MONTEBELLO, CALIF.—Before the onset of a global COVID-19 pandemic, Allied Feather & Down and Allied Home were focused, as they had been for 30 years, on creating a more sustainable supply chain and a cleaner home. As Allied shifted its bedding production in its Commerce, Calif., manufacturing facility to produce facemasks in early March, the family owned company began to realize just how big this need was going to be on a global scale. While the response focused at first on healthcare workers and disenfranchised populations such as those experiencing homelessness, the pandemic response has highlighted just how many people are...

Norwalk, Conn.—HEI Hotels & Resorts, a leading hospitality investment and management company, has completed a comprehensive initiative to protect the health and safety of hotel guests and workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A combination of new standard operating procedures, alterations to hotel spaces, and the purchase of disinfecting technology and personal protective equipment has been undertaken to support proper social distancing and hygienic practices at HEI’s portfolio of more than 80 independent and branded hotels. “There is no greater priority than the health and safety of our hotel guests and associates,” said HEI Hotels & Resorts CEO + Managing Partner,...

RIVIERA BEACH, SINGER ISLAND, FLA.—Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa has earned Green Key Global’s ultimate honor: a 4 Green Keys rating. It is the first hotel in Palm Beach County to achieve the designation, which is reserved for hotels that show national industry leadership and commitment to protecting the environment through wide-ranging policies and practices. Coupled with Marriott’s Commitment to Clean, spearheaded by the Marriott Cleanliness Council, the resort is committed to providing guests with a safe environment that aligns with expert protocols for working to defeat COVID-19. Green Key Global is a leading international environmental...

ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News welcome Minibar Systems Worldwide to its Green Product & Service Directory in the “Hand Sanitizer” category. microSURE persistent nano-technology germ killing products go to war on 99.99 percent of harmful microorganisms. When applied, a barrier of crystal killing spikes bonds to hands and surfaces creating a lasting barrier that stays working long after it is applied—for eight hours or more. As germs come into contact with surfaces they are punctured by the killing spikes on contact and die. This results in a mechanical kill—allowing the surface of an object to destroy the cell walls. This...

BRADENTON, FLA.—As restaurants, hotels and other businesses begin reopening around the country, EnviroLogik—a leading service company providing comprehensive hygiene, drain line and odor control solutions—is expanding on its safe and environmentally-friendly service offerings to include several disinfecting options. These disinfectants, B CleanM and B SanitizedM, are specifically designed to treat against the spread of viruses—including COVID-19. “Business owners and consumers are more conscious than ever about the health and safety standards of the facilities they operate and visit,” said CEO Aziz Tejpar. “At EnviroLogik, we are committed to helping local businesses get back to work as safely as possible. On...

WISCONSIN DELLS, WIS.—Industries across the globe need to adapt to the new standards to address cleanliness and hotels are no exception. Hygienic standards will be a top priority for hotel guests when they return, and current operational protocols will need to evolve to meet guest expectations to ensure they are safe and healthy. Developers of the Plungepacker are announcing their hygienic transporting device for toilet plungers which can help stop the spread of viruses and bacteria. They make the process of transporting a plunger throughout a property more professional and hygienic. The device also allows for easy disinfection of the...

NATIONAL REPORT—The U.S. hospitality industry is one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with hotels having already lost more than $29 billion in room revenue and 7.7 million jobs since the issue began escalating in mid-February, according to the American Hotel and Lodging Association. The industry is facing one of the toughest periods in history—occupancies are down to zero for many hotels, tourist arrivals have dropped, and mass gatherings have either been canceled or postponed. But, just like the many other challenges that the hospitality industry has faced—such as the SARS virus of 2003, 9/11, and the 2008 market...

NORTHBROOK, ILL.—The Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, introduced its GBAC STAR facility accreditation program on cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention. It is the industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation. GBAC STAR establishes requirements to assist facilities with work practices, protocols, procedures, and systems to control risks associated with infectious agents, such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. Accreditation criteria and facility applications are now available at www.gbac.org. “GBAC STAR is the gold standard of safe facilities, providing third-party validation that ensures facilities implement strict protocols for biorisk situations,” said GBAC Executive Director...

ATLANTA—In direct response to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, GP PRO, a division of Georgia-Pacific and a leading provider of advanced dispensing solutions for commercial facilities, will soon release KOLO Hygiene, an innovative new feature of its KOLO Smart Monitoring System specifically designed to help facilities successfully manage, monitor and measure heightened cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting practices. “Advancing hygiene has always been a core value of our company and a key driver of our innovation,” said Michael Slawson, Vice President and General Manager, Smart Restrooms and Connected Devices for GP PRO. “We know that a facility’s ability to achieve and demonstrate...

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA—For nearly 40 years, Sandals Resorts has continuously implemented and strengthened health and safety protocols to ensure guests are able to enjoy their Caribbean vacation worry-free. In preparation to welcome guests back to the beauty and warmth of the Caribbean, the company introduced Sandals Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness, building on its existing practices to guarantee cleanliness standards and heightened health and safety measures that address changing consumer expectations amidst COVID-19. “At Sandals Resorts, cleanliness and safety have always been priority number one. Our loyal guests and incredible team members are part of the Sandals family, and we take...