Hilton recently announced a doubling of its efforts to decrease its environmental footprint, simultaneously doubling the brand’s social impact investment. It aims to institute science-based targets for carbon emission reductions, send zero soap to landfills, double investment in women- and youth-centric programs and double funds spent with local- and minority-owned suppliers. Other goals include reducing water consumption and produced waste; sourcing sustainable meat, poultry, produce, seafood and cotton; removing all plastic straws; doubling monetary support for natural disaster relief efforts; and contributing 10 million associate volunteer hours.

The announcement includes consumer research that indicates increasing guest interest in hotels’ sustainability practices, particularly among guests under 25. Research states one-third of guests actively seek information on a hotel’s sustainability practices before booking, overwhelmingly female guests staying in Central and South America.

“For nearly 100 years, Hilton has been driven by our mission to have a positive impact on the communities surrounding our hotels,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton, and chairman, World Travel & Tourism Council. “In this Golden Age of Travel, we are taking a leadership role to ensure that the destinations where travelers work, relax, learn and explore are vibrant and resilient for generations of adventurers yet to come.”