Sydney Harbour Marriott’s Sustainable Tourism Certification is the result of meeting more than 200 criteria across environmental, socio-economic and cultural sustainability as well as sustainable management practices.
The Ecotourism Australia certification also involves an independent audit.
“Guided by Marriott’s Serve 360 Sustainability Program, we’ve embedded environmentally responsible practices across every aspect of our operations, from reducing energy and water consumption to improving waste management and building strong partnerships with our local community,” said the hotel’s general manager, Bernhard Langer.
“This recognition reaffirms our commitment to minimising our environmental footprint as a hospitality leader, while continuing to deliver exceptional guest experiences as we work towards a more sustainable future.”
Marriott International has set a goal for all of its managed properties across its full spectrum of hotel brands to achieve environmental certification by the end of this year.
In Australia, New Zealand the Pacific, 41 out of 45 Marriott hotels and resorts are managed.
As things stand, 65 per cent of managed properties have either completed eco certification or are going through the process, via a variety of different certifiers, including EarthCheck, Qualmark in New Zealand and Ecotourism Australia.
Marriott is also helping event organisers who choose to meet within the brand’s considerable event space footprint across the region to lower the impact of their gatherings.
The hotel group launched its Connect Responsibly initiative late last year, offering opt-in complimentary carbon measurement reports for events, with an opportunity to purchase offsets for event emissions. The majority of properties across the Australasian and Pacific region are participating in the program.
Most Marriott properties in the local region are in the premium or luxury echelons of the accommodation sphere, including hotels and resorts under the W, Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, JW Marriott, Westin and Sheraton brands.
