Client Success Story
How Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport Took Sustainability from Employee Appreciation to In-Room Impact
The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport was looking for a gift for its Associate Appreciation Week that truly reflected its values. When the team set out to recognize employees, they wanted something meaningful—an item associates would love, use daily, and feel proud of. Most importantly, they wanted a gift that created both environmental and charitable impact with every reuse.
They chose the Cupanion Bottle, branded with the Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport logo and the message, “You are the heartbeat of the Westin.” Not only did the sustainably made bottle align with the hotel’s environmental goals, but it also reinforced Marriott International’s broader corporate commitment to the Children’s Miracle Network with the Fill it Forward program.
With 260 bottles distributed, the team activated the program onsite, sharing how each scan tracks environmental impact and unlocks charitable donations. The response took flight. Through the program, associates scanned more than 1,900 times, diverting 57.96 lbs of single-use waste.
“Our associates truly are the heartbeat of our hotel, and this initiative gave them a meaningful way to see their individual actions add up to something bigger. When sustainability is woven into workplace culture—and made engaging and rewarding—an initiative like this can truly take off. You have to have associate buy-in to have a really great program, and we saw that firsthand. When our team understood the impact and felt connected to the purpose, the engagement around sustainability soared. Knowing that each scan supports Children’s Miracle Network made it even more powerful. The Fill it Forward team made the entire process seamless, from helping us select the right reusable gift to bringing our design vision to life and ensuring the program launched smoothly onsite.”
Theona Simbrat,
General Manager
Following the success of Associate Appreciation Week, the Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport team saw an opportunity to extend that impact to guests. Today, guests can purchase a one-of-a-kind Cupanion bottle featuring the Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport logo and custom artwork—a keepsake that reminds them of their stay while allowing them to track their environmental footprint and unlock charitable donations long after checkout, all while creating meaningful incremental revenue for the property.
Since rolling out the guest program, the community has surpassed 6,000 reuses and diverted more than 153.99 lbs of single-use waste, helping to drive measurable impact.
If you’re looking to launch a reuse program on your property that engages guests, drives revenue, and creates community impact, Fill it Forward is here to make it simple. From product selection and custom design to program activation and impact reporting, we’ll partner with you every step of the way to bring your sustainability vision to life.
Ready to get started? Contact us or book a meeting with our team today.
