Willard InterContinental Washington DC wins Condé Nast Traveler 2009 World Savers Award

Washington DC. - Condé Nast Traveler announced the winners of the magazine‘s third annual World Savers Awards, naming Willard InterContinental Washington DC overall winner in the City Hotel category. The hotel, located one block from the White House, is 100% wind powered. It is also noted for a wide range of initiatives including extensive recycling and composting, water well donations to South Africa and South Dakota, contributions to the Anacostia River clean-up, and hosting proms for disabled youth.

Condé Nast Traveler’s World Saver Award honours travel companies from around the world for their leadership in social responsibility in five key areas: poverty alleviation, cultural and/or environmental preservation, education programmes, wildlife conservation, and health initiatives. The hotel’s award-winning programme, Willard InterContinental - The Next 100 Years, is a holistic plan comprised of interwoven sustainable projects designed for a luxurious urban hospitality experience in harmony with social and ecological consciousness. Visit www.willarddc.com/sd, for InterContinental Willard’s 2008 Sustainability Report and a comprehensive guide to its sustainability efforts.

"Despite these challenging economic times, corporate social responsibility is as important as ever" Condé Nast Traveler Editor-in-Chief Klara Glowczewska said. "The travel industry is on track to generate US$7.3 trillion in revenue this year-a number that represents an enormous opportunity improve our planet, and our World Savers Awards recognize those companies turning that potential into a reality"

The 2009 World Savers Awards are featured in the September issue of Condé Nast Traveler (US edition), out on newsstands. World Savers Awards winners including Willard InterContinental Washington DC will be recognized at an award ceremony on 21 September 2009, at the annual Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Congress in New York City.

World Savers Awards Methodology: To determine the award finalists and winners, Condé Nast Traveler editors reviewed over 100 applications and narrowed them to 36 finalists. An independent panel of 20 judges, comprised of leaders from the travel industry and non-governmental organisations, rated how applicants exercised social responsibility in five key areas: poverty alleviation, cultural and/or environmental preservation, education programs, wildlife conservation, and health initiatives. There were eight different categories: small hotel chains, large hotel chains, city hotels, small lodges and resorts, large lodges and resorts, tour operators, cruiselines, and airlines. This year, judges also looked at overall scores, to give credit to companies with admirable programmes in a number of areas.

Judging Panel:

Ralph Buckley, director, International Centre for Ecotourism Research, Griffith University, Australia
Bill Chameides, dean, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University
Laurie David, NRDC trustee; environmental activist; co-producer, An Inconvenient Truth
Dorinda Elliott, deputy editor, Condé Nast Traveler
Marcia Gay Harden, environmentalist; Oscar-winning actress
Karl Holz, president, Disney Cruise Line
Martha Honey, co-director, Center for Responsible Travel
Kara Hurst, managing director, East Coast, Business for Social Responsibility
Neel Inamdar, senior adviser, ecotourism, Conservation International
Rob Katz, CEO, RockResorts/Vail Resorts
Ron Mader, director, Planeta.com
Bill Marriott, chairman and CEO, Marriott International
Hitesh Mehta, landscape architect and sustainable tourism planner, HM Design
Brian Mullis, president, Sustainable Travel International
Bruce Poon Tip, CEO, Gap Adventures
Kate Roberts, vice president, Population Services International
Andrea Ross, director of tours/marketing, Journeys Within
Shannon Stowell, president, Adventure Travel Trade Association
Tensie Whelan, president, Rainforest Alliance
Brook Wilkinson, consumer news correspondent, Condé Nast Traveler
Timothy Wirth, president, United Nations Foundation