DALLAS—Kimberly-Clark, a leader in sustainably-made personal care products, announced a unique three-year agreement and collaboration with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) designed to raise awareness of the importance of choosing products that use fiber from responsibly managed forests. As part of the new “♥ YOUR  PLANET” (“HEART YOUR PLANET”) campaign, the company will display WWF’s iconic logo on its paper towel, facial tissue and toilet paper products sold in North America. |This initiative is part of an eight-year partnership between the two organizations, and is a natural next step in advancing responsible forestry through consumer education and engagement. The WWF logo will be...

HONG KONG—Burba Hotel Network (BHN), Horwath HTL, and Stiles Capital Events, co-hosts and organizers of the annual Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP), announce that entries for the HICAP 2017 Sustainable Hotel Awards are now being accepted. The deadline for submissions is August 1, 2017. The 28th annual HICAP will be held October 18 to 20, 2017, at the InterContinental Hong Kong. The annual HICAP Sustainable Hotel Awards were launched in 2007 and are 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...

KEY WEST, FLA.—If entrepreneur Tony Webb attracts the interest he needs, there could be as many as 15 Planet Ocean Underwater Hotels in the coming years. Webb, Founder and Managing Director of Planet Ocean Underwater Hotels, LLC, is targeting waters off Cuba for the first 12-room property that will sit about 24 to 30 feet below the ocean’s surface. Fifteen sites are being planned for locations in the Indian Ocean, the Persian Gulf, the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean. One purpose of the business venture is to raise awareness about the precarious state of global coral reef health. Webb...

NEW YORK—The International Living Future Institute (ILFI), a collective of leading green building experts and thought leaders who created the groundbreaking Living Building Challenge program and—most recently—the Living Product Challenge, presented Humanscale with the 2017 Manufacturer Visionary Award for their commitment to transparency, their completion of the Living Product Challenge, and their overall mission to create a future that is socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. By recognizing Humanscale’s comprehensive efforts to create a net positive impact on the earth, the award further distinguishes the brand as a leader for sustainable manufacturing across industries and around the world. “The...

BANGKOK—Teachers across mainland China are improving the lives—and future careers—of Chinese youth by gaining new industry knowledge and teaching techniques through the China Hospitality Education Initiative (CHEI), a project of The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation. CHEI was recently presented with the World Travel & Tourism Council’s Tourism for Tomorrow People Award during the 17th WTTC Global Summit in Bangkok. Award submissions were judged by a panel of independent experts, academics, business leaders, and NGO and government representatives. WTTC recognized CHEI for its focus on providing training and professional development resources for teachers across China, improving hospitality and tourism...

CINCINNATI—Cintas Corp. has collected more than 890 pounds of pull tabs for its seventh annual E.A.R.T.H. (Every Area Recycling Tabs Helps!) Campaign. Pull tabs are converted into funds for local chapters of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), which provides a home-away-from-home for the families of children being treated at nearby hospitals. Since 2011, Cintas has generated nearly $4,200 for the campaign, which has helped fund more than 160 nights for families staying at local Houses. “When enough people get involved, recycling something as small as a pull tab can have a big impact on the lives of others,” said Krista Jaeger, Manager of Sustainability, Cintas. “RMHC serves...

BRUSSELS—Radisson Blu, the hotel brand driven by innovation and design, is launching Blu Planet for Meetings, making meetings carbon-free at Radisson Blu hotels worldwide by the end of the year. The selected First Climate carbon offsetting projects contribute to fighting global warming and support the UN Sustainable Development goals. “Since the COP21 climate accord, an increasing number of corporations are concerned about fighting climate change and about reducing their carbon footprints, also when they plan meetings,” says Inge Huijbrechts, Vice President of Responsible Business for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. “We know that face-to-face meetings are crucial to business success. Research...

One Green Deed Spawns Another Book Covers Author’s 20-Year Quest for Sustainability and the Inspiring People Behind It One Green Deed Spawns Another is a new book written by green manufacturing consultant, David Mahood. It entails his quest for sustainability and conversations with the sources of his inspiration. If you had one green deed you’d like to see heeded, adopted, and passed on, what would it be and why? The book is a compilation of the answers to that question in the context of a 20-year journey. From green architecture pioneers to green product pioneers, from natural fiber farmers to worm...

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS—The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the region’s tourism development agency, is partnering with the ministry of tourism in St. Kitts to host a sustainable tourism forum, with a focus on climate change. Themed, Good for Us, Better for All, the September 6 to 8 Climate Smart Sustainable Tourism Forum is being held in observance of International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development and will bring together local, regional, and international representatives from public and private sector tourism entities, as well as development agencies that offer programming in sustainable tourism, for three days of interactive engagements. Major elements will include best...

BETHESDA, MD.—Over 2,000 Marriott International associates spent a day recently volunteering at 42 sites throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia culminating in 7,000 hours of volunteer time. Part of Associate Appreciation Week, Spirit To Serve is an opportunity for Marriott’s worldwide community of associates to come together as a team for a global day of service, bridging the company’s business to its communities to drive social impact. “Spirit To Serve Day underscores our core values of putting people first and serving our world,” said Joanne Thomas, Senior Manager of Social Impact. “It’s a day that our associates look forward to...