LAS VEGAS—Caesars Foundation, a private foundation funded by resorts owned or operated by the Caesars Entertainment company group, in collaboration with Clean the World, the largest global recycler of hotel amenities, announced the successful distribution of soap to 1,000 families across Guatemala in December 2015. The soap was hand-delivered to families by three Caesars employee contest winners, who were chosen to participate in the trip after being recognized for their leadership in community service.The contest winners returned from the week-long trip on December 5, during which time they distributed soap to families at community centers and home visits in...

LONDON—The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) welcomes the agreement reached following COP21 in Paris, which binds the world’s governments to report openly on their plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions and keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. While this agreement does not set specific targets it does oblige governments to be transparent about the policies they put in place to address the challenge of climate change.  The travel and tourism sector has long been acknowledging its responsibility to ensure its growth is sustainable and inclusive. WTTC estimates travel and tourism to grow by 3.5 percent in 2015,...

CINCINNATI—The Procter & Gamble Co. released its 17th annual sustainability report, detailing the progress it is making to reduce its environmental footprint and improve social conditions for those in need.The report reinforces the company’s commitment to operating sustainably and details the progress against the company’s long-term vision of producing products that consumers love while maximizing the conservation of resources, powering all its plants with 100 percent renewable energy, using 100 percent renewable or recycled materials for all products and packaging and having zero consumer and manufacturing waste go to landfill.The report highlights P&G’s recent efforts to address climate change,...

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Wyndham Worldwide announced it has been named to The Climate “A” List by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) for its actions on mitigating climate change in this past year. Wyndham Worldwide raised its Climate Disclosure Leadership Index performance score—a measure of a company’s transparency on climate-related disclosures—to an all-time high, receiving a score of 98. This is the company’s second consecutive year recognized as a performance leader.The CDP is the world’s largest global environmental disclosure system and evaluates how companies are managing and reducing their carbon footprints.“Our progress continues to earn us industry distinctions that recognize our diligent...

Name: Andrea PinabellTitle: Vice President Sustainability, Global Citizenship Company: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Years with Starwood: Four Primary responsibilities: “My primary role is to reduce Starwood’s overall impact while helping to support the business. Additionally, it is my role to find best practices and scale them around the world.” Organization’s most significant sustainability-related accomplishment: “One of the most significant has been our 30/20 by 2020 program. We were the first company to include a franchise portfolio within its impact reduction goals.” Organization’s most significant sustainability-related challenge moving forward: “Finding innovative and creative financing vehicles as we...

STAMFORD, CONN.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced another step in the company’s journey to be more sustainable by launching new, easy-to-use guides to help associates select from a wide variety of pristine catch that protects their local communities and the environment while maintaining and even enhancing the culinary experience for guests at restaurants and food and beverage services around the world.  Created in partnership with the New England Aquarium, and through collaboration across Starwood’s global business units, the back-of-house poster, purchasing pocket guide and supplemental instruction materials guide associates to species they should avoid in their region and...

PHILADELPHIA—Hersha Hospitality Trust announced that the company was recognized with NAREIT’s 2015 Lodging & Resorts Leader in the Light Award. The award, presented annually by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), recognizes Hersha and its EarthView program for superior and sustainable portfolio-wide energy use practices and sustainability initiatives. Hersha has received the Leader in the Light Award in three out of the past four years and is this year’s co-winner, sharing the top spot with Maryland-based Host Hotels & Resorts.Steven A. Wechsler, NAREIT’s President & Chief Executive Officer, recognized Hersha’s leadership in sustainability and presented Neil...

THE CARIBBEAN—The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) is calling on the global community to support CARICOM’s (Caribbean Community Secretariat) position advocating for a cap on the world’s temperature rise at 1.5 degrees Centigrade as part of their deliberations during the United Nations Climate Change Conference, taking place in Paris from November 30 to December 11, 2015. In a letter to the Hon. Dr. James Fletcher, Chairman of CARICOM Task Force on Climate Change, CHTA Acting President Karolin Troubetzkoy strongly supported CARICOM’s call for a binding agreement on climate change.“Considering the significant research conducted to demonstrate trend lines and...

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLA.—PGA National Resort & Spa announced that it has been awarded the prestigious IAGTO Sustainable Golf Course of the Year Award 2016 for the Americas region. This highly valued award solidifies PGA National’s exceptional commitment to the three pillars of sustainable golf: nature, resources and people.PGA National has long been focused on sustainability throughout their extensive 800 plus-acre resort and golf complex. Dedicated Sustainable Development Manager and LEED Green Associate, Kathy McGuire, works closely with all departments throughout the resort, including golf course maintenance and operations, and holds each area accountable for strict guidelines. “The most...

ROCKVILLE, MD.—Avendra, the leading procurement services provider, fresh off the purchase of BuyEfficient, is stepping up its commitment to sustainability with the hiring of a new sustainability manager, Hamzah Abu-Ragheb. He joins Stacey Dash, Vice President, Marketing, Communications & Sustainability in leading the sustainability team at Avendra. The hiring of Abu-Ragheb comes at a critical time for Avendra. The Rockville, Md.-based company, with 7,000 hospitality customers, has just a little more than one year to go to reach its goal of having 100 percent of its suppliers with a sustainability policy in place. Currently, somewhere north of 84 percent...