Eighth Annual RCI® Green Awards Recognize Sustainable Businesses in the Hospitality Industry
ORLANDO, Fla. (April 22, 2019) – RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange, announced the most recent winners of the RCI® Green Awards program.
The RCI Green Awards program recognizes the most environmentally-conscious resorts within the company’s exchange network. Third-party eco-certification expert GreenCircle Certified, selected winners based on their innovations in energy and water conservation, waste management, community outreach, and environmental management.
“At RCI, we’ve helped to make the environment a top priority, and by recognizing those resorts which have gone above and beyond expectations, there’s an even greater incentive among them to go green,” said Brian Bruno, vice president of content and brand marketing for RCI and head of the brand’s sustainability program. “We are extremely proud of our affiliates all over the world who for years have lead by example, demonstrating improved systems to help reduce waste and utility costs.”
The Cliffs at Princeville in Kauai, Hawaii, was awarded the highest honor in the RCI Green program, the Platinum RCI Green Award. The resort was able to take advantage of Hawaii’s natural climate to eliminate air conditioning and heating units, contributing to significant energy savings. The resort also participates in the Hawaii Green Business Program, a state-funded program that assists and recognizes businesses that strive to operate in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.
Excellent employee participation in various community environmental events and the development of a “Greening Committee” which holds regular meetings to plan and improve sustainability practices, earned Carriage Hills Resort in Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada, the Gold RCI Green Award.
The Silver RCI Green Award recognized Wyndham at Waikiki Beach for its irrigation system and utilization of native plants to reduce water usage onsite. This resort also houses vending machines that are Energy Star certified.
The RCI Green Award program is open to all RCI affiliates in North America, and the application process does not involve a fee. RCI also offers a Green Resource Center on its affiliate website for developers looking to expand their sustainability efforts. The application process for next year’s program will begin in October 2019.
About RCI RCI is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange, housing a unique portfolio of brands. RCI pioneered the concept of vacation exchange in 1974, offering members increased flexibility and versatility with their vacation ownership experience. Today, through the RCI Weeks® program, the week-for-week exchange system, and the RCI Points® program, the industry’s first global points-based exchange system, RCI offers its 3.8 million members access to more than 4,300 affiliated resorts in approximately 110 countries. RCI’s luxury exchange program, The Registry Collection® program, is the world’s largest program of its kind with approximately 200 affiliated properties either accessible for exchange or under development on six continents. RCI’s portfolio of brands also includes Love Home Swap, one of the world’s largest home exchange programs, DAE, a direct-to-member exchange company, and @Work International, a leading provider of property management systems. RCI is part of Wyndham Destinations (NYSE: WYND). For additional information visit our media center or rciaffiliates.com. RCI also can be found on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.