LAS VEGAS—Las Vegas Sands has released its 2019 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, which outlines the company’s strategies and progress around its corporate responsibility pillars of People, Community and Planet. The report also details Sands’ extensive governance practices that ensure ethics and accountability in all areas of the business. Highlights from the company’s 2019 performance include marked progress in key environmental programs involving plastics elimination and renewable energy transition; expansion of social programs to support Team Member wellness, engage small and medium enterprises and solve community problems in local regions; and continued focus on globalizing best practices and training...

DALLAS—Omni Hotels & Resorts has announced its first-ever proprietary coffee brand, Stance Coffee, in partnership with Arkansas-based Westrock Coffee Co., LLC. Through Stance Coffee, Omni Hotels & Resorts delivers great tasting, high-quality coffee built on a commitment of sustainability and innovation. “With Stance, we stand for high quality in every sense of the experience: great tasting coffee, exceptional service and the fairest of treatment of people from farmer to barista,” said Devin Burns, Vice President of Rooms and Food & Beverage at Omni Hotels & Resorts. “Here at Omni, our commitments to local market leadership and corporate responsibility speak to a higher...

NASHVILLE—The Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEC) has rolled out its new Tennessee Sustainable Hospitality program. Not currently a certification program, its focus is to share environmentally sustainable best practices that will continue to drive economic activity while conserving and protecting natural resources. At the core of the program are eight resource guides available to businesses in the following areas: energy conservation, water conservation, recycling & waste reduction, food waste reduction, communication and education, green purchasing, green cleaning, and green events. Dobbin Callahan, Skye Con, who runs the Tennessee Green Hospitality program, which does include certification, has not closed...

MIAMI—ABCO Cleaning Products, a leader in sustainable cleaning tools, completed a large solar panel installation at its facility in Choloma, a city in the Honduran department of Cortés. Proving its commitment to environmentally responsible manufacturing, ABCO expanded its solar capabilities by installing an additional 2,058 solar panels at the site, which collectively generate 1 megawatt (MW) of power. “This solar array will help power our operations with clean energy as we continue to minimize environmental impact throughout our vertically integrated process,” said Jose German Lopez, facility manager at the Choloma plant. “Sustainability is always a priority for us, from the...

BOSTON—Schneider Electric, a leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, doubled down on its long-standing strategy to embed environmental, social and governance considerations into every facet of its activities—and to assist its customers and business partners in achieving their own sustainability objectives. The announcement coincided with the news that Corporate Knights, a Canadian media and research company producing rankings and financial product ratings based on corporate sustainability performance, has for the first time recognized Schneider Electric number one on its annual index of “the Global 100 most sustainable corporations in the world.” A jump from 29th position...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA—The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the developer behind the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism project, has completed the first stage of the LEED for Cities (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) platinum certification in the “Plan & Design” criteria for The Red Sea Project. The award recognizes TRSDC’s execution of practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at improving the sustainability and standard of living for those involved in the project. “As part of our ambition to become standard-bearers in luxury ecotourism, we are proud to have passed this first stage of LEED accreditation. The award is a...

VEVEY, SWITZERLAND—Nescafé is one of the world’s most popular coffee brands. One in seven cups of coffee is Nescafé. However, many coffee farmers live in uncertainty. The health of their crops and their incomes are under permanent threat. Ten years ago, Nestlé, therefore, launched the Nescafé Plan to improve farmers’ lives. The plan helped improve farmers’ incomes, reduce the environmental impact of coffee farms and factories, and increase rural communities’ well-being in many countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Mexico, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Nestlé has invested $391 million in the Nescafé Plan since its inception. Building on the significant progress over the past decade, Nestlé...

Names: Kate Wilson Title: Senior Director of Sustainability Company: Vail Resorts Years with Vail Resorts: Almost three years Primary Responsibility: “I am lucky to run Commitment to Zero. We own and operate 37 resorts globally. We made a bold sustainability commitment to have a zero-net impact by 2030. I work on the strategy and implement these goals.” Organization’s most significant accomplishment in global corporate responsibility: “We reached our 50 percent waste diversion goal nine months ahead of schedule.” Organization’s most significant challenge moving forward in global corporate responsibility: “Waste is still a huge challenge for us because of where these resorts are located. Two towns...

INTERNATIONAL REPORT—At the beginning of 2020, no one could have predicted how a global pandemic would upend lives so drastically in a matter of months. Freedom to travel was compromised—and still is, for some. During these unpredictable times, the way of travel and how we see luxury travel has changed, and the new way is here to stay (Phagura, 2020). Sustainable luxury travel was an oxymoron in the past, as people would often imagine sustainability and luxury could not go hand in hand (Lee, 2017). Presently, the new luxury is more about the process and the experience rather than the product....

NATIONAL REPORT—Over the years, there has been a considerable rise in the number of people who have shunned their carefree lifestyle and embraced a more sustainable one. Right from volunteering for community cleanups to monitoring their carbon footprint, people are going at great lengths to protect the blessings bestowed upon them by Mother Nature. They are also reconsidering the way they travel. More and more people are now flying less and driving less to keep their carbon footprint in check. This sudden surge in the number of people thinking green has compelled the hospitality industry to change its norms...