Name: Kristen Royal Title: Sustainability Program Director Company: Tayst Coffee Years in Current Position: 1+ years Primary Responsibilities: “I do a lot of outreach and communication on sustainability. I am in constant communication with other sustainability directors. I research lifecycle reports. I analyze our product and compare it with others. I analyze the machines themselves and the complexities and differences between plastic pods and a compostable one like ours.” Organization’s most significant sustainability-related accomplishment: “Our pod return service. Our clients are demanding this. We are hoping to scale up the service nationwide in January 2020.” Organization’s most significant sustainability-related challenge moving forward: “Making sure we...

MCLEAN, VA.—The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) announced that Hilton’s corporate responsibility management system has achieved “GSTC-Recognized Standard” status. Hilton is the first major hotel company to achieve this recognition. In 2009, Hilton launched LightStay, its award-winning platform that enables the company to track its environmental and social impact across its entire global portfolio of nearly 6,000 managed and franchised hotels. Originally designed to track environmental data, LightStay has evolved to measure, manage and report all of Hilton’s environmental and social metrics. LightStay tracks energy, carbon, water and waste data, as well as social impact metrics including local sourcing, youth training...

PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc., the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services, announced that it will align its operations and supply chain to the U.N. Global Compact’s Business Ambition for 1.5⁰C, and will work to reduce its carbon emissions by half by 2030 and to net-zero by 2050. The company is committed to doing its part in limiting the rise of global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 F) or less above pre-industrial levels, the limit deemed necessary by the U.N. to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. “Climate change demands urgent action, and it’s absolutely critical...

PHILIPPINES—Hotel of Asia, Inc., the hotel arm of DoubleDragon Properties Corp., has engaged Barone International as its sustainability consultant in its application for the LEED Gold certification of Hotel 101 Resort Boracay which is poised to become the largest green hotel to rise in the Philippines. “In this day and age when most modern buildings are built to have customary green features, DoubleDragon looks to go a step further in developing Hotel 101 Resort Boracay to become a true beacon of sustainability in the hospitality industry. With its 1,001 hotel rooms, it is poised to become the largest truly green...

NEW YORK—For the fifth year, the Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC) has presented its Sustainability Awards. The awards celebrate well known industry champions and bring attention to sustainability for people, planet and profit. Properties competed in the categories of Environmental Protection, Sustainable Community and Innovation. Competitors were selected from applicants all over New York City who have invested great care, time and finances into reducing use of energy, water, resources and waste. This year, the award categories focused on individual champions of sustainability, spearheading eco-friendly programs and mindful practices. Winners of the awards incorporated sustainability programs at the...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International says it has reached the milestone of donating more than 1 million meals through its Feeding Forward program, which safely recovers unserved food from conventions, mini bars and warehouses to help feed those in Southern Nevada suffering from food insecurity. In addition, the company has donated over 500,000 meals through Restaurant Week and Backpacks for Kids, which are also part of Feeding Forward. The food donation portion of the program started in 2016 and works as a partnership with Three Square food bank. According to Hunger in Nevada, Feeding America, one in eight Nevadans is affected by...

WILTON, CONN.—Toluna, an ITWP company and leading consumer intelligence platform provider that delivers insights on demand, has issued a new report highlighting consumer desire to support brands that protect the environment. The report, which surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers, follows on the heels of the recent U.N. Climate Action Summit and simultaneous Global Climate Strikes, found that the importance and perception of sustainability among consumers is increasing. The research confirmed almost one in four (37 percent) of consumers are seeking out and willing to pay up to 5 percent more for environmentally friendly products and are actively changing their shopping behavior to do...

SINGAPORE—Agoda has officially joined as a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). The GSTC engages with a worldwide network of members, who represent a wide range of tourism stakeholders. Being a GSTC member means actively participating in GSTC’s global network, contributing to the important work of the GSTC in promoting the widespread adoption of universal sustainable tourism principles. GSTC Members are active drivers for sustainability in travel and tourism. Agoda is one of the world’s fastest growing online travel booking platforms, headquartered in Singapore, and offering a global network of more than two million properties. The company, which...

MINNEAPOLIS—Radisson Hotel Group announced that it has made a commitment to sourcing 100 percent of its eggs (shell, liquid and egg products) from cage-free sources globally by 2025 for its entire global portfolio. The Group will also publish this commitment in all key native languages and will publicly report on progress annually. This follows the company’s successful implementation of its augmented Supplier Code of Conduct in 2018, raising the bar with suppliers in terms of human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption standards. “The Humane League is delighted to see Radisson Hotel Group committing to sourcing 100 percent cage-free eggs throughout...

SPARTANBURG, S.C.—Highlighting its commitment to sustainability, a company priority for more than 100 years, Milliken & Company announced it has enlisted National Geographic to produce a series of custom articles in National Geographic magazine and on nationalgeographic.com. The series will be designed to engage communities, customers and associates with key Milliken sustainability initiatives. “Sustainability is a core value that connects our planet, our products and our people,” said Halsey M. Cook, President and CEO for Milliken & Company. “Working with National Geographic amplifies our voice and invites meaningful collaboration as we explore innovative solutions to some of today’s greatest sustainability...