The Global Business Travel Association's Accommodations
Committee has suspended its participation in the organization until the GBTA's board
of directors communicates the outcome of the current investigation into workplace
misconduct allegations against CEO Scott Solombrino, according to a committee
memo sent to board and obtained by BTN.
The committee "takes the allegations seriously"
and "now more than ever" needs "the right leaders in place that
embody our mission, values and support the membership," according to the
memo. The committee urged the board, which put Solombrino on leave as of June
19, to be "swift and thorough" in the investigation.
The Accommodations Committee,
which according to the GBTA website provides strategic direction and best practices on business travel
issues that are unique to the hotel and lodging industry, is
withholding deliverables requested by GBTA until action on the matter is clear.
"We have a deliverable of Covid-related RFP questions
that all the buyers and hotels are asking for. That is the main deliverable
[we] have been working on, and that is a need. But we do not feel comfortable
putting GBTA's name on it until there is a resolution," committee co-chair Mira Rosenzwieg told BTN. "If
the deliverable is ready, we will look at other ways of providing that content
to the industry. We feel it's important to continue to assist the corporate
travel industry even if it's not under GBTA's name."
Unlike the GBTA Risk Committee, which last week sent a collective
statement to the board, not every member of the 22-member Accommodations
Committee agreed in how they wanted to position their future GBTA membership or
volunteer status, according to a source close to the matter. A few
supply-side members were concerned about their future relationship with GBTA
should they take a stand, said the source.
"I, for one, have made it clear that if there is
another one of these GBTA … unilateral decisions [by the board], I and my
company, we're out. I'm not doing it anymore. I've been in the industry for a
long time, and I've seen too many things," said the source, referencing
lack of transparency at the board level and heavy-handed communications to
committee members.
Per the Accommodations Committee memo, each current member
will determine his or her own disposition once the leadership investigation is
complete and the board determines what action, if any, is required.
Rosenzwieg confirmed the
authenticity of the memo and noted that 19 of the committee's 22 members signed
the statement.
BTN reached out to GBTA for this story, but the organization
did not return a comment.