Enterprise Holdings and United Airlines receive Project ICARUS Gold Medal.
ALEXANDFRIA, VA – The GBTA Foundation, the education and research arm of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), and Project ICARUS are proud to announce Enterprise Holdings and United Airlines as recipients of the prestigious Project ICARUS Sustainability Gold Medal.
Gold Medal’s recognize travel and meeting industry companies who are committed to making sustainability a core function within their business and are leading the way by commitment and actions to provide best in class sustainability programs for their company, travellers and customers.
“We are delighted that United Airlines is being recognized for developing industry best practice in their business travel programs and Enterprise Holdings are receiving their second medal for demonstrating continuous improvement in their sustainable products and services,” said Bernard Harrop, head of sustainability Project ICARUS. “These awards further demonstrate the growing importance of responsible business travel in our industry.”
The winners were presented with the Gold Medal honor at GBTA Convention 2014 in Los Angeles, Calif., on July 29, 2014.
The winners are:
- Travel Supplier: United Airlines. United Airlines demonstrated a strong commitment from senior management, clear environmental/carbon savings metrics, future targets and comprehensive communications
- Travel Intermediary: BCD Travel. BCD Travel is recognized for their travel survival guide and ‘smart’ videos which help travelers maintain an effective balance between the 3 P’s of sustainability (People, Planet and Profit).
- Travel Buyer: Intel. Intel showed strong commitment to the environment by developing a company guide to being green that embeds a range of activities into the process of planning and managing a meeting or event and the delivery of a substantial ROI.
- Travel Team: Autodesk and The Hertz Corporation. Working together, they increased usage of alternative fuel vehicles, increased overall high MPG vehicle utilization, lowered CO2 emissions, increased usage of Hertz 24/7 EVs and reduced fuel costs.
The finalists were:
- Travel Buyer: Wyndham Hotels. The ‘green supplier initiative’ and the “Travel Smarter” options for business travel have proven to be effective in helping achieve environmental goals and delivered a significant ROI
Travel Suppliers:
- Entercontinental Hotels Group (IHG). The ‘Green Engage’ group wide environmental system enables the management, measurement and reporting of the environmental impact on hotels.
- Enterprise Holdings: Last year’s winner continues to display a strong ongoing commitment to sustainability in everything they do.
- Starwood Hotels & Resorts: ‘Make a Green Choice’ – MAGC – guestroom sustainability environmental impact reduction program makes conserving water, energy and other resources rewarding for customers and great for the environment.
The winners were presented with the Gold Medal honor at GBTA Convention 2014 in Los Angeles, Calif., on July 29, 2014.
Photo caption: Project ICARUS announces winners of the North American Sustainability Outstanding Achievement Awards 2014 (from left to right): Joseph Bates, Vice President, Research, GBTA Foundation, Joy Lehman, Global Sustainability Manager, The Hertz Corporation, Mihar Thakkar Director Environmental Responsibility, United Airlines, Kathy Jackson, Executive Vice President of Global Client Management, BCD Travel, Mark Papale, Travel Operations and Travel Technology, Autodesk, Inc., Bernard Harrop, Head of Sustainability, Project ICARUS, GBTA Foundation.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
