The 2013 (10th Annual) International Business Awards, the world's premier business awards program, will be presented on 14 October in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities: Barcelona. The 2013 gala will be held at the W Hotel, in Barcelona, Spain. On the beach.
Recognized as the only completely international business awards competition, The International Business Awards honors all facets of the workplace. Our award categories include: annual report awards, app awards, company/organization awards, customer service awards, human resources awards, information technology awards, management awards, marketing awards, new product awards, public relations awards, support awards, and website awards, among others. See all corporate awards categories. (12 June is the final entry deadline for the 2013 IBAs. If you haven't already done so, you can request your entry kit here and it will be emailed to you right away.)
Following is more information on recent initiatives by W Hotels Worldwide:
The W Hotel in Barcelona, part of W Hotels Worldwide, was designed by the Barcelona-born Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill. Completed in 2009, this 26-story, sail-shaped building has become a landmark on the shoreline, providing exceptional Mediterranean views. Other examples of Bofill’s work around Barcelona include Terminal 1 of Barcelona Airport, and The National Theater of Catalonia. His architectural designs can be seen around the world, including the United Continental Headquarters building in Chicago, completed in 2010.
Support for Charity
In 2012, W Hotels Worldwide formed a partnership with charity: water, an organization whose mission is to bring clean and safe drinking water to every person in the world. “charity: water is a forward-thinking organization with an unparalleled commitment to bringing clean drinking water to developing communities around the world,” said Carlos Becil, Vice President, North America Brand Management, W Hotels Worldwide. “W Hotels shares in charity: water’s passion for inspiring innovation and creative energy to aid those in need, and we hope our guests will join us in giving back through unique opportunities throughout the next year.”
Throughout 2013, W guests and locals will be able to get involved in different ways to support charity: water’s efforts in 20 developing countries around the world.
Green Initiatives
W Hotels Worldwide is part of the Starwood group, which recently announced a new global alliance to expand the use of renewable energy systems at Starwood properties.
NRG Energy will own the solar arrays while Starwood will be the enabling partner through a multi-year agreement to purchase electricity from the solar arrays installed at several locations. Not only will Starwood reduce its electricity costs, it will also lock in predictable energy costs at an affordable level for years to come and reduce the company’s carbon footprint and local air emissions. The customized solar solutions designed by NRG in consultation with Starwood will seamlessly integrate with the aesthetic of each location while enhancing the guest experience.
“At Starwood, we have established an environmental sustainability goal we call 30/20 by 20, meaning we’re committed to reducing our energy consumption by 30 percent and water consumption by 20 percent by 2020 throughout our global hotel and resort system,” said Ken Siegel, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel for Starwood. “We are making great progress against those goals through a variety of programs in place around the world and we’re pleased to partner with NRG to be able to provide affordable and sustainable electricity that will benefit the environment, our guests and our business.”
“In many parts of the world, including in the United States, solar power, generated locally, is well on its way to becoming the most cost-effective, environmentally beneficial and aesthetically pleasing energy option for any customer-facing business,” said David Crane, NRG President and Chief Executive Officer. “Starwood is an acknowledged leader in this regard in the global tourism and hospitality industry. We look forward to working with Starwood on clean energy and related sustainability initiatives in order to achieve the environmental and economic goals that we share in common.”
About Starwood Hotels:
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,146 properties in nearly 100 countries and 171,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts, and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, and Element®. The Company boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.