NEW YORK, NY—The Waldorf Astoria, New York Hilton Midtown, and Carlton hotels have been honored for their environmentally friendly initiatives as recipients of the first ever Sustainability Awards, presented yesterday by the Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC) at the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show held at the Javits Center.
The Hotel Association of NYC’s Sustainability Committee offered awards in three categories: Environmental Protection, awarded to the New York Hilton Midtown for its comprehensive green building efficiency program; Social Responsibility, awarded to the Carlton for its engagement with the community; and Holistic Strategy for Sustainable Hospitality, awarded to the Waldorf Astoria for its overall commitment to environmentally friendly practices and social programs.
“As a leader in New York City’s thriving tourism economy, the Hotel Association of New York City recognizes the significant responsibility we carry in setting high standards for environmental stewardship and sustainability,” said Joseph E. Spinnato, President of the Hotel Association. “We are pleased to present the inaugural Sustainability Awards to three very deserving hotels that are leading the way in green practice and design.” Congratulations and thanks to the staffs at the New York Hilton Midtown, the Carlton and the Waldorf Astoria for their dedication to sustainability hospitality.”
A panel of judges comprised of industry professionals conducted site visits and interviews in order to determine the winners. Great Forest, a leading sustainability consultancy and partner of the Hotel Association’s Sustainability Committee, helped to develop the award and provided expert guidance in selecting the awardees.
Hervé Houdré, General Manager of the InterContinental Barclay and chair of HANYC’s Sustainability Committee, explained: “The purpose of the Sustainability Awards is to support and further New York City’s greater sustainable development goals through the promotion of strategies that encompass the triple bottom line of profit, people and planet. We have selected three hotels that have successfully integrated sustainable practices into their business models that are making a positive impact on the environment and on the communities around them.”
Chairman of the Hotel Association of NYC, Geoffrey A. Mills thanked the committee for its work, saying, “I want to congratulate Hervé Houdré and our Sustainability Committee for their vision in creating these awards, which will have a lasting impact on furthering sustainability practices in hotels throughout the city. And a special thanks to the judges and to Great Forest for their excellent work throughout the process.
Environmental Protection Award—New York Hilton Midtown
At 1,981 rooms, the New York Hilton Midtown is New York’s largest hotel, and celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Hilton recently implemented a comprehensive energy retrofit to minimize consumption and output and maximize cost savings. The results have been impressive.
Social Responsibility Award—The Carlton Hotel
Originally opened in 1904 as the Hotel Seville, the Beaux Arts property underwent a significant renovation and reopened as the Carlton hotel, currently with 317 rooms. True to its 100-plus year history as part of the fabric of New York, the hotel’s management has integrated an active social responsibility policy for its staff, which keeps them involved in the local community and contributing to a greener New York.
Holistic Strategy for Sustainable Hospitality—Waldorf Astoria
The Waldorf Astoria is one of the world’s most iconic hotel properties. Now in its second location on Park Avenue and 50th Street, the hotel has more than 1,400 rooms and one of the busiest food and beverage operations in the city. The hotel has implemented a comprehensive sustainability program that involves all aspects of the hotel’s operations.
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Hotel Association of New York City
Established in 1878, the Hotel Association of New York City, Inc. is one of the oldest professional trade associations in the nation. Its membership includes more than 270 of the finest hotels in New York City, representing more than 76,000 rooms and 50,000 employees. www.hanyc.org
With over 20 years of experience, Great Forest is one of the leading sustainability consultancies in the U.S., having pioneered some of the first corporate programs in the country. Great Forest develops, implements and maintains strategies that reduce both environmental impact and costs for corporations and institutions across the U.S. and internationally, in areas that include recycling and waste brokerage and management, energy, LEED, metrics benchmarking and reporting, education, and carbon footprinting. Great Forest’s worldwide network of clients includes Fortune 500 companies in real estate and property management, financial services, insurance, retail and the hospitality industry. Great Forest is a strong supporter of its sister nonprofit Pure Earth, an organization that works to clean up and solve pollution problems in the developing world. www.greatforest.com
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