Mandarin Oriental, New York has been awarded the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Certification, making it the first hotel in North America to achieve the status.
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council is an independent non-profit organization that establishes and manages global standards for sustainable travel and tourism, known as the GSTC Criteria. The council is an international global authority that acknowledges businesses that excel in sustainable business management while effectively maximizing and preserving socioeconomic, cultural and environmental impacts.
Among the sustainability initiatives that Mandarin Oriental, New York has adapted are:
- 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 and beverage offerings are 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 guestrooms.
- Providing a fully electric Mercedes Benz EQ450+ house car as a complimentary service to minimize carbon dioxide emissions.
- Maximizing 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.
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has committed to implementing the GSTC Criteria across the organization with a total of 15 hotels that have received the GSTC Certification. Further information on the group’s sustainability efforts is highlighted in its “Sustainability Report.”
The GSTC Certification of Mandarin Oriental, New York, was conducted by United Certification Systems Limited (UCSL), a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body.
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