IH&RA Environmental Award To Highlight Water & Energy Conservation

Paris, 14 May 1998 - This year's International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IH&RA) Green Hotelier & Restaurateur Environmental Award will for the first time recognise hospitality industry efforts to promote water and energy conservation.

The 1998 award coincides with the "Year of the Ocean", designated as a reminder of the increasing scarcity of water across the globe. It also follows on from last year's international conference in Kyoto, convened to set up a framework for the reduction of greenhouse gases. "At industry level, simple recycling and recovery measures can minimise the energy and water used by hotels and restaurants and translate into considerable cost savings," commented Eric Pfeffer, IH&RA president. "The award aims to highlight those operations which set a shining example and act as a source of inspiration to their peers."

The IH&RA Environmental Award, launched in 1991 with sponsorship from American Express, will reward outstanding examples of best environmental practice from both corporate and independent establishments. A prize of $2,500, a trophy and a diploma will be presented to the winners during the IH&RA annual congress, expected to attract over 500 delegates when it convenes from 22-26 October in Manila. The award ceremony will be the highlight of gala evening celebrations on 25 October.

Applications will be judged by representatives of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP-IE), who will assess entries for evidence of:

· an active interest in environmental issues ·

. a leadership role in planning and implementing environmental actions

· personal initiatives for environmental improvement in the hotel

· promotion of environmental awareness among staff

· communication of their environmental performance to guests, staff and the wider hospitality industry.

"No industry has a greater stake in safeguarding environmental resources than travel and tourism," said Jim Berrien, president, American Express Establishment Services, Europe. "Not only are they critical to the quality of life, they are also prime motivators for travel around the world."

The IH&RA is using materials submitted for last year's Environmental Award as case studies for an Environmental Teaching Resource Pack for hospitality education centres, developed in association with UNEP-IE and the International Association of Hotel School Directors (EUHOFA International). Devised as a practical teaching tool, the resource pack is designed to help educators build an environmental component into hotelschool curricula, and ensure that tomorrow's hospitality professionals are already starting to "think green". Case study material from the award has also been incorporated into a handbook on "How the Hotel & Tourism Industry can Protect the Ozone Layer", published by UNEP-IE.

Entries for the IH&RA Environmental Award 1998 are invited from members and non-members of the association. Application forms can be obtained from Ratna Lefort at the IH&RA, phone: (33 1) 44 89 94 00, fax: (33 1) 40 36 73 30, e-mail: [email protected]. The closing date is 1 September 1998.

The International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA) is a global network of independent and chain operators, national associations, hospitality suppliers and educational centres in the hotel and restaurant industry in more than 150 countries. As the voice of the industry it represents, protects, promotes and informs its members to enable them to achieve their objectives.