Global initiative collected over 6,400 lbs. of waste and engaged 1,700+ participants across continents
HOLLYWOOD, Fla., Nov. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — For the second consecutive year, Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming joined forces with nonprofit organization Ocean Conservancy for the Global Sound Waves joint sustainability program. This collaboration unites Hard Rock team members and communities worldwide with Ocean Conservancy’s mission of protecting the oceans by reducing waste and driving meaningful environmental change.
The partnership, motivated by one of Hard Rock’s guiding mottos: Save the Planet, takes a proactive approach to ocean conservation by focusing on upstream waste management, addressing water, food, and material waste to prevent it from polluting the ocean. Through comprehensive waste audits and data-driven analysis, Hard Rock and Ocean Conservancy identify diversion opportunities and implement alternatives that set meaningful waste reduction goals across Hard Rock’s global operations.
The 2025 program included multiple waves:
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Innovation Challenge: A contest produced 51 submissions from front-line team members from properties in 9 countries and 3 continents who identified innovative solutions to reduce waste on their properties.
1st Place: Jefferson Cristovao, Sukanya Haughton, Erika Barrera – Seminole Classic Casinodeveloped two programs around food waste composting and glass recycling—designed to reduce landfill impact and strengthen community partnerships.
2nd Place: Sara Mendoza – Hard Rock Hotel Maldives tackled the challenge of broken beach umbrellas, transforming them into stylish wet bags for guests, turning waste into a sustainability reminder.
3rd Place: Rodrigo Perez Castro – Hard Rock Casino Rockford gamified the reduction of single-use plastic cups, creating an engaging experience that combines entertainment with environmental responsibility.
4th Place: Jelisa Blunt – Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati proposed reusable cups with smart return technology, rewarding guests through our Unity loyalty program and reducing plastic waste in a tech-forward manner. -
Community Cleanup Events: From September through November, Hard Rock, Seminole Gaming, and Ocean Conservancy coordinated global community activations aimed at enhancing the environment, promoting biodiversity, and reducing waste. Properties such as Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, Seminole Classic Casino, Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya in Thailand, Hard Rock Hotel Tenerife, and Hard Rock Hotel Maldives hosted beach clean-ups that brought 1,700+ team members, guests, communities, and local organizations together to remove pollution from nearby beaches, totaling more than 6,400 lbs. of waste collected. Examples of multi-faceted approaches include Hard Rock Casino Rockford with an e-waste collection drive, book drive, fundraiser, and neighborhood clean-up, while Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana integrated environmental education into its Kids’ Club programming to inspire the next generation of ocean advocates.
Additional participating properties included Hard Rock Hotels in Orlando, Daytona Beach, Goa, Bali, Cancun, Los Cabos, Riviera Maya, Vallarta, Madrid, Marbella, Desaru Coast, and Shenzhen; Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos in Sacramento at Fire Mountain, Sioux City, and Atlantic City; Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, and Cincinnati; and Hard Rock Cafes in Cologne, Manchester, Milan, Venice, Nambq and Brussels.
- Team Member Education: Over 143 team members participated in a global trivia event to build the knowledge and skills that can make a difference.
“This partnership reflects Hard Rock’s deep commitment to the areas we serve, with each surrounding environment being such an important part of team member and local community life and guest experiences,” said Paul Pellizzari, Vice President of Global Social Responsibility at Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming. “We’re proud to support Ocean Conservancy’s vital work protecting our oceans for future generations.”
“We’re grateful for our continued partnership with Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming,” said Jenna DiPaolo, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Ocean Conservancy. “Ocean conservation requires collective action, and Hard Rock’s commitment to sustainability shows the powerful impact businesses can have when they prioritize our planet.”
Visit www.hardrock.com/social-responsibility to learn more.
About Hard Rock®
Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies with venues in nearly 80 countries spanning more than 300 venues including owned/licensed or managed Hotels, Casinos, Rock Shops®, Live Performance Locations and Cafes. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s largest and most valuable collection of authentic music memorabilia with more than 88,000 pieces displayed at locations around the globe. The Unity™ by Hard Rock global loyalty program rewards members for doing the things they love across participating properties. In addition, Hard Rock Digital spotlights the sports betting and iGaming experience with products remixed in the spirit of Hard Rock for players worldwide.
HRI has received numerous industry, destination and workplace awards across the travel, hospitality, gaming, entertainment and food & beverage sectors. HRI currently holds investment grades from primary investment-grade rating agencies: S&P Global Ratings (BBB) and Fitch Ratings (BBB). For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com or shop.hardrock.com.
About Ocean Conservancy
For more than 50 years, Ocean Conservancy has delivered effective, evidence-based solutions for the ocean and all who depend on it. Today, we continue to unite science, people and policy to protect our ocean from the greatest challenges it faces: climate change, plastic pollution and biodiversity loss. We are a 501(C)3 headquartered in Washington, D.C. that inspires a worldwide network of partners, advocates and supporters through our comprehensive and clear-eyed approach to ocean conservation. Together, we are securing a healthy ocean and a thriving planet, forever and for everyone. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Bluesky or Instagram.
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SOURCE Hard Rock International
