Working Groups

Collaboration & Communication

The IHG Owners Association's Working Groups serve as the engine for engagement with IHG. Working Groups—councils, committees and task forces—address critical topics which can impact the value of owners’ IHG hotels.

Working Group owner volunteers provide advice and counsel to IHG executives in specific areas such as brand initiatives, sales, technology and procurement.

How Working Groups Work

Working Groups are comprised of hotel owners (led by a Chair and Vice Chair) and IHG executives. Each forum is guided by an Association Working Group Manager. Some Working Groups have global responsibility, while others are focused on region-specific topics. Working Groups include: 

• Committees—address brands and functional areas that require ongoing, multi-year collaboration
• Task Forces—focus on specific topics that have more narrowly defined scope and time horizons
• Councils—function as standing geographical governing bodies for the regions and Global Board of Directors

Each Working Group functions under a charter, generated by both IHG and the Association. The charters typically cover issues related to guest preferences, owner interests and opportunities to create additional value. The charters also include any standards the Working Group will be discussing. Steps in the review process for standards are:

• Each initiative is presented for evaluation to the relevant Working Group and thoroughly discussed.
• Once feedback is provided to IHG and the Working Group reaches a consensus, the initiative is presented to the corresponding regional council for formal advice and counsel by the Association.
• If the initiative is advanced as a standard, IHG includes it in the subsequent standards manual publication.
• The new standard is communicated to the hotels for implementation through IHG’s normal channels.

Working Groups: How Do They Work?

Join a Working Group

Working Groups: What Are They?

Learn how Working Groups work on owners' behalf