Employee Involvement

Vicki Gordon (right), SVP of Corporate Affairs for InterContinental Hotels Group - Americas, gets a hug from her mentee April Williams

Partners 'N Pals Mentoring Program -- InterContinental Hotels Group is in its fourth year of participation in the Dekalb County (Atlanta area) Schools mentoring program, Partners 'N Pals. Each mentor commits to spend 30 minutes a week with a specially matched student at one of the county system's schools near the company's Atlanta offices. Once established, the mentoring relationship continues throughout the school year. Prior to being matched with a student, mentors receive eight hours of training provided by Dekalb County Schools.

Employee Giving Campaign -- InterContinental Hotels Group employees may contribute through payroll deductions to three leading charitable organizations: UNICEF, Give Kids the World and United Way.

Autumn Murray, Sr. Mgr., Community Affairs,
InterContinental Hotels Group (right), presents a Denim
Day check to Michelle Clift-Eaton, Exec. Dir.,
Dress for Success Atlanta (left).

Habitat for Humanity^® - More than 200 employees and their guests participated in the construction of the 2001 InterContinental Hotels Group-sponsored Habitat for Humanity home, the fourth home sponsored by the company. Atlanta Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to building affordable housing in partnership with low-income Atlanta residents. Volunteers construct or renovate homes in neighborhoods that will be strengthened as a result. InterContinental Hotels Group Raleigh Reservation Center employees participated in their first Habitat for Humanity house build in Cary, NC. The project was so popular that they had to limit volunteers on the project as the employee response was overwhelming.

Employee Matching Gift Program - By matching employee gifts, InterContinental Hotels Group has supported such organizations as the American Red Cross, C.A.R.E., United Way, Avon 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk, March of Dimes, Sickle Cell Foundation, American Cancer Society, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and various colleges and universities.

March of Dimes WalkAmerica - InterContinental Hotels Group corporate office employees in Atlanta have entered a team in this spring fund-raiser for the past five years, raising a total of nearly $50,000. Members of the team seek sponsors for their walk, and contributions are matched by the company. The March of Dimes uses the nationwide WalkAmerica event as a key annual fund-raiser to benefit its campaign for healthier babies and its programs to prevent birth defects and reduce infant mortality.

First-Time Marathoner Wins Big for Arthritis Foundation

Covering the last 6.2 miles of her very first marathon was a true test of what she's made of, according to Denise O'Hara, executive assistant to InterContinental Hotels Group Chief Information Officer Doug Lewis. But O'Hara's commitment to complete the Honolulu Marathon as part the Arthritis Foundation's Joints In Motion team kept her going. During a five-month period, O'Hara had diligently trained for the race while raising $4,735 for the Arthritis Foundation, including $1,000 donated through the InterContinental Hotels Group Employee Matching Gift Program. Joints In Motion is the Arthritis Foundation's marathon training program. Participants receive 20 weeks of training and travel expenses to participate in marathons, half-marathons and challenging hikes in any of a number of exciting locations, from Alaska to Dublin to Hawaii. In exchange, team members must reach a specified fund-raising goal. One of the

program's sponsors is the InterContinental Hotels Group Priority Club Rewards program. O'Hara learned about Joints In Motion through a company e-mail inviting participation. While she is a runner, and had helped train a friend for a marathon, she had never run one herself. She decided to participate, running in honor of her mother, who has arthritis. Then, two weeks before the December 8 race -- a set-back. Over-stretching after a short run, she injured the adductor muscle in one of her legs. By the day of the race, it was still painful to walk, much less run. But O'Hara was determined. "I kept thinking of all my InterContinental Hotels Group colleagues who had contributed to the Arthritis Foundation on my behalf -- I couldn't let them down," she said. The first 20 miles of the race went better than she expected. Then there were those last 6.2. Overcoming injury and exhaustion, O'Hara hobbled over the finish line -- and into a wheelchair. Despite the injury -- which has since healed -- O'Hara says the sense of satisfaction in completing the race, and for a good cause, is tremendous.