Almost two years ago, the Arbor Day Foundation surpassed a tree planting milestone, having helped to plant 500 million trees over the organization’s then 51-year history. Green Lodging News, as well as hotel brands such as Marriott, Wyndham and Doubletree, have publicly supported the Arbor Day Foundation in the past, helping them reach their Sequoia-size goals. Recognized as the world’s largest nonprofit dedicated to planting trees, the 500 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have found homes in cities, forests and neighborhoods in more than 50 countries worldwide. The Arbor Day Foundation just announced it is celebrating its newest cohort of the Evergreen Alliance, a collective of...

Ethisphere recently released its annual list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. This is the 19th year Ethisphere has honored organizations with the designation of World’s Most Ethical Companies. Numerous familiar suppliers, Ecolab and Trane Technologies for example, made the list this year. Only one hotel company, however, appeared. That company is Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and it was recognized for the third consecutive year and fifth time overall. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts submitted an application to Ethisphere and paid a processing fee to, at least partially, cover the administrative costs of the thousands of hours experts spend gathering and...

Sharing your profits with your employees is certainly one way to build loyalty to your company. I suspect that is exactly what is happening at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. In recognition of 2024 record-breaking results at the property and in appreciation for the team members who made it possible, the leading Boardwalk entertainment casino resort has awarded $10 million in bonuses to both union and non-union team members. Team members attending the Hard Rock Atlantic City Town Hall gatherings heard news they are sharing substantial bonuses, as they have for each of the past six years. In addition to the bonuses, many team members...

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the leading authority on green building and the global developer of the LEED green building program, released its annual list of the Top 10 States for LEED. Massachusetts ranked first in 2024 based on LEED-certified gross square footage per capita over the past year, improving their showing from 2023. Massachusetts topped the ranking with 4.95 LEED-certified square footage per capita. After Massachusetts, the top five states were Illinois (4.017 certified square feet per capita), New York (3.438 certified square feet per capita), Washington state (3.03 certified square feet per capita) and Maryland (2.775 certified square...

The Radisson Blu Hotel, Bengaluru Outer Ring Road in India is the first hotel in Radisson Hotel Group’s global portfolio and the first hotel I have come across to be awarded the prestigious LEED Net Zero Carbon Certificate by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Issued by USGBC, this top-level certification is reflective of Radisson Blu Hotel, Bengaluru Outer Ring Road’s excellence in building technology, control and operations and shows the many impactful steps, including investments in renewable energy and innovation, the hotel has taken to ensure a consistent reduction of its carbon footprint. LEED Net Zero Carbon certification takes lessening...

I don’t often come across hotels that have earned three green certifications so a tip of the hat to the PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, Singapore for doing so. With its recent attainment of the BCA Green Mark Super Low Energy (SLE) Certification, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, Singapore celebrated its trifecta of sustainability accomplishments, making it the first hotel in Singapore to attain three sustainability certifications in 2024—BCA Green Mark Super Low Energy (SLE) Certification, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Industry Criteria for Hotels Certification and Green Globe Certification. As shared by Phil Smith, General Manager of PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, Singapore, “Our commitment to sustainability has always been at...

One of the most current Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports I have come across is Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming’s 2025 CSR Report: Come Together for People & Planet. Divided into six sections—Team Members & Culture; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Environmental Sustainability; Energy & Emissions; Social Safeguards; and Public Education—the report uses the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The following are some highlights from the report: Since 1999, more than $14 million has been raised to fight breast cancer. A total of $3 million of healing has been extended to countries and local communities experiencing a range of...

In case you missed it in the fall, Trip.com Group, a leading global travel service provider, revealed that while sustainability awareness is rising among travelers, there remains a gap between awareness and action. This is one of the key insights from the Sustainable Travel Consumer Report 2024 that the Group released. The report draws from 9,867 survey samples from 109 countries and territories, including the Asia-Pacific (APAC), Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), North America (NORAM) and Latin America (LATAM). It also looks at Gen Z’s travel preferences and regional variations in motivations and perceptions. Gap Between Awareness & Action An...

Did you notice the heat last year? Earth’s average surface temperature in 2024 was the warmest on record, according to an analysis led by NASA scientists. Global temperatures in 2024 were 2.30 degrees Fahrenheit (1.28 degrees Celsius) above the agency’s 20th-century baseline (1951-1980), which tops the record set in 2023. The new record comes after 15 consecutive months (June 2023 through August 2024) of monthly temperature records—an unprecedented heat streak. “Once again, the temperature record has been shattered—2024 was the hottest year since record keeping began in 1880,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Between record breaking temperatures and wildfires currently threatening our centers and...

With mental health disorders expected to affect half of the world’s population in their lifetime, the need for innovative and accessible solutions is pressing. Organizations like Mind Over Mountains and Blackdog Outdoors in the UK, and Hiking My Feelings in the US, have responded by creating travel retreats that merge outdoor pursuits with mental health support. These retreats fill a significant gap in the wellness space, offering a supportive environment for participants to engage in open discussions about their mental health challenges. Mind Over Mountains hosts free well-being walks and low-cost weekend retreats in national parks and Areas of Outstanding...