ROCKVILLE, Md. – Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest lodging franchisors, was named one of the "Best Employers for Diversity" in 2019 by Forbes magazine. The accolade, which recognizes organizations for their commitment to diversity and outstanding workplace culture, ranks Choice among the top 500 employers in the United States and one of the leading travel and leisure companies.

"At Choice Hotels, fostering an inclusive culture is more than just the right thing to do—it better positions us for the future," said Patrick Pacious, president and chief executive officer, Choice Hotels. "Our people are our best asset and the diversity of thought and experience they bring to work every day underpins our success as a company. We're pleased to be recognized for living our brand promise to make everyone who walks through our doors feel welcome, wanted, and respected."

Source: PRNewswireSource: PRNewswire
Source: PRNewswire

To earn its place on the list, Choice scored high marks on several areas related to diversity and inclusion, which it achieves by supporting both a top-down and bottom-up approach. In addition to its board of directors standing committee dedicated to driving diversity across the enterprise, the company's Diversity Advisory Council and 10 Choice Employee Resource Groups draw people from across the organization to address business objectives, shape the company's culture, communicate its values, and spur broad employee engagement. Further, Choice Hotels is one of the only lodging companies to have an emerging markets development team with personnel dedicated to helping minorities and veterans pursue opportunities in the industry.

The latest designation builds upon previous recognition Choice Hotels has received for its exceptional corporate culture. In the past year, Choice was also recognized by Forbes as a Best Mid-Size Employer, by the United States Business Leadership Network (USBLN) and American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) as a Best Place to Work for People with Disabilities, and by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.

Forbes' 2019 "Best Employers for Diversity" list was published on Forbes.com today. For more information on the selection process, visit https://www.forbes.com/best-employers-diversity/list/.

About Choice Hotels®

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. The challenger in the upscale segment and a leader in midscale and extended stay, Choice® has over 7,500 hotels, representing more than 630,000 rooms, in 46 countries and territories. A diverse portfolio of 22 brands that range from full-service upper upscale properties to midscale, extended stay and economy enables Choice® to meet travelers' needs in more places and for more occasions while driving more value for franchise owners and shareholders. The award-winning Choice Privileges® rewards program and co-brand credit card options provide members with a fast and easy way to earn reward nights and personalized perks. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com.

Forward-Looking Statements This communication includes "forward-looking statements" about future events, including anticipated development and hotel openings. Such statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including construction delays, availability and cost of financing and the other "Risk Factors" described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, any of which could cause actual results to be materially different from our expectations.