HILO HAWAII—Soul Community Planet announced the opening of its new SCP Hilo Hotel. The 138-room property brings SCP’s unique brand of holistic hospitality to the Hawaiian Islands. The hotel now is accepting room reservations with the special introductory Aloha SCP offer with rates starting at $245 per night for a limited time only. “We are excited to bring Soul Community Planet to one of the most beautiful islands in the world. The new SCP Hilo Hotel is a wonderful destination in its own right and is an ideal base for adventure-seekers and explorers looking to experience all the Island of Hawaii has to...

TANZANIA—Facilitating “wildness” and the practice of “rewilding” emerges as a preferred method for making altered landscapes wild again. An essential action is the restoration of natural processes, which can lead to increased self-sustainability of an ecosystem. The 20 acres Thanda Island shows that even a tiny private island can significantly impact the conservation of sea life and communities of the Indian Ocean. Located 16 nautical miles off the coast of mainland Tanzania and surrounded by the underwater wonders of the Shungimbili Island Marine Reserve, Thanda Island has always had a strong focus on conservation. Indeed, Christin and Dan Olofsson, the philanthropic Swedish...

MINNEAPOLIS—Pentair plc, a leading provider of water treatment and sustainable solutions, announces its Social Responsibility Strategic Targets. The new targets were launched with the release of Pentair’s 2020 Corporate Responsibility Report, which highlights the company’s initiatives to be a leading socially responsible company as it delivers smart, sustainable solutions that empower customers and employees to make the most of life’s essential resources. “As a leading provider of water treatment and sustainable solutions, we are proud of our efforts to further Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) stewardship that are highlighted in our 2020 Corporate Responsibility Report,” said John L. Stauch, Pentair President and CEO....

NATIONAL REPORT—As of 2020, about 74 percent of international travelers planned to stay in eco-accommodation, according to statistics on ftnNEWS. There are plenty of ways to make your hotel more sustainable to attract tourists focused on sustainability. You may choose to invest in solar power installation, waste management, or eco-friendly decor. However, there is nothing quite inviting like the sight of a well-designed landscape. Beautiful landscaping is part of the brand experience that makes visitors more relaxed during their vacation. With this in mind, you may want to integrate sustainable landscaping practices to enhance the customer experience and grow your business. To achieve...

Like the recent survey conducted by Booking.com, a similar one conducted by The Vacationer indicates a strong preference for sustainable travel. When asked how important sustainable travel is to you, 82 percent said either somewhat important (56%) or very important (26%). “Sustainable travel is most important to the youngest generation aged 18 to 29,” the report said. “29.63 percent of people in this age bracket noted it was Very Important to them.” When asked, “Do you intend to make more sustainable (eco-friendly) decisions when planning travel?”, 48 percent said yes but only if it does not inconvenience them. Twenty-six percent...

NATIONAL REPORT—A sense of social responsibility is an important characteristic to possess on personal and professional levels, and now more than ever these values are integral to success in the future. Brand standing is an important marketing trend related to brand authenticity, equality, inclusivity, and social justice. We have been following the #Brandstanding trend for a few years now, and each year it has picked up steam. Over the past few years, major social justice movements have taken place around the county and the world and have made history. Considering the events of the past year and ongoing unrest...

EMERYVILLE, CALIF.—SCS Global Services (SCS), a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, auditing, testing, and standards development, announced the launch of its new Zero Waste Standard. This new global certification standard enables companies to demonstrate the degree to which their waste streams are prevented, reused, or diverted from the landfill. It is robust yet flexible to allow companies to demonstrate incremental improvements, and to stimulate participation based on regional supply chain differences. As companies look to improve their ESG ratings and strengthen their corporate messages and investment profiles, this third-party certification will provide assurance year-after-year for corporations...

LAS VEGAS—The MGM Resorts International’s 2020 Social Impact and Sustainability Report is now available. The report solidifies the company’s commitment to creating a sustainable future and making a difference in the lives of employees, guests, and the communities in which it operates. Through the lens of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic and operating challenges generated by the virus, this report offers insights into how the company continued to deliver against extraordinary and extenuating circumstances. Major highlights and accomplishments outlined in the report include: Development of the MGM Seven-Point Safety Plan and training protocols. Procurement of approximately 1 million articles...

Like many of you I am finalizing my summer vacation plans. My family chose a visit to New Mexico this year. I was there before as a single guy and loved the state and am looking forward to experiencing it with my family. Today it will hit 98 degrees in Albuquerque. We are hoping for more temperate weather for our visit. Just over one state, in Phoenix, it will hit 117 degrees today. Yesterday it hit a record 118, breaking previous records by four degrees. Years ago, I was in Phoenix, and it was 102 and it was like being...

DENHAM, UNITED KINGDOM—A new paper co-authored by international property consultancy Gleeds, global engineering and design consultancy Arup, global hospitality company IHG Hotels & Resorts, and energy management and automation specialist Schneider Electric has revealed how the hotel industry can tackle the net zero carbon challenge and save millions in the process. Entitled “Transforming Existing Hotels to Net Zero”, the team compiling the research used a real-life case study to consider what opportunities exist to decarbonize existing hotels and drive operational energy to net zero carbon. With energy consumption typically accounting for as much as 60 percent of a hotel’s emissions...