News

April 25, 2008

Marriott Seeing Green

Company commits $2 million for rainforests

Marriott International Inc. has partnered with the state of Amazonas to help protect 1.4 million acres of endangered rainforest. Marriott has committed $2 million to fund an environmental management plan administered by the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation and aimed at reducing greenhouse-gas emissions from deforestation.

"At Marriott, we believe the future of business is green," says Arne Sorenson, chief financial officer and co-chair of the company's Green Council. "Building on a 20-year track record of responsible energy consumption and waste reduction, we believe rainforest preservation is critical to reducing the greenhouse-gas emissions that cause climate change."

"This is the first project on reducing emissions from deforestation in Brazil and one of the first in the world," adds Amazonas Governor Eduardo Braga. "This agreement between the government of Amazonas and Marriott will make history because it demonstrates how rainforest preservation can be used as a climate strategy."

Marriott calculated its global environmental footprint at 2.9 million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually-or .030 metric tons (65.5 pounds) per available room. The company has worked with global conservation organization Conservation International to develop a five- point strategy to reduce and offset its global footprint. One of the strategic steps offers Marriott guests and group customers the chance to offset the greenhouse-gas emissions generated by their hotel stays by donating to the rainforest fund. In addition to offering this carbon offset, Marriott's strategy includes working to reduce the company's water, waste and energy consumption; making its supply chain more green; building greener hotels, and encouraging employees and guests to participate in environmental actions.

Over the last decade, Marriott said it has replaced 450,000 light bulbs with fluorescent lighting, introduced linen reuse programs, and installed 400,000 low-flow showerheads and toilets at its hotels around the world. The company also has helped with environmental clean-up projects. These efforts earned Marriott the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 2008 Sustained Excellence award and 250 of its hotels received the EPA's ENERGY STAR label.

"We are all guests on this planet and that's why an integrated green strategy is a business imperative," says Kathleen Matthews, executive vice president of global communications and public affairs and co-chair of Marriott's Green Council.