance provided by the local government and NGOs, instead they can make a living by themselves. This generally will improve their livelihoods as the social assistance provided is barely enough for them. It is also good for their mental health. 
• Be developed in partnership with other stakeholders, including refugees and host populations
  The training and employment in a way are partnership with the refugees, helping refugees to blend in the local community more easily. They will have more knowledge about the host country, local culture and the industry they are to work in. At the same time, our company’s staff on this program will be able to learn more about refugees so as to develop a more comprehensive world view.