Many meeting professionals agree that it’s easy to plan meetings with the intention of giving back, but it’s often more challenging to implement those corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies. Caesars Entertainment is making it easier to do so with expanded community service opportunities. This week, the casino-entertainment corporation announced a new “Meetings for Good” menu offered through the Responsible Meetings program.
“We strive to ensure that our clients hold outstanding meetings and events while also contributing economic, social and environmental benefits to society at our meeting venue locations,” says Jordan Clark, vice president of sales for meetings and events. “That’s why it’s important to us that our corporate citizenship efforts are embedded in our meetings offerings, allowing clients to reduce costs and meet responsibly.”
Strong interest from meeting planners spurred a revamp of the Responsible Meetings program. Caesars Entertainment considered feedback that suggests planners are increasingly seeking venues which provide opportunities to actively participate in local outreach. A study from Meeting Professionals International also found that 60 percent of meeting planners are more likely to book a venue if it carries social impact benefits.
At select properties in Las Vegas, New Orleans and Atlantic City, meeting groups are encouraged to participate in stronger community engagement with local non-profit organizations. These community partnerships offer meaningful team-building experiences that include helping seniors, environmental sustainability, education, health and wellness, and serving deployed soldiers and veterans. The new menu will be available in all other national markets later this year.
For example, groups can build hygiene kits using recycled toiletries for those in need. Clean the World Foundation distributes the kits all over the world to help reduce hygiene-related illness. Conferences can also turn over unused writing materials to Teacher Exchange, which collects resources for public schools in Southern Nevada. Caesars Entertainment also partners with Second Wind Dreams and Meals on Wheels Association.
The new menu builds on the existing Responsible Meetings program, which includes a training and certification program. Groups are able to designate their event as a Certified Responsible Meeting if it meets criteria of environmentally-friendly choices, such as organic meals, electronic signage, recycled meeting materials and post-meeting environmental reports.
Each Caesars property actively works to manage and reduce material impacts on the environment through CodeGreen, an organization-wide strategy. Over the last 10 years, Caesars Entertainment has invested more than $70 million to reduce waste, along with water and energy consumption. The corporation’s hotels and resorts in North America have earned eco-ratings ratings by Green Key Global, a leading environmental certification entity.
