LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International announced the release of the 2019 Social Impact and Sustainability Report Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity. Protecting the Planet. The report builds on the company’s commitment to create a more sustainable future, while striving to make a more positive impact in the lives of its employees, guests and in the communities where the company operates. In November 2019, MGM Resorts launched its new social impact and sustainability vision called “Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet.” A core component of that vision included a set of long-range goals through 2025 and an alignment...

It doesn’t get much more rarefied than the Four Seasons Resorts Maldives, a pair of luxury oases on the isolated island country in the Indian Ocean—a seeming refuge from many of the world’s problems. The brand has two locations in the islands—Four Seasons Resort at Kuda Huraa; and Four Seasons Resort at Landaa Giraavaru. Despite the properties’ exclusivity, Armando Kraenzlin, Regional Vice President and General Manager, has made conservation central to the very operation of the properties. He has focused on three major initiatives; rebuilding coral reefs, rehabilitating injured sea turtles, and protecting manta rays in the more than two...

MIAMI, FLA.—The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the foremost gathering of international leaders in the $4.5 trillion global wellness economy, today announced that its 2020 conference would move from Tel Aviv, Israel, to the United States, by far the largest wellness market. It will now take place November 8 to 11 at The Breakers, an iconic hotel on 140 oceanfront acres in Palm Beach, Fla., which has received numerous awards for its commitment to guest and employee wellness and diversity. The 2021 Summit will be held in Tel Aviv, November 15 to 18. COVID-19 brutally exposed the importance of preventative wellness and...

SINGAPORE—Vulnerable members in communities across 11 cities in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka will soon have greater access to reusable face masks with the regional Linens For Life Face Masks (L4LFM) partnership between Shangri-La Group and Diversey, a leading global hygiene solutions provider. As part of the L4LFM program, the 12,500kg of used linen donated by 20 Shangri-La hotels will be repurposed into reusable fabric face masks by local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Colombo, Hambantota, Penang, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Surabaya, Jakarta, Manila, Singapore, Bangkok and Yangon. In some cities such as Yangon, Manila, Johor Bahru, Jakarta, Surabaya and Bangkok,...

NATIONAL REPORT—At a time of low occupancies caused by COVID-19, spending money on upgrades other than those related to cleaning and maintenance is likely not a priority. At least one company, however, is offering a “pay as you save” program that makes investing in LED lighting upgrades very enticing. “Through our ‘pay as you save’ program, it is zero down with very low interest rates. In most cases reductions in lighting costs are greater than the cost of the new lighting,” says John Hutchcroft, V.P. of Field Development, YellowBlueLED. “For the most part they are immediately cash flow positive and...

ENCINITAS, CALIF.—The Inn at Moonlight Beach announced that it has been awarded WELL Certification at the Platinum level by the International WELL Building Institute’s (IWBI) collaboration with Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). Going a step further than LEED certification, the prestigious distinction was awarded through IWBI’s WELL Building Standard (WELL), which is the premier building standard to focus on enhancing people’s health and wellness through the buildings where we live, work and play. The Inn, an intimate 4,000 square foot boutique hotel on a third of an acre lot, is nestled in a residential neighborhood in historical downtown Encinitas, a short...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A new report from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) suggests that sustainable building practices, including those involving energy and water conservation as well as waste reduction, are increasingly being incorporated throughout the hotel sector to add value and provide a competitive edge to properties. Sustainability in Hotels: Opportunities and Trends Shaping the Future of Hospitality assesses the state of sustainability in the hotel sector by identifying best practices, highlighting industry trends in sustainability, and offering solutions to sustainability-related obstacles. The report, published by ULI’s Greenprint Center for Building Performance, contains case studies and is informed by insights from 25...