MCLEAN, Va. and SINGAPORE – February 21, 2014 – Hilton Worldwide today announced that it will cease serving shark fin and stop accepting new orders for shark fin dishes by April 1, 2014. The ban covers all restaurants and F&B facilities operated by its 96 owned and managed properties across Asia Pacific.
In December 2012, the company first removed shark fin from menus across all restaurants and food and beverage (F&B) facilities operated by its managed properties in China and Southeast Asia, and only serving it on request. This action helped pave the way for a ban, which first took effect in Southeast Asia on September 1, 2013 and then in Greater China on February 1, 2014. Banquet bookings made in each region prior to the respective ban dates will be honored accordingly.
The final step of the ban takes effect in Japan on April 1, 2014, when shark fin dishes will no longer be served in restaurants and F&B facilities operated by Hilton Worldwide’s owned and managed properties. In Japan, no banquet orders for shark fin dishes have been accepted since December 1, 2013, however banquet orders made prior to December 1, 2013 will be honored accordingly.
This puts the global hospitality company on track to ban shark fin in all restaurants and F&B facilities operated by its portfolio of 645 owned and managed hotels globally.
“We made a decisive commitment to influence consumer demand and ensure operational compliance across our portfolio of hotels by taking a measured country-by-country approach. In placing a global ban on shark fin, we take action in support of environmental conservation
efforts worldwide, and progress our efforts in responsible business operations,” said Martin Rinck, president, Asia Pacific, Hilton Worldwide.
As a leading global hospitality company, Hilton Worldwide encourages its hotels to increase the use of sustainable products and services where feasible, and proactively examine opportunities to improve the company’s sustainability performance across its supply chains. This commitment supports the ‘Living Sustainably’ pillar of the company’s global corporate responsibility strategy, Travel with Purpose™.
“The demand for shark fin in Asia Pacific has been identified as a major cause of decline in global shark populations. Hilton Worldwide’s ban on shark fin will go a long way in this region towards protecting valuable shark species, which are in turn crucial for maintaining the health of our marine ecosystems. Hilton Worldwide’s measured and step-wise approach towards responsible sourcing is a fine example of how businesses with strong leadership can, and should, take responsibility for their impact on the environment,” said Elaine Tan, CEO, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) -Singapore.
The ban on shark fin previews the company’s on-going efforts to develop a Sustainable Sourcing Policy, including sustainable seafood, details of which will be released at a later date.
About Travel with Purpose™
Travel with Purpose™ is Hilton Worldwide’s commitment to provide shared value to its business and communities around the world. As the driving strategy for Hilton Worldwide’s corporate responsibility efforts, Travel with Purpose focuses on creating opportunities for individuals to reach their full potential; strengthening local communities where Team Members live, work and travel; celebrating cultures and the power of travel; and living sustainably through the measurement, analysis and improvement of the use of natural resources.
About Hilton Worldwide
Hilton Worldwide is a leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxury and full- service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and focused-service hotels. For 94 years, Hilton Worldwide has been dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences. The company’s portfolio of ten world-class global brands is comprised of more than 4,000 managed, franchised, owned and leased hotels and timeshare properties, with nearly 672,000 rooms in 90 countries and territories, including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages an award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton HHonors®.
For more information visit www.hiltonworldwide.com/corporate-responsibility
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