US: Mandarin Oriental, New York has received the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Certification – the first hotel in North America to achieve the accredited certification.
The luxury hotel group has committed to implementing the GSTC Criteria across the organisation with a total of 15 hotels that have received the GSTC Certification.
Some of the sustainability initiatives the hotel has adopted include:
- Eliminating single-use plastic. This includes offering refillable Diptyque guest amenities and being the pilot Mandarin Oriental hotel in the Americas to implement wooden key cards.
- Committing to responsible procurement from certified suppliers that ensure compliance with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s code of conduct. This includes all food & beverage offerings sustainably-sourced and do not include menu items that are part of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Endangered Seafood List.
- Reducing energy intensity and carbon footprint through waste reduction and energy efficiency. This includes the implementation of LED lights and installation of water flow restrictors in all guest rooms.
- Providing a fully electric Mercedes Benz EQ450+ house car as a complimentary service to minimise carbon dioxide emissions while still maintaining exceptional guest service.
- Maximising social impact through local community engagement. Since 2004, Mandarin Oriental, New York has supported City Harvest to provide food for the local homeless population. In 2023, colleagues contributed over 500 volunteer hours with them and other non-profit organizations, including projects that support LGBTQ+ health, senior citizen care, and local park clean-up.
Randy Durband, GSTC CEO: “We congratulate Mandarin Oriental, New York on achieving accredited certification, the highest level of assurance of credible validation of hotel sustainability claims.
“Certified as a sustainable hotel, we hope Mandarin Oriental will inspire others in the region to prioritise sustainability.”
Marcel Thoma, Mandarin Oriental, New York general manager and area vice president, operations said: “Achieving GSTC certification is an acknowledgment of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s dedication to sustainability and responsible tourism practices.
“We are deeply honoured and humbled to be the first hotel in North America to receive the esteemed distinction. It reflects our steadfast commitment to being responsible stewards of our environment and community, while continuing to offer unparalleled luxury to our guests.”
The GSTC Certification of the hotel was conducted by UCSL United Certification Systems Limited, a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body, following a comprehensive assessment and onsite audit.
You can read more about the GSTC here.
Image supplied