Wolfgang Neumann Sustainability Leader of Tomorrow Award 2025

Mariana Domingues has driven a holistic transformation in sustainability at Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon, making it Portugal’s first hotel to achieve both Green Key (2024) and Forbes VERIFIED (2025) certifications. Under her leadership, single-use plastics have been eliminated across the property, replaced by refillable and compostable alternatives. She implemented hotel-wide waste segregation and partnered with Reciclar e Alimentar to compost Nespresso grounds—supporting rice cultivation for food banks. Since 2012, the hotel has donated food daily via DariAcordar, reducing waste and supporting the local community. At the CURA restaurant, over 60% of ingredients are locally and ethically sourced. Mariana also engages staff through beach cleanups, sustainability talks, and partnerships with Hospes for linen reuse.

Guided by Four Seasons’ “Lead With Care for the Planet” strategy and aligned with the UN SDGs, her replicable initiatives—like the Clean Plate campaign and inclusion events—prove that operational change and cultural impact can go hand in hand.