Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide recently announced that they will no longer use shark fin in any of its nearly 1,200 hotels or 1,300 restaurants around the world, from July 2014. As far as we know, Starwood is the first global hotel operator to take this stand.
 
Frits van Paasschen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Starwood, said: “At Starwood, we believe economic growth and the well-being of society are inextricably tied to the health of the environment, including the health of the world’s oceans and its inhabitants.  Our worldwide ban on shark fin represents an important, environmentally responsible step to aid in the collective goal of marine preservation.  As a company with a collection of hotels that span the globe, Starwood has a unique opportunity to influence travellers and guests worldwide, and to underline the importance of good stewardship of our planet.”

“This is tremendously good news and a beacon of corporate leadership in ocean health,” said Peter Seligmann, CEO, Chairman and co-founder of Conservation International, a global partner of Starwood’s since 2009.  “As apex predators, sharks serve a critical role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems, which directly support our fisheries, economies, culture and health. Their value to human well-being is so much greater than the misguided worth of their severed fins. Starwood’s company-wide ban on shark fin in each and every one of their properties sends a powerful signal that businesses can be positive change agents in the effort to ensure the responsible use of our planet’s natural capital.”

An estimate of 100 million sharks is lost every year due to illegal hunting and poaching. This is causing a severe crisis as the shark population in the world has declined as much as 90% to 99% in recent decades.

Aside from banning shark fin from its menus worldwide, Starwood has also banned whale and sea turtles from all its menus. The exclusion of threatened seafood species from the company’s food and beverage venues is an important component of Starwood’s Sustainable Food & Beverage Policy.  

“As one of the leading global hospitality companies, Starwood is committed to reducing our impact on the environment in every aspect of our business, including in our kitchens, which, in turn, shapes the sustainability practices of our diners and guests,” said Ken Siegel, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel of Starwood. “We are constantly looking for ways to improve our operations to reflect our commitment to sustainable food and beverage, ocean conservation and sustainable communities, and we believe that steps like banning shark fin or other endangered species bring us closer to our goal.”

Story and quote from: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide