|
The Enviroment:
Green Partnership Program
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts was founded on an enduring connection to the land and communities where we do business. In 1990, our Canadian hotels pioneered the Green Partnership program—a comprehensive commitment to minimizing our hotels’ impact on the planet, which was accompanied by a guidebook on sustainable best practices in the lodging industry. This green philosophy has grown to become a core value of our company.The Fairmont Green Partnership program allows us to meet and exceed guest expectations of operational sustainability. It focuses on improvements in waste management, sustainability, and energy and water conservation at our properties, and innovative community outreach programs involving local groups and partnerships.
Through operational improvements, environmental benefits are realized, often through reduced utilities consumption and best practices. Our sustainability efforts encompass everything from recycling and organic waste diversion in the hotel’s kitchens to retrofitting energy-efficient lighting. They also include such activities as redistribution of household goods and food to those in need, purchasing green power and employing sustainable energy technology.
Our joint hotel and community projects—known as Eco-Innovation signature projects—are designed to concentrate our efforts to “think globally and act locally.” These projects offer unique travel experiences that encourage guest interaction and learning; examples include clean air awareness in California, coral reef protection in Hawaii, and international efforts in the conservation of endangered species, such as North Atlantic right whales, peregrine falcons and sea turtles. We are also involved in efforts to address deforestation and river conservation, as well as green space and trail development.
Fairmont also believes in sharing the stewardship message. We continue to work with partners and associations such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency (ENERGY STAR® program), the Hotel Association of Canada (Green Key Eco-Rating Program) and the Pembina Institute for Appropriate Development. Most recently, Fairmont has joined the World Heritage Alliance, an industry-leading initiative that was jointly formed by Expedia® and the United Nations Foundation to promote sustainable tourism and awareness of World Heritage sites and communities. Beyond highlighting our commitment to the environment, these affiliations help promote unique Fairmont eco-experiences and share Fairmont’s vision as we strive towards sustainable tourism and responsible travel practices.
With over 50 distinctive hotels and 23,000 hotel rooms around the globe, Fairmont continues to lead by example with innovative programs and an unwavering commitment to expanding its Green Partnership. Under the leadership of their corporate environmental affairs division and hotel-based Green Teams, 26,000 Fairmont employees have become environmental ambassadors, helping protect the habitat, resources and culture of the places where we, and our guests, work, live and play.
The Eco-Meet program helps meeting planners by providing a meeting structure that encourages maximum waste diversion and environmental awareness for conference delegates. Eco-Meet consists of options that can be tailored to the individual needs of the client; they can meet their environmental goals while choosing how “green” they want to go. There are four main components of Eco-Meet: Eco-Accommodation, Eco-Cuisine, Eco-Service, and Eco-Programming.
|
