NEW YORK—In celebration of Earth Day 2016, Booking.com revealed findings from its global Sustainable Travel Report, identifying what the term “sustainable travel” means to consumers, how sustainable accommodations are viewed, and what the future holds for eco-conscious travelers.Nearly half (47 percent) of American respondents said they consider themselves to be sustainable travelers, rising to 72 percent amongst Chinese respondents and dropping to 25 percent amongst the Japanese, with findings showing a wide spectrum when it comes to what people understand “sustainable travel” to mean. More than half (58 percent) of Americans consider the act of staying in eco-friendly accommodations...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International ranked fifth on the “Top 10 Regional Companies” list for diversity best practices, according to DiversityInc, one of the nation’s leading sources on workplace diversity management. This year marks the 11th consecutive year MGM Resorts has been recognized for its Diversity and Inclusion Initiative by DiversityInc, which ranks companies based on the results of an annual survey.“It’s clear that corporate America understands how diversity and inclusion strengthens everything from recruiting and retention to overall business success,” said Luke Visconti, DiversityInc’s Founder and CEO. “We saw more than 1,000 companies submitting for contention on the list....

GLENS FALLS, N.Y.—JUST water, an ethically sourced 100 percent spring water in a paper-based bottle, announced a new, plant-based bottle. Kicking off production on April 22, the JUST water bottle is now made with 82 percent renewable resources that come directly from plant-based materials, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 74 percent compared to a range of PET plastic bottles.“Our mission from the onset was to deliver a product that is responsibly sourced, and packaged for environmental and social impact, while holding ourselves to the goal of continuous improvement,” said Grace Jeon, JUST CEO. “It’s taken quite a...

NEW YORK—New York Convention Center Operating Corp. (NYCCOC) President and CEO Alan Steel announced the results of a new study that shows more than 1,100 cumulative bird observations on the Javits Center’s green roof in 2015. Of the 1,124 bird sightings during the ecological study, 17 bird species were found, six more compared to the previous year. The green roof remains the only green roof in New York City with a colony of nesting Herring Gulls, which produced 14 chicks in 2015. The diversity of bird species using the roof from spring to fall demonstrates the importance of the...

NEW YORK—TripAdvisor is promoting and profiting from some of the world’s cruelest wildlife tourist attractions, says global animal welfare organization World Animal Protection. World Animal Protection estimates that at least 550,000 wild animals are suffering at the hands of irresponsible wildlife tourist attractions around the world, many of which are promoted and sold via TripAdvisor to its 300 million visitors each month. Tourists who are buying tickets to ride elephants, handle sea turtles, watch dolphin performances, and take lion and tiger “selfies”, via the world’s largest travel site, are usually unaware of the abuse and suffering the animals experience...

In today’s marketplace, there is a plethora of product certifications, labels and declarations that manufacturers and builders use to communicate a product’s value to clients. However, owners, product specifiers and building occupants all have different interests and motivations. Just as each person’s background and experience varies, so do their beliefs when it comes to sustainability. The good news? Studies show we are all becoming more aware of and concerned with issues surrounding social and environmental health and sustainability. Making use of product labels, including declarations and certifications, is one way to make more informed choices; however, deciphering the claims...

LAS VEGAS—In celebration of Earth Day, Las Vegas Sands announced that more than 26,000 individual green actions were completed by its team members during the company’s annual “I Will If You Will” (IWIYW) global challenge. Initiated by Sands ECO360, Las Vegas Sands’ global sustainability program during the week leading up to Earth Hour on March 19, the challenge encouraged the company’s team members to take action to reduce their impact on climate change.“I am extremely proud of the participation we had from our team members this year,” said Katarina Tesarova, Vice President of Global Sustainability for Las Vegas Sands....

BANGKOK—Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas announced that Jeffery Smith has joined the group in the role of Director of Sustainability. In his new role, Smith will ensure that Six Senses remains at the leading edge of sustainable tourism practices. These include environmental performance of each property, support for the preservation of natural and cultural heritage, and enhancing social and economic benefits to local communities in destinations where Six Senses operates. Smith joins Six Senses with 11 years of broad experience of delivering green programs, with internal and external engagement. His most recent role was in the delivery of solar energy...

ILE-DE-FRANCE—AccorHotels recently released the results of Planet 21, its sustainable development program, and renewed its commitments looking to 2020. Sébastien Bazin, the Group’s Chairman & CEO, stated, “The commitment and energy demonstrated by our teams in deploying Planet 21 worldwide, are both valuable levers for our sustainable performance. After five years, the results of the first phase of the plan are very encouraging. Today, we want to scale up our ambitions by banking on innovation and accountability. Planet 21 Season 2 must enable us to create wealth sustainably and curb our negative impacts through the mobilization of our employees,...

NEW YORK—Humanscale, a company long dedicated to incorporating sustainable practices in their manufacturing processes, will be committing to the International Living Future Institute’s Living Product Challenge with their Float sit/stand desk and Diffrient Smart task chair in 2016. The only contract furniture brand to participate in the challenge, this represents a significant undertaking on behalf of the manufacturer and signals a message to the industry that a net positive impact is not only an important and achievable aim for the brand, but something the industry as a whole should be working towards. While taking on only a part of...