Name: Claire Cutting Title: Director, Sustainability Company: Marriott International, Inc. Years in Position: One Primary Responsibilities: “My whole focus is on integrating Marriott’s and Starwood’s sustainability programs. We are trying to make one and one equal three. For example, we both had housekeeping and seafood programs but putting them together can be a real challenge. We are combining the best of both worlds. Each company had its own set of goals. It is like matching apples to oranges.” Organization’s most significant sustainability-related accomplishment: “Launching Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction, Marriott’s new Sustainability and Social Impact Platform. Our goals are huge. It was...

DALTON, GA.—Go Green Synthetic Lawn Solutions announces a major initiative to shift its manufacturing focus to more sustainable and environmentally friendly products. This change began with the inception of including a soy-based backing system on their artificial grass landscape and golf products. Universal Textile Technologies, innovators of BioCel and pioneers using recycled and bio-based materials to produce state of the art technologies in the textile industry for over 20 years, provides Go Green products with an exceptional backing system that adds more value and a better choice for the consumer. The BioCel system utilizes plant-based polyols derived from renewable natural oils...

There is no doubt that an increasing number of solar powered hotels are opening across America. For owners of modern hotels, technology and luxury are a high priority, but this doesn’t need to cause damage to the environment. The solar industry is on the cusp of being an affordable energy source, available to the masses. Hotel operators who are looking to combine modern design and comfort, with a sustainable and green approach, should seriously consider installing solar panels. Solar Could Soon Be the Cheapest Option According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the cost of solar is decreasing at a faster rate than...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc., a global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services, was recognized as one of America’s Most Just Companies by Forbes magazine and JUST Capital, a nonprofit that ranks the largest publicly traded U.S. corporations on the issues Americans care about most. Ecolab was recognized for outperforming its peers on criteria including worker pay and treatment, job creation, healthy products and communities, and environmental impact. “We’re honored by this recognition,” said Ecolab Chairman and CEO Douglas M. Baker, Jr. “We have long believed that by aligning our economic, environmental and social priorities, we perform better...

Designing for the ultimate guest experience begins from the ground up. From the moment guests enter a hotel lobby, they should feel quality in every step, and the warmth and elegance of real hardwood floors make a huge impact on the crucial first impression. When designing for a spectacular hospitality experience, the most important decision—even more so than aesthetics—lies in choosing sustainable building materials that will look equally beautiful in year five as they did on day one. The flooring specified must be able to withstand thousands of guests in heels, countless wheeled carry-ons and damaging luggage carts, while...

NEW YORK—Committed to growing its inclusive community and expanding the travel industry’s impact, Travel+SocialGood, a nonprofit working in the global travel industry since 2013, changed its name to Impact Travel Alliance (ITA). The new name better reflects the organization’s long-term vision to affect the choices an average leisure or business traveler makes and the importance travel businesses put on a triple-bottom line. “Our goal is to reshape the narrative around sustainable tourism, and help average consumers understand that sustainability can be applied to any type of travel,” said Kelley Louise, Impact Travel Alliance’s Executive Director. “Our new name reflects our...

DENHAM, U.K.—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, recently announced a record-breaking week of fundraising for the IHG Foundation. During September’s IHG Foundation Week, more than 100,000 IHG colleagues came together to raise over $350,000 for the IHG Foundation, by pledging their participation in a wide range of awareness and fundraising activities. A record-breaking 1 million pledges were made across hotels and corporate offices in nearly 80 countries. This represented more than one pledge per second across nine days of activity and included 200,000 hours of volunteering. Kate Gibson, Vice President Corporate Responsibility, IHG, commented: “We are...

SANTA BARBARA, CALIF.—Mission Linen Supply, a leading provider of linens, uniforms, laundry services and select supplies, received a silver 2017 Best in Biz Award in the Most Environmentally Responsible Company of the Year category. Judged by an objective panel of prominent editors and reporters from some of North America’s most respected media outlets, this year’s Best in Biz Awards drew more than 650 entries across various categories. Mission was recognized for its efforts to put environmental sustainability at the forefront of its daily operations and long-term business initiatives. As early as 1973, Mission installed one of the industry’s first wastewater...

DALTON, GA.—Shaw Industries Group, Inc. (Shaw), a leading floorcovering provider, has signed the United Nations Global Compact, a widely recognized set of principles focused on upholding and protecting human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption standards. Further, Shaw will implement the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact throughout its supply chain with updates to its sustainable sourcing policy and related terms and conditions for all suppliers. “The UN Global Compact and its principles align with our culture and operations,” noted Vance D. Bell, Chairman and CEO at Shaw. “Becoming a signatory and enhancing our sourcing policies is a natural extension...

Palau is an island country located in the western Pacific Ocean. It contains approximately 340 islands and has an area of just 180 square miles. The population is about 21,000. As with other Pacific island nations, rising sea level presents a major environmental threat. Illegal dynamite fishing, inadequate solid waste disposal facilities and extensive sand and coral dredging also threaten the health of the environment. I bring up Palau in this column because the country is doing something very unique—something worth replicating around the world. Palau is the first nation on earth to change its immigration laws for the cause...