CSR and Sustainability

🏡 CEOs Lauren McCann and Jen Collins, co-founders of Procure Impact, have been awarded the Arne Sorenson Social Impact Leadership Award by the AHLA, AHLA Foundation, and the BHN Group/Northstar Travel Group. Procure Impact aids employment for marginalized individuals, including trafficking survivors, veterans, and refugees. The award, established in 2022 to honor late Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson, will be presented on January 27, 2025, in Beverly Hills. In 2024, Procure Impact's Dignity of Work Pledge with AHLA members led to 100,000 hours of paid employment, with 23 hospitality companies committing over $7.4 million in purchases.

🏨 easyHotel has secured a £24.5 million loan from CaixaBank for its Spanish expansion, planning to open new properties in Madrid (Spring 2025), Valencia, Barcelona (2025), and Alicante (2026), adding 361 rooms. The hotel chain aims for sustainability with low-carbon rooms reducing CO2 emissions by 20% over 50 years. Previously, easyHotel obtained a £42.5 million loan from Santander UK and £6 million from BRED Banque for a Marseille property, indicating strong financial backing and a focus on growing its network in Spain's dynamic travel hubs.

🍴 New York, January 22, 2025 – The James Beard Foundation announced the semifinalists for the 35th annual James Beard Awards, presented by Capital One. The 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists list is available on their website. Renowned for recognizing exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries, the Foundation introduced three new award categories this year: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service. In the past two years, 66% of semifinalists reported a significant increase in business following their nomination. Award nominees will be revealed on April 2, 2025, with the winners celebrated at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on June 16, 2025.

🌱 "Discover 10+ practical ways to make hotels eco-friendly" aligns with eco-conscious travelers’ demands. Tips include saving energy and reducing waste. Authored by Manveen Kaur, the article from Hotelogix Blog was published on January 21, 2025. It suggests steps for sustainability in the hospitality industry.

🏝 European travel and tourism representatives met in Rhodes, Greece, to sign a declaration for sustainable travel and tourism. It establishes a roadmap for collaboration and sustainability goals, emphasizing decarbonisation and policy engagement. Ahead of the EU elections, the declaration advocates for sustainable tourism budget lines and policy support. It reinforces decarbonisation pledges from the Glasgow and Toulouse Declarations, promotes industry awareness, supports SMEs, and encourages education and training. Regular stakeholder meetings will assess progress. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and South Aegean Governor George Hatzimarkos endorsed the event. Organizations involved include A4E, ACI Europe, CLIA, ECTAA, EEIA, ERA, HOTREC, IAAPA, IRU, and Ruraltour.

🍕 Restaurant Pine announces SecondBite 2025 charity event on July 6th at Wylam Brewery, Palace of Arts, Newcastle to support Cancer Research UK. The event aims to surpass last year's £82,063 fundraising total with 20 UK Michelin-starred chefs creating street food dishes, with 500 portions of each available. Entry is free; dish tokens cost £10. Notable chefs include Gareth Ward of Ynyshir, Tom Shepherd of Restaurant Upstairs, and Ian Waller of Restaurant Pine. Proceeds support over 4,000 Cancer Research UK professionals.

🔥 HOTELS Magazine CEO Ali Jahangiri is offering 90 days of free rent to two low-income families displaced by the L.A. wildfires. Available are two newly remodeled, furnished apartments in Costa Mesa, CA, with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom each. Affected families can apply by contacting Cole O’Neil at cole@jvgroupinc.com. Decisions will be made shortly to provide some relief to victims of the disaster.