Outrigger honored with Hawaii Green Business Awards

RELEASE NUMBER 93/16

WAIKIKI, HONOLULU, HAWAII – In step with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress arriving in Oahu this week, the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association (HLTA) spotlighted Waikiki hotels and resorts for exceptional environmental stewardship.

Five Outrigger branded, affiliated or managed properties in Waikiki were part of this recognition and awarded the 2016 Green Business Award by the Hawaii State Energy Office’s Green Business Program.

The award recognizes businesses that, in the words of the HLTA president Mufi Hannemann, practices “green with aloha” beyond the IUCN World Conservation Congress. All award recipients completed a checklist of Hawaii Green Business Program’s ten entry-level green actions. These actions addressed sustainability categories including: energy conservation, water conservation, solid waste reduction and recycling as well as pollution prevention.

“One of the core corporate values for Outrigger Enterprises Group is ‘wahi’ or place, which states we protect, care for and live in harmony with the land, our workplace, its people and cultures,” said Bitsy Kelley, vice president of corporate relations at Outrigger Enterprise Group. “As a Hawaii-based company, Outrigger is deeply committed to protecting the islands’ pristine environment and conserving its natural resources through various green initiatives and sustainability efforts.”

Bitsy Kelley will be a panelist on Sept. 3 at the IUCN’s World Conservation Congress and is a champion for OZONE (Outrigger’s ZONE), a global conservation initiative and action plan centered on protecting the health of coral reefs and oceans surrounding the iconic beach destinations of Outrigger Resorts.

Some of Outrigger’s green practices include installation of CFLs, low-voltage track lighting, LED and other energy-efficient lighting systems, a water saving program, employee training to detect and report leaks and minimize water use, installation of quick-closing toilet valves, water-efficient washers, as well as energy-efficient washers and dryers. For solid waste reduction, bottles and cans are collected from guest rooms and public areas with a portion of the proceeds donated to local non-profits.

The Outrigger branded, affiliated and managed resorts that received the Green Business Award for 2016 include:

Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort
Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort
Holiday Inn Resort® Waikiki Beachcomber
OHANA Waikiki East by Outrigger®
OHANA Waikiki Malia by Outrigger®

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