PARIS—Accor announced that it is a signatory of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). This program, an initiative of UN Women and the United Nations Global Compact, defines seven principles that foster the empowerment of women in the workplace, the marketplace and the community. •    Principle 1: Establish high-level corporate leadership for gender equality.•    Principle 2: Treat all women and men fairly at work—respect and support human rights and non-discrimination.•    Principle 3: Ensure the health, safety and well-being of all women and men workers.•    Principle 4: Promote education, training and professional development for women.•    Principle 5: Implement enterprise development, supply chain...

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Wyndham Worldwide announced that RobecoSAM, an investment asset management firm, has recognized the company as a 2015 Gold Class Sustainability Leader in its annual Sustainability Yearbook. This is the second consecutive year the company has been included in the Sustainability Yearbook, receiving the Silver Class rating last year.The Sustainability Yearbook lists the world’s most sustainable companies in each industry and provides thought-provoking snapshots of the main trends, challenges and opportunities with the aim to bridge the gap between corporate sustainability and sustainability investing. In addition to being within the top 15 percent of their industry, companies needed to...

SAN FRANCISCO—In a landmark decision, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved the “Green Tariff Shared Renewables Program,” a measure that will give millions of California residents and businesses the chance to participate in a utility clean energy program for the first time. The decision, which benefits the majority of the state’s businesses and over 38 million residents, directs the three largest investor-owned utilities—Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Southern California Edison Co., and San Diego Gas and Electric Co., which together cover nearly 80 percent of the state—to offer a Green-e Energy certified 100 percent renewable energy option...

BERKELEY, CALIF.—Coyuchi, the first company to bring organic cotton bedding to the United States, announce that the brand’s classic Air Weight Towel Collection has achieved Fair Trade Certification under the strict requirements set by Fair Trade USA. This organic cotton towel collection by Coyuchi marks the first-ever Fair Trade USA Certification for towels in North America.Fair Trade certification for Apparel & Home Goods is the first social, economic and environmental standard that directly benefits the workers who sew the items. It offers companies and consumers an opportunity to positively impact the lives of hard-working people. For every Fair Trade...

GRANT, MICH.—All the Porous Pave manufactured and installed through December 2014 included a total of about six million pounds of rubber recycled from 200,000 tires. A proven option for green stormwater infrastructure, Porous Pave is a highly porous, durable and flexible surfacing material consisting of recycled rubber, aggregate and a binder. The controlled shredding and processing of discarded tires produces the one-quarter-inch nominal size rubber chips incorporated into Porous Pave.“Reaching a total of 200,000 tires saved from landfills, recycled and processed into a component of Porous Pave is an environmental achievement,” said David Ouwinga, President and CEO, Porous Pave,...

CONCORD, CALIF.—Hilton Concord has been honored with two prestigious and coveted designations for its ongoing dedication and commitment to sustainability. Contra Costa County awarded the Hilton Concord hotel with a Certified Green Business designation, the first hotel to receive this honor. In addition, the hotel received the 2014 Contra Costa Green Building Award by Sustainable Contra Costa. The Hilton Concord hotel is owned by VWI Concord LLC and operated by Interstate Hotels & Resorts.“We are proud to have achieved and exceeded the benchmarks in sustainability required for Green Business Certification and thrilled to be the recipient of the 2014...

NORTHBROOK, ILL.—UL, a global safety science leader, recently conducted a study to learn where value and return on investment lie in the area of sustainable buildings. The study and its result is available in a free white paper titled, “The Dawn of the Building Performance Era.” The paper wasa written by UL Chief Economist Erin Grossi.In the white paper, Grossi predicts disruption in the building market over the next five to 10 years as owners, operators and investors of buildings increasingly recognize the potential of innovation in building energy consumption, water usage and indoor air quality to positively impact...

MADRID, SPAIN—The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and the Tour Operators’ Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development (TOI) recently announced their merger, as approved by the boards of directors of each organization.“While retaining our vital DNA as a neutral and independent arbiter of standards for sustainability in travel and tourism, which is well established in our bylaws and organizational structure, the GSTC from our inception has welcomed the participation of all subsectors within travel and tourism,” said Randy Durband, GSTC’s CEO. “Tour operators uniquely touch all facets of the tourism value chain and therefore can play a vital role in...

PORTLAND, ORE.—Viridian Reclaimed Wood announced the introduction of a new line of solid-strip paneling and flooring derived from reclaimed structural beams, according to Viridian co-owner Joe Mitchoff.“While so many of our raw materials come from ports and harbors, we’re always continuing to diversify our sources,” Mitchoff said. “This new line comes from old growth beams reclaimed from Pacific Northwest building-deconstruction and remodeling, primarily granaries and warehouses.”Available in two varieties—Granary Plank Smooth Face Naily and Granary Plank Antique—the new products are milled from a mix of Douglas-fir and pine beams reclaimed from granaries and warehouses throughout the Pacific Northwest. Both...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc. is the first major corporate participant in Minnesota’s newest alternative energy program, which uses community solar gardens—shared solar panel sites with grid-connected subscribers—to offset electricity use.SunEdison, Inc., a leading solar technology manufacturer and provider of solar energy services, will develop the solar gardens under the Xcel Energy Solar Rewards Community Program, which launched in December 2014 in Minnesota. The solar gardens will deliver electricity to Minnesota’s local grid, and as a subscriber, Ecolab will offset the electricity it purchases for its corporate and research, development and engineering campuses in Minnesota.“Supporting SunEdison’s solar garden project enables...