ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc., a global leader in water, food safety and public health technologies and services, has been named to the Water Security List, with an A rating by CDP, the nonprofit global environmental disclosure platform. This year’s CDP Water Security A List recognized 71 companies globally for their sustainable water management initiatives. “Ecolab’s inclusion on the A List is recognition of our work to advance sustainable and strategic water management with our customers and in our own operations,” said Emilio Tenuta, Chief Sustainability Officer at Ecolab. “As we enter this new decade, we are expanding our capabilities to...

ATLANTA—UPS said its venture capital arm, UPS Ventures, has completed a minority investment in Arrival, which makes electric vehicle (EV) platforms and purpose-built vehicles that offer a highly competitive value proposition when compared with both traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, as well as existing EVs. Along with the investment in Arrival, UPS also announced a commitment to purchase 10,000 electric vehicles to be built for UPS with priority access to purchase additional electric vehicles. UPS will collaborate with Arrival to develop a wide range of electric vehicles with Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS). The technology is designed to increase safety and...

LAS VEGAS—Las Vegas Sands has again been recognized by CDP, the international nonprofit environmental disclosure platform, on the Climate Change A List. This is the company’s fifth year in a row to attain a leadership position for Climate Change, a distinction shared by only 2 percent of disclosing companies. “The CDP provides a comprehensive framework that continues to inspire us to become leaders in our industry and provide guidance for strategic direction,” Katarina Tesarova, Senior Vice President of Global sustainability at Las Vegas Sands, said. “Among the thousands of companies that were scored this year, Sands is one of a...

ATLANTA—Interface Hospitality announces the launch of its latest carpet collection, Guest Rooms, designed for the hospitality segment. The collection was created based on how texture, pattern and color impact a person’s experience with a space and has 19 versatile patterns in square and plank styles. Assembled into color palettes that evoke the four distinct shades of nature—Painted Light, Windswept Terrain, Winter Chill and Morning Haze—these carpet styles create a home away from home for guests through the integration of diverse textures, patterns and custom colors. The carpet can be installed in a variety of ways—wall-to-wall, in combination with other...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) announced the release of the GSTC Destination Criteria v2.0, which had been under development for most of 2019. GSTC Criteria serve as the global baseline standards for sustainability in travel and tourism. The Criteria are used for education and awareness-raising, policy making for businesses and government agencies and other organization types, measurement and evaluation, and as a basis for certification. To date, two sets of GSTC Criteria have been developed: Destination Criteria and Industry Criteria. They are the result of a worldwide effort to develop a common language about sustainability in tourism. They are arranged in...

CALHOUN, GA.—This year at The International Surface Event (TISE) in Las Vegas, Mohawk is showcasing the company’s dedication to a more sustainable future through innovative manufacturing processes, product design and strategies around positive environmental and social impact. A feature display within the company’s award-winning presence at booth 5803 highlights inspiring sustainability efforts and stories for attendees. As the largest recycler of plastic bottles in North America, Mohawk has made a corporate commitment to support the work of The Ocean Cleanup. The Netherlands-based nonprofit organization is developing advanced technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. Mohawk unveiled an interactive art installation...

TURKU, FINLAND—In preparations to host the 2022 World Cup, Qetaifan Projects, a Katara Hospitality owned company signed a memorandum of understanding with ADMARES; the world leader in alternative real estate with pioneering construction methods. Qetaifan Projects continues its series of local and international partnerships that would add to Qetaifan Island North and serve the tourism, hospitality, and entertainment sectors in Qatar. The Memorandum of Understanding includes the construction and operation of 16 floating hotels on the shores of Qetaifan Island North to provide accommodation for the masses within the fan villages during the 2022 World Cup. The hotels have...

MADRID, SPAIN—The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in association with Globalia, the leading tourism group in Spain and Latin America, has selected the finalists of the 2nd Global Tourism Startup Competition, an initiative that the two entities have been working on since 2018 when its first edition was held. In the competition’s first two editions, Wakalua, the global tourism innovation hub powered by Globalia, in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization, has received proposals of nearly 5,000 startups from 150 countries. The countries with the highest number of projects submitted have been Spain, followed by India, the United States, Portugal, Nigeria...

MADRID, SPAIN—The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative was officially announced yesterday by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. This initiative unites the tourism sector behind a common vision to tackle the root causes of plastic pollution, enabling businesses and governments to take joint action. The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative is ground-breaking and ambitious in its goals. It aims to reduce the amount of plastic pollution caused by the tourism sector. To achieve this vision, tourism companies and destinations will be required to make a set of concrete and...

SAN DIEGO—Women in Tourism & Hospitality (W.I.T.H.) will host its inaugural conference March 19 through 20, 2020 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Diego-Mission Valley. The W.I.T.H. program recognizes and supports the contributions of women professionals who are significantly impacting tourism and hospitality in the San Diego metro area. W.I.T.H. will bring together corporations, tourism executives, industry insiders, elected officials, entrepreneurs, educators, and students for one full day of motivation, education and networking. “The W.I.T.H Conference is designed to provide strategies and empowerment for women in the hospitality industry to take control of their business, go after what they...