Throughout the travel industry, sustainability has become a primary focus for both guests and hospitality providers. As travelers grow increasingly engaged with environmental issues, hotels and restaurants around the world are implementing innovative programs to create the greatest environmental benefit while minimizing their impact, allowing guests to feel good about partnering with companies that share their values.
Sustainability in hospitality is no longer a trend but rather a foundational set of practices, including for Marriott Bonvoy Events. From locally sourcing food and provisions to waste reduction programs, hotels and restaurants alike are integrating smart measures to ensure a better future and greater guest satisfaction.
In October, Marriott International was thrilled to announce Connect Responsibly with Marriott Bonvoy Events. This new global program is focused on helping meeting planners embed sustainability into their events at our hotels, with the aim of making us all better stewards of the communities and environments where we operate.
Connect Responsibly offers customers detailed Meeting Impact Reports to measure the environmental impact of their events, along with options to purchase carbon credits. The easy-to-use Meeting Impact Report is designed for our hotel associates to give planners details about their event, including its carbon and water footprints and general sustainability practices at the property. It’s available in 11 languages, so it’s accessible globally. Plus, we’ve teamed up with South Pole, a carbon project developer and climate consultancy, to allow planners to choose from a list of verified climate action projects that can be purchased as part of their events.
We believe that all of us—whether we plan large-scale meetings and events, or small gatherings of our team members—can embrace sustainable meetings practices. Below are some of the top trends in events that we are seeing on the ground at Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of hotels and resorts throughout the country.
Local Sourcing for Sustainable Cuisine
When it comes to the menu, hotels and restaurants are focusing on sustainable cuisine by locally sourcing ingredients and supporting organic farming. Many culinary teams have turned to harvest-to-table dining experiences, featuring in-season ingredients from nearby farms, fisheries and gardens.
Read More: Your Complete Guide to Sustainability
These days, many hotels even have their very own gardens, which adds to the on-property guest experience and allows guests to enjoy the freshest ingredients possible. Many hotels and resorts are home to hydroponic gardens that grow fresh herbs and microgreens for us in on-site restaurants and event menus.
Waste Reduction Initiatives
Reducing waste is another critical practice of sustainable catering and hospitality. Marriott’s approach to reducing waste is designed to assist hotels within our portfolio in first preventing waste, followed by the disposal of waste in a responsible manner, in line with global waste management trends. Based on the types of products used at Marriott properties and available waste management services, hotels are guided to prioritize the use of reusable products where feasible.
Read More: How Technology Can Help Us Build a Greener Events Industry
Marriott Bonvoy hotels around the world continue to introduce waste separation programs, to maximize recycling and composting efforts. Marriott continues to execute our phased Residential-Sized Bath Amenities Program, switching from small toiletry bottles to larger pump-topped bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body gel. When fully implemented across the globe, Marriott International’s expanded toiletry program is expected to prevent about 500 million tiny bottles annually from going to landfills; that’s about 1.7 million pounds of plastic per year.
Menu Customization is Key
Another option to reduce waste is to work closely with executive chefs to create innovative and custom offerings for culinary-focused group experiences. Our chefs aim to be creative in the kitchen and utilize as many remaining ingredients as possible to make sure as little as possible is wasted.
Read More: Making a Tasteful Impression Through a Food and Beverage Program That’s a Cut Above
Customizing a menu does not only offer a sustainability-minded experience, it also helps to showcase the incredible local cuisine of the destination. For example, many Marriott Bonvoy hotels that are based on islands have comprehensive lists of local preferred vendors in an effort to reduce transportation emissions that result when ordering provisions from the mainland. Plus, island-based hotels and restaurants have the added benefit of access to bountiful fresh seafood and lush gardens with ultra-fresh produce, which means guests have many delicious options when it comes to their curated meal options.
Sustainable Building and Design
Thoughtful design is also integral to sustainable hospitality. Restaurants and hotels source furniture and decor made from recycled materials such as tables and chairs built with repurposed wood, as well as light fixtures and food containers constructed from recycled glass. Another way for hotels to incorporate sustainable touches is by working with a designer with a penchant for sourcing local vintage finds, giving them a second life, while simultaneously adding unique style and flair to any space.
Read More: Spectacular Spaces: Event Design with Ed Libby
The future of hospitality is undeniably moving towards more sustainable solutions. As hotels and restaurants continue to innovate and adopt more sustainable practices, they reduce their environmental impact, while raising the bar when it comes to industry standards. These programs demonstrate that sustainable practices can be thoughtfully incorporated in various settings, enhancing guests’ experiences around the globe, while also benefiting the planet. Sustainability is no longer merely an option but rather an integral part of the industry’s evolution.
—
Originally from Cairo, Egypt, Denise graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Science in Geography with an emphasis on human impacts on the environment. Denise became involved with Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society, implementing environmental education programs around the world. A decade later, Cousteau’s program took her to the Cayman Islands and then eventually to Washington, D.C., as a member of Marriott International’s global operations team. In Naguib’s current role as global vice president, sustainability and supplier diversity global operations at Marriott, she and her team lead the strategy, program implementation, and reporting for both sustainability and supplier diversity for Marriott’s 9,000+ hotels around the world.
Naguib currently serves as Chair of the Board for WEConnect International, the global organization supporting women’s businesses around the world. She is also on the Boards of Arbor Day Foundation, World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, and Sheridan School, and is an active member of the Global Business Travel Association’s Sustainable Leadership Council.
