WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Restaurant Association has received two Awards of Excellence in the 2010 Associations Advance America (AAA) Awards program, a national competition sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). The National Restaurant Association’s ProStart career-building program and Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability environmental initiative are two of the 21 winners. The Association is the only organization to receive two awards in this second round of the AAA Awards, which received more than 100 entries. “We are honored to receive the Awards of Excellence and proud to support America’s nearly one million restaurants as they serve their guests, their...

LONDON—The home of the only British canal boat in North America, a more than 1,900-property strong Green Hotel Directory, an Earth Guest program by one of the biggest hospitality chains in the world, and an initiative to reduce building on China’s famous Mount Huangshan are showcased on a new website launched by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). The Best Practice Gateway, which can be accessed from www.wttc.org, currently features more than 20 case studies from around the world, which together help to illustrate the travel and tourism industry’s leading role in sustainability. “Travel & Tourism can be an...

BROOMFIELD, COLO.—Vail Resorts has launched its new Echo website, VailResortsEcho.com, to better educate and engage guests and employees about the company’s comprehensive sustainability efforts aimed at protecting the natural resources that surrounds the resorts and helping build stronger communities. Vail Resorts Echo encompasses environmental stewardship, charitable giving and community engagement. “We are thrilled to launch the new Echo website,” says Rob Katz, chairman and chief executive officer for Vail Resorts. “The new site provides a wealth of information on Vail Resorts’ goals and ideals of our entire corporate stewardship effort for our stakeholders. Making the Echo information accessible to everyone...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Fairmont Washington, D.C. has awarded a contract to Boulder, Colo.-based Renewable Choice Energy to offset 100 percent of the hotel’s electricity use. The three-year contract calls for Renewable Choice Energy to supply the 415-room Fairmont Hotel with more than 9.5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable energy credits (RECs) generated by wind farms across America. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts have been dedicated environmental stewards since 1990 with the development of the company’s comprehensive Green Partnership program, designed to minimize the hotels’ operating impacts on the environment. “Every business has a responsibility in the community to be environmentally conscious,”...

NEW YORK—Emirates Hotels & Resorts’ long term commitment to sustainability and the environment through its hotels and resorts portfolio was recently rewarded with one of the most prestigious global awards in the travel and tourism industry. Emirates was honored with the Conservation Award at the 2010 World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Global Summit, held this year in Beijing. The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are the WTTC’s highest-profile global accolade, recognizing best practices in sustainable tourism development, conservation and biodiversity protection. Within the Emirates Group, the Emirates Hotels & Resorts (EH&R) portfolio encompasses three major conservation projects spread across...

MORROW, GA.—TOTO USA, a leader in premium high-efficiency plumbing products and green manufacturing practices, announced that it has further expanded its sustainable logistics initiatives by adding UPS’s new carbon neutral shipping program to its energy-efficient supply chain. Globally, TOTO is the first major company to do so. Adding UPS’s carbon neutral shipping program to its sustainability practices enables TOTO to offset the carbon dioxide emissions generated by the transport of its small package shipments within the United States. A deciding factor in TOTO’s decision to adopt UPS’s new initiative is the fact that UPS’s carbon neutral shipping program is verified...

LAS VEGAS—Diamond Resorts International, a leader in the hospitality and vacation ownership industries, announced its mid-year assessment of Club Ride Commuter Services, one of its sustainability programs. The free program sponsored by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada helps commuters find alternative ways to get to work, thus reducing traffic congestion, and improving air quality and mobility. Diamond Resorts International team members participate in Club Ride at Diamond’s global headquarters by carpooling, taking transit, walking, or riding bikes and motorcycles when traveling to and from work. These alternative commute modes promote a healthier personal lifestyle while benefiting the environment. “We...

BANGKOK—Cambodia’s business conglomerate The Royal Group has unveiled its vision to create Asia’s first environmentally planned resort island pioneering high-end international tourism on the country’s idyllic coastline. With interests ranging from telecommunications and IT to banking, international schools, media and entertainment, hotels and resorts, property and infrastructure development, The Royal Group has been at the heart of Cambodia’s economic development for almost two decades. Now the corporation led by visionary tycoon Neak Oknha Kith Meng is setting its sights on transforming the country’s tourism industry, which until now has almost exclusively depended on the attraction of world famous Angkor...

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF.—Representatives from Shaw Industries Group, Inc. joined California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and William McDonough at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. recently for an event marking the launch of the Green Products Innovation Institute (GPII). The first nonprofit institute of its kind in the United States, the GPII is dedicated to transforming the way companies design and manufacture products by advancing the Cradle to Cradle framework developed by architect and designer William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart. Speaking at the event, Shaw CEO Vance Bell said that Shaw, an early adopter of Cradle to Cradle design, was...

DENTON, TEXAS—Travel and tourism is the second-largest services export industry in the United States, with the industry being one of the nation’s largest employers. Sustainable tourism—tourism development that strives to meet the needs of the present tourism market without compromising the resources of future generations—is a tourism specialty that balances environmental, economic and socio-cultural benefits and concerns. A new master’s degree in the University of North Texas School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management (UNT) will educate students for management and leadership positions in this specialty as UNT’s first joint international graduate degree. The degree is the first of its kind...