BURBANK, CALIF.—The Walt Disney Co. released its 2021 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, which details its efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion through stories and storytellers who reflect the rich diversity of our world, support environmental sustainability by taking action to help protect our planet, and bring comfort, optimism, and joy to our communities through Disney’s charitable giving. Disney also highlights its commitment to invest in its employees and cast members, and to operate responsibly. “Every company has a unique impact on the world. At Disney, creating stories and experiences that inspire and bring people together is ours. Our stories encourage...

FREMONT, CALIF.—Power Knot LLC, a market leader for onsite organic waste management solutions, announced that it has released Powerchips Green, a new medium made 100 percent of plant-based organic material, that has been designed to speed up the digestion rate of food waste in LFC biodigesters. The LFC biodigester is a machine that digests food waste. These machines are usually installed in a commercial kitchen and reduce the expense, inconvenience, mess, and carbon footprint of disposing of waste food that would otherwise be hauled to a landfill or dumped in the ocean. Power Knot has ten different models that digest...

ATLANTA, GA.—Acuity Brands, Inc., a market-leading industrial technology company, announced a new initiative planned to reduce paper use by more than 15 million sheets and save an estimated 1,500 trees per year through its introduction of scannable QR code instructions. The shift to lessen paper usage aligns the company’s sustainability goals with its digital transformation. “Our products last for years and sometimes decades, and over time, the paper installation instructions are discarded or misplaced. Giving our customers digital access to the documents they need helps minimize waste and makes our product information more accessible,” said Trevor Palmer, President, Acuity Brands Lighting and Lighting Controls. The introduction of digital...

MACAO—Team members from Sands China Ltd. got together with volunteers from two local community groups at The Venetian Macao recently, where they built 20,000 hygiene kits for Clean the World, an international social enterprise that provides hygiene supplies essential for good health to populations in need around the globe, helping prevent the spread of disease. The hygiene kit build is an annual worldwide volunteer effort of Sands China’s parent company, Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS); in 2014, Sands China was the first integrated operator to launch such an event in Macao. The initiative helps Clean the World distribute emergency response hygiene kits to assist with...

A bill now being considered by the Hawaii legislature would prohibit lodging establishments from providing personal care products in small plastic bottles within sleeping room accommodations, any space within sleeping room accommodations, or bathrooms used by the public or guests. The bill, HG 1645, establishes fines and civil penalties for those who do not comply. According to the bill, the use of single—use toiletries in hotels and other lodging establishments contributes to plastic waste locally and globally. California and New York have recently passed laws that prohibit hotels, bed and breakfast homes, and short-term vacation rentals from providing single-use personal...

NATIONAL REPORT—Last June, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak signed into law a bill supported by the Southern Nevada Water Authority that requires the removal of “useless,” or purely decorative, grass throughout the Las Vegas Valley by the end of 2026. The Valley has been undergoing a severe drought as indicated by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Useless grass, also known as nonfunctional turf, is found around Southern Nevada business complexes (including hotels and resorts), along streets in HOA communities, and in traffic circles and medians. It is grass that provides no recreational value. The California Air Resources Board has voted to update California’s...

The pandemic forced hotels to modify how they operate, pushing safety to the forefront of the hospitality community’s consciousness, and derailing a burgeoning industry trend to make facilities more sustainable. Yet, hoteliers would be wise to make sustainability a priority in 2022. Decreasing a hotel’s impact on the environment, no matter its size or location, attracts guests in the short term and saves money in the long term. When customers choose to spend money on a hotel room, many want to select a place to stay that is kind to the earth. And while you’d be excused for assuming sustainability...

DENHAM, U.K.—The ubiquitous bar counter can be found worldwide and while each one differs by design, locale, menu, and culture, its purpose is universal—the easy flow of drink and conversation. And it was brought to a shocking halt in 2020. Pandemic images of unfilled taps, empty glasses, and barstools collecting dust will forever be etched in the minds of those who work in hospitality, but so will the feeling of elation when they finally reopened for business. “For bars and restaurants around the world, the return of diners and drinkers in 2021 was a huge sigh of relief,” says Alex...

GULF BREEZE, FLA.—Innisfree Hotels’ corporate social responsibility program is called The Hive. Inspired by a line from the company’s namesake poem, “The Lake Isle of Innisfree,” The Hive is a busy place for the Innisfree family to connect with each other—and do good in the world. Since last August Hive activity has picked up thanks to the hiring of Brittney Barnett, Director of Sustainability. “Before I came on, Innisfree declared itself a triple bottom line company, but it was fragmented,” Barnett says. The Gulf Breeze, Fla.-based company, which owns most of the 22 hotels that it manages, participated in some...

SAG HARBOR, N.Y.—Relief Brands LLC has announced the launch of its plant-based Well Life Amenities Program for the hotel and spa industry. Well Life is partnering with hotels, inns, spas, AirBnBers and Vrbo-ers to bring scent-driven, plant-based products to guests to enhance their in-room experience and convey their commitment to protecting the environment. Well Life’s high-quality line of products including soaps, mists, lotions, and shower bombettes are 100 percent natural, non-GMO, phthalate, and paraben free. With the growing interest in wellness and sustainable living, travelers are looking for earth-friendly products such as those they use at home. There are 91,000 hotels...