Marriott launches Green Events in Europe

Through Marriott’s Spirit to Preserve program, the company is rolling out “Green Events” at all Continental Europe JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels & Resorts and Courtyard by Marriott Hotels.

This program builds on Marriott’s aggressive environmental strategy, applying the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle to all events and meetings in Continental Europe, making them more eco-friendly and helping guests and meeting planners reduce their environmental impact.

Last year, Marriott hotels throughout the United States began to offer green meetings and the company says it has been so well received that it is now being rolled out internationally beginning in Europe.

The “Green Events” concept was unveiled at the Frankfurt Marriott Hotel on Friday in conjunction with IMEX. The new standard products and services for all meetings will include:

- 100% FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified writing pads, flipcharts and stationary items

- Bic Ecolutions pens made from recycled content and biodegradable (Marriott purchases 47 million pens per year)

- Environmentally-friendly presentation materials

- Access to recycling containers in or near meeting rooms

- Water service featuring seasonal flavors served in large recyclable bottles or pitchers

- Paperless event proposals, contracting and billing (where legally possible)

- Fresh seasonal fruit and produce

- Bulk candy in glass jars rather than packaged

- Glass or wooden, linen-less tables used for all pre-function and meeting areas

- Use of energy-efficient audio-visual equipment

As an added value, hotels can also choose to offer services and products including digital signage, fair trade coffee, nametag collection bins and tickets for public transportation.

“We are responding to the demand of our customers, who are increasingly asking for greener meetings. By offering “Green Events” throughout our hotels we feel we can make a big step to reduce our footprint on the environment while continuously delivering the high level of service our event planners expect from Marriott,” said Frank Zehle, vice president of brand marketing and leader of Marriott’s Green Council in Continental Europe.

A key centerpiece of Marriott International’s environmental strategy is helping protect 1.4 million acres (589,000 hectares) of endangered rainforest in the Juma Sustainable Development Reserve in partnership with the state of Amazonas in Brazil. Through this effort, Marriott has committed $2 million to this rainforest fund, and now invites guests to “Green Their Hotel Stay” by making contributions. As an additional way to make meetings even greener, meeting planners can now calculate their event’s carbon offset and then donate to virtually offset it.

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