Rezidor hosts first carbon neutral meeting in ME

Rezidor Hotel Group has hosted its first carbon neutral meeting in the Middle East during an annual internal conference for international general managers in Dubai.

By implementing the group’s Meetings Minus Carbon, an initiative launched by Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group in 2012, the hotel group claims that the event has had no net impact on the global environment.

Rezidor Hotel Group area vice president for the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa Mark Willis said: “Rezidor Hotel Group takes sustainability seriously. We are practicing what we preach, by investing in our own Meetings Minus Carbon by Club Carlson for Planners initiative – which is a practical solution towards reducing the company’s carbon footprint.”

“On this occasion, we have offset more than 89t CO2e total emissions. The offsetting happens through Verified Carbon Standard Credits of wind farms in Kerala, India combined with one additional tree planted in the Great Rift Valley, Kenya for each ton of carbon offset. We hope that this will inspire our customers when they next book a meeting at any of our 1,077 hotels worldwide,” he added.

The initiative work by calculating the travel and event emissions of each attendee of the conference, taking into account the distance and method of travel, and the corresponding CO2 footprint. The resulting contributions from the attendees will be used to benefit the global eco-system and renewable energy sources.

The carbon offsetting initiative, which is also offered as a free service for meeting planner members of Club Carlson, is managed through Carlson Rezidor’s partner, Carbon Footprint Ltd., based out of the United Kingdom.

Meetings Minus Carbon by Club Carlson for Planners programme launched the end of 2012 at Radisson Blu hotels in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and led to 6,588 tons being offset in Indian wind farms and 6,588 trees being planted in Kenya. It is part of Carlson Rezidor’s Responsible Business Program, focusing on a reduced negative impact on the environment, health and safety for employees and guests, and respect for social and ethical issues within the company and community.