New York, NY (PRWEB)May 12, 2015—The Rainforest Alliance is proud to announce the recipients of the 2015 Sustainable Standard-Setter Award, presented to corporate and individual leaders in sustainability. The awards will be presented on May 13th in New York City at the annual spring gala at the American Museum of Natural History. The Rainforest Alliance Sustainable-Setter Award recognizes businesses and individuals that are working diligently to meet rigorous sustainability standards, protect the environment, and support local communities worldwide.

“We are pleased to honor these extraordinary leaders who are advancing sustainability in their industries,” said Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance. “It’s one thing to declare ambitious sustainability goals, but it’s another to implement them successfully and create tangible results. That requires transparency, collaboration and innovation across sectors. The winners of our Sustainable-Settle Awards are excellent examples of how to achieve this and we are proud to celebrate this year’s honorees.”

The gala will be hosted by Thomas Roberts, host of MSNBC Live with Thomas Roberts. Roberts was previously host of MSNBC’s Way Too Early, a frequent contributor to Morning Joe, and a fill-in host for NBC’s Today. Roberts was recently honored by GLAAD with the Vito Russo Award. The award is historically presented to media professionals who have promoted equality for the LGBT community; former recipients include Tom Ford and Anderson Cooper. Returning as emcee this year is comedian Wali Collins, who helped make the 2014 gala a record-breaking success.

Gala honorees and co-chairs will gather earlier in the day and join CEOs, business leaders, and Rainforest Alliance experts at a Leadership Summit to discuss best practices in implementing sustainability goals. Following the summit, participants will gather at the American Museum of Natural History for an awards dinner, entertainment, and a silent auction. Gala proceeds benefit the Rainforest Alliance’s international work in sustainable agriculture, forestry, tourism, and climate change.

2015 Lifetime Achievement Awardee

• Maria Silva, Former Minister of Environment of Brazil

2015 Sustainable Standard-Setter Honorees:

• Avery Dennison
• Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate
• Breyers
• CMPC Forestal Minico
• Fibria
• Real InterContinental San José – Costa Rica

2015 Gala Co-chairs:

• Costa Rica Tourism Board
• Mattel, Inc.

Real InterContinental San Jose – Costa Rica

When Juan Trippe, the founder of Pan American Airways, created the InterContinental hotel brand in 1946, his intention was to provide flight crews and passengers with high-end accommodations in destinations where five-star properties had not yet opened. Today that same entrepreneurial spirit has led the company’s Real InterContinental San José to become the first chain hotel in Costa Rica to earn Rainforest Alliance certification.

In recent years, the hotel’s managers have begun making changes, including switching to an ozone-warming process in its laundry facilities instead of relying on detergent, installing water-saving devices and energy-efficient light bulbs, and instituting a recycling plan. One of the most recent upgrades was the installation of a biomass boiler, which heats water using green fuel instead of diesel, thereby reducing the property’s carbon footprint, as well as its fuel costs.

Thanks to these improvements, the Real InterContinental San José earned “five-leaf” certification from the Costa Rica Tourism Board, the highest possible level, for complying with the board’s criteria for the sustainable management of natural, cultural and social resources. And the property has also obtained other important honors, including certification by the Costa Rican Blue Flag Ecological Program, as well as a slew of hospitality awards, such as the 2014 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.