Marriott Business Council Indonesia successfully concluded 2024 with a series of impactful initiatives, including the third annual Women in Leadership (WIL) Conference and community-focused visits to Bengkala Village and Songan Village in collaboration with the Bali Children Foundation. These activities reflect Marriott International’s unwavering commitment to fostering leadership, advancing education, and empowering local communities.
Women in Leadership Conference
The third annual Women in Leadership (WIL) Conference took place on December 3–4, 2024, at Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa. Since first launched in 2022, WIL Conference has become a platform to promote Marriott International’s commitment towards leadership development and inclusivity in Indonesia for its female associates. This year’s conference brought together 225 participants from 62 Marriott International’s hotels and resorts in Indonesia, including 13 of the 14 female General Managers in the Indonesia.
The two-day event featured a series of empowering discussions and activities, including special talks by industry leaders like Emma Jones, Vice President of Human Resources Operations, Asia Pacific, Marriott International, and Nia Niscaya, Senior Expert on Tourism and Creative Economy of Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia; sustainability talks with Tamara Wu, Miss Indonesia 2019, followed by a panel discussion led by Marriott International’s male General Managers on supporting women leaders in their properties, and a special CSR activity to support the local charity Metta Mama Maggha Foundation. The conference also included wellness sessions, such as yoga, and mental health awareness talks, creating a well-rounded experience that inspired and empowered attendees.
Empowering Underprivileged Community with Bali Children Foundation
Marriott Business Council Indonesia continued its support towards underprivileged community in Bali through transformative educational initiatives in collaboration with the Bali Children Foundation.
On December 10, 2024, 48 representatives from Marriott International properties in Bali, visited SDN 6 and SDN 5 in Songan, Kintamani to monitor the progress of the Education Technology (EdTech) which was launched in September 2023. The project, which benefitted 1,048 children in this community, has shown positive results on the students’ literacy and numeracy skills after one year of implementation. Aside EdTech program, the schools have also improved their approach on teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and STEAM-H (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math, and Health) that further drive the students’ interest in language and science. The EdTech and EFL project will continue to expand to underserved communities in North Lombok and West Sumba targeting approximately 1,000 students in 2025. Until present, Bali Children Foundation already reached 23,000+ beneficiaries who receive the impact of all program from primary to youth, aligning the vision from education to employment.
Previously, on October 9, 2024, Marriott Business Council Indonesia collaborated with the Bali Children Foundation to support the DEI community in Bengkala Village, known as Desa Kolok (Deaf Village) in Bali. This initiative impacted 87 deaf and mute students through the refurbishment of school facilities, provision of specialized equipment, educational technology, and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes to create an inclusive learning environment and prepare students for broader opportunities.
A Commitment to the Future
“These initiatives exemplify Marriott International’s core values of Putting People First and our Serve 360 commitment as the force for good for the community. Through the WIL Conference and our collaboration with the Bali Children Foundation, we have achieved meaningful progress in empowering future female leaders in our area and improving the lives of thousands of children and families in local communities in Bali,” said Martin Ehlers, General Manager of Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa and the Chairman of Marriott Business Council Indonesia.
“In 2025, we remain committed to our initiatives towards environmental sustainability and supporting our local communities with our esteemed charity partners. We will also continue to empower our female associates and create an inclusive environment for all, aligning our initiatives with Marriott International’s goals towards Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Serve 360 commitment.”
To discover more about Marriott International’s commitment to sustainability and social impact, please visit www.serve360.marriott.com.
