140,000 pounds of towels and terry products will be donated to animal shelters across the US and Canada
MCLEAN, Va. – Hilton, in partnership with Mars Petcare US, Inc., the world’s largest pet care company, and global nonprofit Greater Good Charities, announces it will donate more than 140,000 pounds of retired towels, bathmats, washcloths and other terry products from its hotel properties to local animal shelters across the US and Canada.
This collaboration is part of an enterprise-wide refresh of Hilton’s towel and terry products across its 22 different trade brands. With towel quality among the top guest complaints, Hilton is taking steps to improve the guest experience by replacing its existing towels with higher quality, softer and more durable terry products for the enjoyment of the visitors.
As part of that replacement process, the hospitality giant found a way to reuse retired terry products. Through an ongoing partnership with Mars Petcare, teams at Hilton Supply Management, Hilton’s global procurement arm, identified a critical need for towels in animal shelters. Towels and other terry products play an important role in animal hygiene, ensuring animal comfort, facilitating the care of newborn animals including puppies and kittens and supporting rescue missions for to abused animals.
Through a partnership with Mars Petcare and Greater Good Charities, Hilton Supply Management facilitates a connection between Hilton-branded properties and local animal shelters to ensure retired towels, bathmats, washcloths, and more Hilton terry products are donated to animals in need. As animal shelters across the country continue to face overcrowding and resource constraints, donations are needed more than ever.
As a result of this innovative partnership, more than 1,000 Hilton-branded properties will donate more than 100,000 towels and other terry products to hundreds of animal shelters, with the potential to benefit up to 70,000 shelter animals found in shelters across the US and Canada.
These donations will extend the life of retired Hilton terry products, while also supporting the communities in which Hilton operates and reducing the chance of retired products ending up in a landfill.
“At Hilton, we are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to create a great stay for our guests while supporting the communities where we all live, work and travel,” said Anu Saxena, president and global head, Hilton Supply Management. “This program is a testament to the ingenuity of our team members and the result of our continued belief that travel can be a powerful force for good. In partnership with Mars Petcare and Greater Good Charities, we will continue to find ways to positively impact the places we call home, build the sustainable travel experience of tomorrow and, at the same time, create a more hospitable world for people, pets and planet .”
There are more than 1,200 hotels and 500 shelters across the US and Canada enrolled in the program with additional hotels expected to come on board by the end of the year. With a dual focus on waste reduction and positive community impact, the program is inspired by Hilton’s Travel with Purpose environment, social and governance (ESG) strategy, which includes a goal to reduce landfill waste by 50 percent by 2030.
“Greater Good Charities is excited to partner with Hilton and Mars Petcare to help keep shelter pets healthy and comfortable across the US and Canada by donating towels and terry products,” said Liz Baker, CEO of Greater Good Charities. “This program not only helps preserve pets and the people who care for them, but reusing these items helps the environment by giving them a new purpose. It’s really a win-win.”
The initiative also marks the latest extension of Hilton’s ongoing partnership with Mars Petcare, which provides pet-focused programming and benefits to guests at pet-friendly properties across the US and Canada. Across its portfolio of 22 world-class brands, Hilton offers nine pet-friendly brands – including Hampton by Hilton, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Tru by Hilton, Canopy by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton, Spark by Hilton and LivSmart Studios by Hilton – among more than 5,800 pet-friendly locations worldwide. Team members at these properties regularly provide information about local pet-friendly resources, including local dog parks, nearby 24-hour vets, pet stores and pet-friendly restaurant on site. Additionally, many hotels offer pet treats at the front desk, provide pet bowls for guest use, and provide waste bags.
To learn more about Hilton’s pet-friendly offerings through its partnership with Mars Petcare, please visit stories.hilton.com. To learn more about Travel with Purpose, please visit esg.hilton.com.
About Hilton
Hilton is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising more than 7,500 properties and nearly 1.2 million rooms, in 126 countries and territories. Committed to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the world with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, and has been named the No. 1 World’s Best Workplace by Great Place to Work and Fortune and recognized as a global leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for seven consecutive years. Hilton has introduced industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automatic complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, more than 180 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences that money can’t buy. Using the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit stories.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, TwitterLinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
About Purposeful Travel
Travel with a Purpose is Hilton’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) approach to promote responsible travel and tourism around the world. Through Travel with a Purpose, we seek to create a positive environmental and social impact in our operations, supply chain and communities. We monitor, analyze and report on the impact of Hilton’s portfolio of hotels through LightStay, our award-winning ESG performance measurement and management system. Travel with a Purpose uses Hilton’s global reach to serve as an engine of opportunity in the communities where we operate and pave the way for a net-zero future. Our approach is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more about Travel with Purpose athttps://esg.hilton.com/.
About Greater Good Charities
Greater Good Charities is a 501(c)(3) global nonprofit organization that works to help people, pets, and the planet by mobilizing in response to need and promoting good. Greater Good Charities, with a Four-Star rating on Charity Navigator and a Platinum Seal on GuideStar, has invested more than $650 million in impact, including cash grants, in-kind supplies, and programmatic support to partners to charity in 121 countries since 2007. To learn more about how Greater Good Charities is promoting good around the world, please visit greatergood.org or follow Facebook, Instagram,XYouTube and TikTok.
About Mars Inc.
Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a global family-owned business, Mars evolves, transforms, and evolves to make a positive impact on the world. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of quality snack, food, and pet care products and services, we employ 140,000+ dedicated Associates. With more than $47 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s most beloved brands including Ben’s Original™, CESAR®, Cocoavia®, DOVE®, EXTRA®, KIND®, M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, PEDIGREE® , ROYAL CANIN®, and WHISKAS®. We’re creating A Better World for Pets through our global network of pet hospitals and diagnostic services – including AniCura, BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, Linnaeus and VCA™ – using cutting-edge technology to develop breakthrough programs in genetic health screening and DNA testing.
For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook,TwitterInstagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
