BANGKOK—A peaceful haven nestled in the beating heart of the Eternal City, Six Senses Rome opened its doors in the historical Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini on March 16. This milestone also marks the completed renovation of the magnificent façade of the adjacent San Marcello al Corso Church, the first sustainability project sponsored by the hotel. “After almost three decades away from my hometown, it is a joy to be back to lead such an incredible project,” says Francesca Tozzi, General Manager of Six Senses Rome. “It makes my team and I feel very proud to open the first urban...

LONDON—1 Hotels, the nature-inspired luxury lifestyle hotel brand founded by hospitality visionary Barry Sternlicht, announces that its U.K. flagship and first European destination, located in the heart of London’s historic Mayfair, is now accepting reservations with an anticipated opening date of July 13, 2023. The nine-story sustainable sanctuary overlooks the stately trees and verdant lawns of Green Park, just steps away from the world-class galleries, sophisticated boutiques, first-class restaurants and renowned emporia of Bond Street, Berkeley Square and Piccadilly. 1 Hotel Mayfair consciously creates an unexpected fusion of sustainability and luxury in the fashionable heart of London’s most exclusive hospitality district. The...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The George Washington University (GW) and world-renowned chef, author, and humanitarian José Andrés, HON ‘14, announced a historic partnership to launch a premier Global Food Institute at GW, a transformative collaboration that will be a world leader in food system solution delivery. GW is uniquely positioned to drive global progress in the food space, thanks to its location in the heart of the nation’s capital, depth of academic expertise across countless disciplines, track record of leading critical conversations in the public and private sectors and partnerships with global influencers from the White House to the World Bank. “In the George Washington University’s third...

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA—Sandals Resorts International (SRI), parent company of the Caribbean’s leading luxury all-inclusive resort brands Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, is bridging the gap between healthy oceans and its Caribbean communities through a series of ongoing environmental initiatives. In honor of World Oceans Day, for every booking made on June 8, a donation of $100 will be made on guests’ behalf to the Sandals Foundation, the not-for-profit organization established in 2009 to make positive change throughout the Caribbean. “In the Caribbean, a ‘home’ is not merely a house or a room. Home is in the sands, in the breeze, and...

LAS VEGAS—ChopValue-Las Vegas, a leading manufacturer of sustainable products utilizing the circular economy model, announced it has collected and recycled more than 7.5 million chopsticks from the Las Vegas area during its first eight months of operation. ChopValue-Las Vegas launched the first U.S. microfactory of its kind last summer, with a goal of giving single-use chopsticks a second life; diverting what was once “wooded waste,” into sustainable products and custom solutions for the home and office. All the while, keeping tons of waste out of the Las Vegas landfills. “Alongside our 100 Asian restaurant partners in Las Vegas, we are doing...

NATIONAL REPORT—With more drivers switching to electric vehicles each year and the demand for EV charging stations increasing, more restaurant operators are exploring the possibility of installing them at their locations. Subway and Domino’s are just two restaurant brands investing in this super-charged technology. Starbucks is another, having recently purchased 60 ChargePoint DC fast chargers for up to 15 locations along a 1,350-mile route from the Colorado Rockies to Seattle. Investing in EV charging stations not only helps support sustainability goals, it’s also a potential driver of more customer traffic at the restaurants where they exist. Why? Drivers charging their vehicles would...

BENTON HARBOR, MICH.—Whirlpool Corp. has been recognized by USA Today as one of America’s Climate Leaders for 2023. This inaugural award recognizes U.S.-based companies with the most significant year-over-year reductions in scope 1 and scope 2 emissions relative to revenue. “We are proud to be named one of America’s top climate leaders of 2023 in recognition of our ongoing commitment to reduce our climate impact and achieve our Net Zero goals,” said Pam Klyn, Whirlpool Corporation’s Executive Vice President of Corporate Relations and Sustainability. “This progress has been made possible through the prioritization of energy retrofits, the use of offsite and...

INTERNATIONAL REPORT—The aim to reduce food waste and offer more low carbon foods in the hospitality industry is set to be a key focus for the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance’s (SHA) partnership with World Resources Institute (WRI). The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and WRI have a shared commitment to helping the hospitality industry reduce its food-related emissions by 25 percent by 2030. By shifting to low carbon foods and reducing food waste the industry can maximize its action on climate change and meet its targets for addressing the climate crisis. The partnership aims to engage employees and customers by bringing the latest science...

ROCKVILLE, MD.—Choice Hotels International recently released its 2022 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report. (See the recent press release.) The report highlights significant new steps that should cut utility costs, save time for franchisees, and increase the company’s ESG commitments. Among the steps highlighted in the release is the hiring of Megan Brumagim, Vice President, Sustainability for Choice Hotels. That hiring was announced in April 2022. Green Lodging News recently interviewed Brumagim about Choice’s ESG initiatives. Here are the results of that interview in Q&A format. GLN: Prior to your appointment, nobody was leading the ESG charge at Choice. (Unless...

STRATHAM, N.H.—BioGreen360, a leading innovator in distributed food waste management solutions, announced it has entered into a national partnership with Sage Hospitality Group to develop a closed-loop program to divert 100 percent of their hotels’ food waste from landfill with the residual material being integrated into an array of all-natural compost and fertilizer products. The companies have agreed to roll out the BioGreen360 circular solution to food waste in a phased approach across Sage Hospitality Group’s portfolio of hotels. The first phase of the collaboration includes program installations at five properties in key urban and resort markets across the U.S. After...