Mandarin Oriental Achieves GSTC-Committed Status For Sustainability

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC®) is delighted to share the news that Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Limited has achieved GSTC-Committed status. This designation comes as a result of the hotel group’s full adoption of the GSTC Industry Criteria version 3.0 without any modifications.

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group stands as a prominent player in the luxury hotel, resort, and residence sector, boasting a rich heritage that dates back 60 years and has since evolved into an esteemed global entity. Today, the group proudly manages 38 hotels and 11 residences across 25 countries and territories, each property showcasing the group’s rich oriental legacy, local influences, and distinctive architecture.

In its pursuit of environmental stewardship, Mandarin Oriental has established ambitious long-term sustainability objectives for its properties. According to its 2022 Sustainability Report, the group achieved a remarkable reduction in single-use plastics, cutting down usage by 99% in all areas except supplier packaging in 2022. The report also outlines the group’s ongoing efforts to minimize food waste, enhance sustainable sourcing, and encourage staff participation in community service initiatives.

Achieving GSTC-Committed status signifies that Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Limited has not only embraced the GSTC Criteria but also laid out and executed a detailed strategy that has undergone GSTC’s evaluation.

It’s important to note that GSTC-Committed status does not equate to certification, accreditation, or endorsement. Rather, it indicates that an entity has integrated the GSTC Criteria into its operations, policies, and planning. The GSTC’s programs aim to honor those who genuinely practice sustainable tourism, thereby fostering trust and authenticity among consumers.

The GSTC Industry Criteria’s scope encompasses corporate offices as well as all managed and branded properties worldwide, focusing specifically on accommodation facilities and tour operators for the GSTC-Committed designation. This status will remain in effect until there is an update to the GSTC Industry Criteria or the GSTC Membership is not renewed.

Furthermore, in 2023, eleven hotels under the Mandarin Oriental banner achieved GSTC-Certification, a testament to their commitment to sustainable practices, as verified by GSTC-Accredited Certification Bodies.

Laurent Kleitman, Group Chief Executive, remarked on the achievement: “This recognition reflects our commitment to sustainable practices. As a Group, we have developed a comprehensive plan to implement the GSTC Criteria, and we are proud to align ourselves with global standards for sustainable tourism.”

“Mandarin Oriental is an international brand that recognizes the value of applying the GSTC Criteria as global standards for sustainable tourism and hospitality across their geographic scope of operations internally and with their suppliers and stakeholders. That is the basis of ‘GSTC-Committed’, this status does not state or imply certification, but it provides a pathway in the sustainability journey for each of their properties to eventually indeed seek to gain certification,” said Randy Durband, GSTC CEO.

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