HOTELIERS IN SWEDEN AND INDIA LAUDED FOR
COMMITMENT TO ENERGY AND AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT
Paris, 21 October 2002 - The International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2002 IH&RA Annual Environmental Award, sponsored by American Express and themed Energy and Indoor Air Quality in Hotels and Restaurants.
The winner in the Corporate category is Mr. Jan Peter Bergkvist, Director of Environmental Affairs, at the Hilton Nordic Region Scandic Hotels based in Stockholm, Sweden. The winner in the Independent category is Mr. K.P. Kanampilly, General Manager of The Orchid, an ECOTEL Hotel, in Mumbai, India.
The runner-up in the Corporate category is Mr. H.C. Vinayaka, Chief Engineer at the ITC Hotel Maurya Sheraton & Towers in New Delhi, India. The runner-up in the Independent Hotel Category is Ms. Deborah Dintelman, Resort Manager of the Bucuti Beach Resort in Eagle Beach, Aruba of the Dutch Caribbean.
The Award winners will be recognized during the IH&RA 39th Annual Congress to take place in New York City, 8-11 November 2002. The IH&RA Environmental Awards, which include US$ 2,500 and a certificate, will be given to the winners at a ceremony during the IH&RA Congress gala dinner to be held 10 November at New York City's elegant Regent Wall Street Hotel.
IH&RA was one of the first associations in the hospitality industry to launch an annual environmental award, thanks to the support of IH&RA member American Express. Our pioneering programme has helped not only to heighten environmental awareness, but also to identify best practice and highlight the industry's proactive stance on environmental management. On behalf of IH&RA, I congratulate the winners of 2002 who have shown exemplary efforts in improving energy efficiency while ensuring a high-quality indoor environment, said Eric Pfeffer, IH&RA President.
Mr. David Herrick, President, American Express Establishment Services Europe Ltd. states that American Express is committed to initiatives that help the travel and tourism industry develop in a sustainable way, ensuring the continuation of environmental and cultural resources for future generations. We are therefore proud to be a long-term supporter of the IH&RA Environmental Award. On behalf of American Express, I applaud the winners of the 2002 Award and their environmental best-practice initiatives.
Together with American Express, IH&RA launched the Annual Environmental Award in 1991. Now in its 12th year, this Award has become recognized as one of the industry's top honours for excellence in hospitality service and environmental best practice, and sets an industry standard for all hospitality establishments. The IH&RA Environmental Award is attributed to hospitality professionals who provide outstanding examples of leadership in planning and implementing environmental actions, and a personal commitment to ongoing improvements in environmental performance and staff awareness. This year's award focused on energy and indoor air quality in hotels and restaurants and applicants were invited to describe their efforts to increase energy efficiency while ensuring indoor air quality.
Final judging for the 2002 Award was carried out in the first week of October when all the judges came together at IH&RA headquarters in Paris to decide upon the winners and runners-up. The 2002 IH&RA Environmental Award judges included environmental best-practice experts Mr. Oliver Hillel, Tourism Program Coordinator of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); Mr. Jacques Lévy, International Hotel Consultant, Siemens Building Technologies Ltd.; Ms. Pia Heidenmark, Director Environmental & Social Affairs, Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts; Mr. Geoffrey Lipman, Executive Chairman/CEO, Green Globe; and Ms. Oshani Pereira, a Sustainability Specialist.
The Hilton Nordic Region Scandic Hotels was awarded the 2002 IH&RA Environmental Award in the Corporate Category with impressive evidence of improvement in energy efficiency and to the in-door air quality in their properties, as well as extensive employee training in the area of environmental best-practice, outstanding communication with sustainable development stakeholders and government authorities, and a commitment to their local community by pledging to invest the Environmental Award prize money in youth programs.
Likewise, The Orchid, the IH&RA Environmental Award winner in the Independent Category, displayed an exemplary building management and air-cleaning system, as well as an excellent training program as per their Environmental Policy which is actively implemented by management and employees. The Orchid has also pledged to set up an educational centre for the environment.
Selected applications for the 2002 IH&RA Environmental Award will be published as best practice case studies.
The International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA) is a network of international and national hotel and restaurant chains, national hotel and restaurant associations and hospitality industry suppliers in more than 100 countries. Its mission is to protect, promote and inform the hospitality industry worldwide. Through its membership network, IH&RA represents an industry of 300,000 hotels and 8 million restaurants which employ 60 million people and contribute 950 billion USD annually to the global economy.
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