PARIS—In celebration of its 10 year commitment to the ISO 14001 certification, the internationally recognized standard for environmental management systems, AccorHotels has led two studies that assess the benefits of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on guest satisfaction and hotel performance. The surveys were conducted by Accenture and Ernst & Young (EY) in 2015 and revealed three key findings on the positive impact of CSR: increased guest satisfaction; improved hotel profitability; and increased loyalty of key BtoB customers.“We have been committed to sustainable development for over 20 years and always believed that, as well as being essential to preserve our...

COLLEGE PARK, MD.—College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center announces that it has achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council—LEED’s highest level of certification. The designation makes College Park Marriott one of just four LEED Platinum U.S. hotels.The hotel’s Platinum certification follows the completion of an extensive multi-year renovation of meeting and event space, guestrooms and public areas that emphasized green building techniques and enhanced eco-friendly practices in daily operations. This new designation highlights College Park Marriott’s longstanding commitment to preserving the environment. In 2004, the hotel was North America’s...

SPRINGFIELD, MO.—John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts (JQH) and Convoy of Hope announced their new national philanthropic partnership at an event at JQH’s University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center in Springfield, Mo. Called JQH’s Legacy of Giving, the joint cause initiative will focus on feeding the world’s hungry children and tackling systemic poverty in the United States and globally, which are at the heart of Convoy of Hope’s mission since it was established more than 20 years ago. JQH CEO Jacquie Dowdy and Convoy of Hope Co-Founder Dave Donaldson made the announcement at the launch event.JQH’s Legacy of Giving...

NEW YORK—SH Group, the hotel brand management arm of Starwood Capital Group, announced the opening of 1 Hotel Central Park. This is the second property for the recently launched 1 Hotels, and the first in New York City. Known for his innovations, Sternlicht developed the brand with goals of truly upending the world of hospitality through a socially and environmentally conscious platform in celebration of the beauty and preservation of nature.A natural haven in the middle of Manhattan, 1 Hotel Central Park stands one block south from New York City’s largest green space, at the corner of 58th Street...

NATIONAL REPORT—Much has been written about the many millions of partially used bars of soap and amenity bottles disposed of each year. Thanks to Clean the World and other nonprofits, a sizable amount of that waste is now being repurposed. But what about k cups, those little single-serve beverage (mostly coffee) pods used in Keurig Green Mountain brewers? According to research by data firm NPD Group, 40 percent of Canadian homes have a single-serving coffee brewer. In the United States that number is closer to 30 percent. An estimated 20+ billion k cups will be consumed in 2015. Many...

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK—A new employee residence in Old Faithful Village in Yellowstone National Park has received a Platinum rating by the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) program. The residence was built by concessioner Yellowstone National Park Lodges, operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts.The project is the first Platinum-rated certification achieved by a concession operator inside a national park. Platinum is the highest LEED certification level and accounts for only about seven percent of all LEED-certified projects.In order to achieve LEED certification, the project needed to meet stringent sustainability requirements in areas such...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton Worldwide announced it is awarding more than $280,000 to 100 Hilton Worldwide properties and community organizations around the world as part of its Travel with Purpose Action Grant program. The grants are intended to support the development of local projects and strengthen the quality of life in the communities in which Hilton Worldwide’s hotels and offices serve. Now in its third year, the program has awarded over $500,000 to nearly 200 community projects around the world.     All of Hilton’s more than 4,350 managed, franchised, owned and leased hotels and timeshare properties, as well as offices, were eligible...

DENVER—Showcasing more than a decade of leadership while taking on the challenge of climate change, global hospitality company Xanterra Parks & Resorts has released its 2014 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, defining and measuring its innovative sustainability improvements. The report also announces ambitious stretch targets for the next decade.The report presents details of improvements measured against goals announced in 2004. The company tracks its environmental performance across all aspects of its operations using an ISO 14001 audited program launched in 2002.Xanterra entities include lodges, restaurants, tours and activities in national and state parks, as well as resorts, a cruise line,...

CHICAGO—United Airlines and Wyndham Worldwide are working together to reduce carbon emissions associated with corporate air travel. The hospitality company, which is one of the largest in the world, has agreed to become an official launch partner for United’s Eco-Skies CarbonChoice corporate carbon offset program. The Eco-Skies CarbonChoice program enables the airline’s corporate customers to track and offset the emissions stemming from their business travel and freight shipments on United at the enterprise level.“As the only U.S. airline to offer a corporate carbon offset program, United’s CarbonChoice program represents another way for us to broaden and partner with our...

NATIONAL REPORT—Hotels around the country are getting greener and more sustainable. For the most part, their emphasis has been on such things as reducing energy consumption, using less gas and electricity and using it more efficiently, along with transferring to cleaning solutions that have a reduced impact on the environment. But most recently, their big focus is on water…or, shall we say, the lack thereof. From dry California and several other areas of the United States to parts of the country that are what we could call “water rich,” hotel properties are looking into a number of ways to reduce...