MCLEAN, VA.—Yesterday, Hilton kicked off the sixth annual Global Week of Service where more than 355,000* Team Members around the world will have the opportunity to participate in local projects that make a lasting, positive impact in the communities where they live, work and travel. “We are a business of people serving people, and our teams around the world are deeply committed to this philosophy,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, President and CEO of Hilton. “That commitment doesn’t just apply to guests who walk through the doors of our hotels—it’s also about serving in our thousands of communities around the world....

SANTA BARBARA, CALIF.—Mission Linen Supply, a leading provider of linens, uniforms, laundry services and select operating supplies, received a Sustainability Leadership Award in the Business Intelligence Group’s 2017 Sustainability Awards program. These awards honor people, teams and organizations that have made sustainability an integral part of their business practice or overall mission. Mission was recognized for its earth-conscious approach to laundering, processing and distributing linens and uniforms. As early as 1973, Mission installed one of the industry’s first wastewater recycling systems, and to this day the company demonstrates its dedication to sustainability by implementing water reclamation systems, energy-efficient equipment, paperless...

PHILADELPHIA—As a responsible participant in the world’s seafood supply chain, Aramark, a global provider of dining solutions to businesses, schools, universities, hospitals and stadiums, is making significant progress toward its 2018 commitment to purchase 100 percent of its U.S. contracted seafood from sources that meet Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program recommendations. Today, 90 percent of the company’s frozen finfish and 100 percent of canned tuna purchases meet the Seafood Watch recommendations and by the end of 2018, the company expects to have transitioned all salmon and shrimp products to Seafood Watch “Best Choice” and “Good Alternative” categories. “Responsible and...

LONDON—According to GlobalData, a recognized leader in business information and analytics, the climate change imperative and the rise of responsible travelers is creating a compelling business case for sustainable tourism. The company’s latest report: “Top Trends in Sustainable Tourism: An analysis of the key trends in sustainable tourism and the business opportunities they create for the travel and tourism industry” reveals that increased awareness of social, economic and environmental sustainability has spread rapidly through the digital world and social media. This has given rise to a new type of tourist, characterized by environmental and cultural sensitivity. Such travelers are more likely to...

HONG KONG—The organizers of the annual Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP), are pleased to announce the winners for the HICAP 2017 Sustainable Hotel Awards. The 28th annual HICAP will be held October 18 to 20, 2017 at the InterContinental Hong Kong. The HICAP Sustainable Hotel Awards were launched in 2007 and were designed to recognize hotels in the Asia Pacific region creating innovative new methods, strategies, and technologies to face today’s sustainable development challenge, while providing tangible examples of sustainable best practices that can be replicated and adapted across the region. In the category of Sustainable Design, the winner is...

JASPER, IND.—Indiana Furniture announced that Chad Nord has joined their leadership team as Vice President of Manufacturing, Engineering and Quality. Nord is charged with fostering Indiana Furniture’s culture of high performance while leading sustainability efforts across multiple facilities with nearly 300 employees in southern Indiana. “I’m pleased to welcome Chad to the Indiana Furniture family,” said President and CEO Max Verkamp. “He has extensive experience and a deep understanding of every aspect of operations: lean manufacturing, project management, strategic planning, employee training and development, management coaching and process design.” “I have such respect for everything Indiana Furniture’s accomplished—like their level-certified product...

NEW YORK—Loews Hotels introduces Flavor by Loews Hotels, a food and beverage experience serving up the best local flavor right within the four walls of the hotel. Rolling out nationally this year, Flavor by Loews Hotels is built on partnerships with artisan food & beverage vendors ranging from bakers to ice cream makers. The indigenous products are showcased on menus across the brand’s portfolio, enabling guests to experience a taste of the destination without ever having to step off property. Loews Hotels is one of the first hotel brands to embrace local partnerships on a national scale. The Flavor by...

NORWOOD, MASS.—In the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the North American travel and tourism industry is calling for donations to the Destination Disaster Recovery Fund to speed the restoration of destinations and the livelihoods they support (www.tourismcares.org/disasterrecovery). Led by the industry’s nonprofit, Tourism Cares, the Fund supports the three regions most affected: the Caribbean, the Texas Gulf Coast and the hardest hit parts of Florida and the Keys. The Fund complements the outpouring of relief aid in three ways: focusing on the recovery of tourism sites and communities; leveraging industry talent and influence; and partnering with local leaders such...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Through the generous support of Pineapple Hospitality and MDRT Foundation, Clean the World is better able to provide hurricane relief in the various affected regions. To assist in Clean the World’s recent hurricane relief effort, Pineapple Hospitality has donated 61,400 bars of new soap. “After watching the suffering being endured by the victims of Harvey and Irma from the comfort of our dry and air-conditioned homes we were seeking a way to assist,” says Ray Burger, President of Pineapple Hospitality. “We have been impressed with the ongoing efforts of Clean the World over the past few years and we...

NEW YORK—The challenge before the travel and tourism industry is real. In 2015, there were 1.2 billion international tourism arrivals, and billions more domestic tourists. This is predicted to nearly double by 2030, prompting the UN World Tourism Organization Secretary General, Taleb Rifai, to declare: “Will tourism bring us one billion opportunities to make the world a better place, or one billion disasters?” Virtuoso has always believed that tourism represents opportunities and it is that objective that recently inspired the renowned travel agency network, specializing in upscale and experiential travel, to hold its inaugural Sustainability Summit. For nearly a decade,...