Hilton expands global soap recycling efforts
To mark the recent Global Handwashing Day, Hilton has announced the expansion of its soap recycling programme, totaling 5,300 properties in more than 70 countries and territories around the globe.
The global giant’s decade-long soap recycling programme, which is already the largest in the hospitality industry, helps fight the hygiene epidemic plaguing underserved communities where tens of thousands of children die needlessly due to lack of access to basic sanitation.
The initiative also contributes to reducing Hilton’s overall environmental impact, which the company has set a goal to cut in half by 2030.
Hilton also announced the successful completion of its 2019 Clean the World Challenge to collect enough soap by Global Handwashing Day to be sterilized and recycled into two million new bars of soap for communities in need.
During the last 10 years, Hilton properties have diverted four million pounds of waste from landfills. Working with NGO partners such as Clean the World, the industry-leader is now setting the bar even higher.
Katie Fallon, Hilton’s global head of Corporate Affairs, said: “In a world where too many children die of hygiene-related illnesses, Hilton and its soap recycling partners are turning guest room waste into life-saving treasure.
“We are now expanding our industry-leading, global soap recycling program to all of our brands as part of our commitment to send zero soap to landfill.”
Hilton has a network of soap recycling partners around the world that support these efforts, the largest being Clean the World. Through these partnerships, Hilton hotels have contributed to the donation of more than 11 million new bars of recycled soap to communities in need.
In 2016, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton’s 750 hotels were the first in the industry to make soap recycling a brand requirement. In January of 2019, Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton joined the initiative.
Hilton is expanding its commitment by making this a brand standard effective 1 January 2020 for Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Signia Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Curio Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Motto by Hilton and its timeshare spin-off arm Hilton Grand Vacations, an RCI affiliate.
Stan Soroka, Hilton Grand Vacations’ executive vice president and chief customer officer, said: “A spirit of service has always been at the heart of Hilton Grand Vacations through our CSR platform – HGV Serves.
“We are thrilled to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our fellow Hilton brands to amplify what has already been done and catapult this programme further.”