Rise in ranking comes on the heels of the company's environmental report, the first formally GRI checked environmental report in the gaming industry.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. shot up the list of America's most environmental companies in Newsweek's Green Rankings. The company saw a meteoric rise of 238 ranks to #128 on the U.S. list, the largest positive change on the list of 500 companies and 20 industries.

The Green Rankings comprehensively assess the environmental performance of the largest publicly traded companies in the United States and around the world. It ranks companies based on their actual environmental footprint, management of that footprint, and sustainability communications. The rankings provide a reliable, cross-industry framework for comparing the environmental commitment and performance of major companies.

"Our surge in the Newsweek Green Rankings is as notable as it is gratifying," said Katarina Tesarova, executive director of sustainability for Las Vegas Sands. "The fact that we jumped so many positions in one year is a tribute to our company's environmental commitment. Thanks to the hard work of our global teams, we implemented more than 140 sustainability initiatives and around 50 efficiency projects this year alone. Las Vegas Sands will continue to find ways to make our integrated resort destinations even more eco-friendly. Sustainability isn't a one-time thing for us; it's an ongoing process and commitment."

The dramatic rise in rank is remarkable because annual environmental progress for most big companies is often slow. GreenBiz.com points out that "The environmental impact scores, both in the U.S. and globally, changed only about 1 percent -- that is, hardly at all."

LVS has worked on building a solid foundation of environmental conservation programs for many years. In the last year, the company revised and strengthened its Sands ECO360 degrees sustainability strategy and established a formal sustainability governance structure in its global operations. The company remained focused on meeting its environmental objectives in the four key areas -- green buildings, environmentally responsible operations, green meetings, and stakeholder engagement.

To learn more, visit the company's blog: Sands Confidential, and be sure to sign up for our email alerts. Also, check out the Sands ECO360 degrees for more information about our environmental efforts.