WASHINGTON, D.C.—Condé Nast Traveler recently announced the winners of the magazine’s third annual World Savers Awards, naming Washington D.C.’s Willard InterContinental overall winner in the City Hotel category, citing the hotel’s commitment to 100 percent wind energy, the environment and communities in need.
Condé Nast Traveler’s World Saver Award honors travel companies from around the world for their leadership in social responsibility in five key areas: poverty alleviation, cultural and/or environmental preservation, education programs, wildlife conservation, and health initiatives. The Willard’s award-winning program, Willard InterContinental—The Next 100 Years, is a holistic plan comprised of interwoven sustainable projects designed for a luxurious urban hospitality experience in harmony with social and ecological consciousness. Visit www.willarddc.com/sd for the hotel’s 2008 Sustainability Report and a comprehensive guide to the Willard’s sustainability efforts.
“Despite these challenging economic times, corporate social responsibility is as important as ever,” Editor-in-Chief Klara Glowczewska said. “The travel industry is on track to generate $7.3 trillion in revenue this year—a number that represents an enormous opportunity to improve our planet, and our World Savers Awards recognize those companies turning that potential into a reality.”
The 2009 World Savers Awards Winners:
Education Programs: Puntacana Resort & Club. This luxury resort in the Dominican Republic built schools to accommodate its workers and their children.
Poverty Alleviation: The Haciendas. This small chain located in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula turned abandoned haciendas into chic resorts and hired local villagers as construction workers, waiters and accountants, and helped others start own businesses.
Wildlife Conservation: Bushmans Kloof. This South African safari lodge worked to replenish the wildlife in the surrounding area.
Preservation (Environmental/Cultural): Air New Zealand and Kimpton Hotels. Air New Zealand is leading the way in exploring alternate fuel sources and Kimpton, in addition to requiring all dry cleaning vendors to recycle hangers, introduced 70 mandatory eco-friendly products and practices.
Health Initiatives: Accor. With 111 hotels in Africa, where HIV/AIDS hits the hardest, this hotel chain launched an in-house educational program and started testing all its employees for the disease.
Overall Winners By Industry Category:
Small Chains: The Haciendas
Large Chains: Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
City Hotel: Willard InterContinental
Small Resorts: Bushmans Kloof
Large Resorts: Puntacana Resort & Club
Cruise Lines: Ecoventura
Airlines: Japan Airlines
Tour Operators: Gap Adventures
The 2009 World Savers Awards are featured in the September issue. World Savers Awards winners will be recognized at an award ceremony September 21 at the annual Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Congress in New York City.
