LOS ANGELES—Bentley Mills, Inc. continues to raise the bar on sustainable design and manufacturing transparency, announcing that all carpet products manufactured by Bentley carry Declare labels and have achieved third-party verified LBC Red List Free status through the Living Building Challenge (LBC), one of the world’s highest performance standards for healthy buildings. LBC Red List Free products disclose 100 percent of ingredients to 100 ppm and do not contain any Red List chemicals of concern. “We choose to manufacture in California where some of the most rigorous environmental legislation in the country is adopted, setting Bentley apart from others in our industry. All...

NEOM, SAUDI ARABIA—Luxury ecotourism in Saudi Arabia has taken a major step forward with the announcement of Zardun, an exclusive sanctuary resort developed by NEOM, the sustainable region taking shape in the northwest of the Kingdom. Announced by the NEOM Board of Directors, Zardun has been designed to seamlessly blend contemporary luxury with nature. The unique destination is the latest in a series of coastal assets that form part of the ongoing development taking place across the NEOM region. Overlooking the crystalline waters of the Gulf of Aqaba, Zardun is a nature-based resort that will host four ultra-luxury signature buildings, all of which will...

XCARET, RIVIERA MAYA—Xcaret announced that Hotel Xcaret Arte, an exclusive award-winning all-inclusive luxury hotel located along the shores of the Mexican Caribbean, has been recognized as a winner in the 2023 Sustainable Luxury Awards. The hotel, which pays homage to Mexican art, invites guests to live art from its creation and immerse themselves in sensorial experiences in sophisticated spaces while promoting a sustainable lifestyle through the innovative All-Fun Inclusive concept. The full list of awards can be found on Sustainable Luxury Awards | Winners. “We are grateful and honored for receiving this prestigious award that recognizes, celebrates, and promotes the most sustainable luxury places...

BROOMFIELD, COLO.—Vail Resorts, Inc. announced the release of its 2022/23 Environmental & Social Responsibility Report. In 2017, Vail Resorts announced Commitment to Zero, a bold goal to achieve a zero net operating footprint by 2030, including zero net emissions, zero waste to landfill, and zero net operating impact to forests and habitat. The company shared it is ahead of schedule to reach its emissions goals, and on track for the broader goal of reaching a zero net operating footprint by 2030. With a commitment to make its mountain resorts more sustainable and inclusive, the company has made progress across all four pillars of...

AMSTERDAM—As nature faces unprecedented pressures, with human activity the leading cause for one million animal and plant species being pushed to the brink of extinction, GRI has published a major update to its Biodiversity Standard. Setting a new global benchmark in accountability for biodiversity impacts, GRI 101: Biodiversity 2024 supports organizations around the world to comprehensively disclose their most significant impacts on biodiversity, throughout their operations and value chain. Enabling companies to meet growing demands from multiple stakeholders for information on biodiversity impacts, the GRI Biodiversity Standard delivers: Full transparency throughout the supply chain—often where the most significant impacts on biodiversity can go...

DOMINICA—The Commonwealth of Dominica, the resilient and eco-conscious island nation, has earned a spot in the prestigious list of Top 10 Sustainable Destinations in 2024 by BBC Travel. This recognition emphasizes Dominica’s steadfast commitment to sustainability, resilience, and environmental preservation. In the face of adversity, particularly Tropical Storm Erika and Hurricane Maria, Dominica demonstrated remarkable resilience, earning praise from BBC Travel for its determined efforts in rebuilding and embracing sustainability. Prime Minister of Dominica, Honorable Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit, is well on his way in transforming Dominica into the “world’s first climate resilient nation” and propelling the nation towards becoming a...

MENDOZA, ARGENTINA—SB Winemaker’s House & Spa Suites in Mendoza has been awarded Silver Certification by the Hoteles Más Verdes program, a rigorous certification initiative from the Asociación de Hoteles de Turismo de la República Argentina (AHT) that recognizes hotels and tourism accommodations that demonstrate superior environmental performance and sustainable practices. Inspired by global sustainable tourism certification programs, the certification for the Hoteles Más Verdes award involves a comprehensive evaluation of a hotel’s management practices, environmental policies, and overall contribution to cultural and natural heritage preservation. This achievement underscores the hotel’s unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability, excellent design, and community...

NATIONAL REPORT—Most known for use in items ranging from wine bottles to bulletin boards to flooring, cork is beginning to find a home in hospitality as cork leather. Cork leather can be used to upholster furniture, as wallcovering, or in other design features such as room dividers and offers a much more favorable sustainability story than traditional leather. “The concept of cork leather comes out of the apparel and accessories markets,” says Sustainiture’s Steve Sechrest. “It is brand new to the hospitality world.” Sustainiture is the U.S. distributor for PortugaliaCork’s Suberise Cork Leather. TFS Natural Home’s Suzanne Diamond says her company...

MUMBAI, INDIA—Sofitel Mumbai BKC announced that it has been awarded Green Key Certification by the National Jury Green Key India and the Center for Environment Education (CEE). The hotel is the very first in the country to have been awarded this certification. Launched in India in 2023, Green Key is a leading standard for excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operation within the tourism industry. In India, the Green Key certificate is being implemented by the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) Ahmedabad, which is a full member of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). Green Key India is an initiative of...

It is “popping up” everywhere: cork. Known for its wine bottle role, versatile, sustainable cork is being used as a source material in a wide variety of new products. ReCORK just announced it has developed a material made from 75 percent recycled natural cork to be used as a replacement for petroleum-based foam used in shoe soles. The material will be featured in a new line of shoes by ReCORK’s founding company, SOLE. At this past fall’s Boutique Design New York, I was introduced to cork leather by TFS Natural Home’s Suzanne Diamond who showed me an example of how...