The largest hotel company in the world, Marriott International, believes that because of its size and scope, it has a responsibility to positively contribute to the world, especially through environmental actions.
That's why it has added electric vehicle charging stations at select hotels in the U.S. and even installed "atmospheric water generators" to alleviate water scarcity in Dubai. And now, Marriott has partnered with the international food rescue organization Scholars of Sustenance to get nutritious food to those who need it most.
What's happening?
Last year, 66 Marriott hotels and Scholars of Sustenance rescued over 178,000 pounds of surplus food. (For comparison, around 140,000 pounds of food and drink are tossed out annually at official Super Bowl events.)
Marriott Hotels and Scholars of Sustenance's surplus food work resulted in more than 340,000 meals donated to communities in need throughout Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines in 2023.
In April 2024, Marriott also donated a new food truck to Scholars of Sustenance Bali. This donation followed the launch of its first food truck in Jakarta in 2023. The April food truck donation event included the delivery of 200 food packs to a home for disabled children.
"At Marriott International, we take great pride in our longstanding focus on the fundamental principles of taking care of people, our communities, and the planet," said Anthony Capuano, President and CEO of Marriott International, in the intro to the company's latest sustainability report.
"We believe our efforts to be a force for good around the world in destinations where we operate can help support the long-term success of our business and the well-being of associates and guests. We are focused on fostering a more resilient, inclusive, and responsible world for travel."
Why is this partnership encouraging?
Food waste is a growing global issue. Worldwide, about one-third of all food is wasted,
and, according to the latest research, the hotel industry produces 79,000 metric tons (that's 174,165,000 pounds) of food waste annually. Much of that wasted food ends up in landfills, where it releases methane, a potent planet-warming gas.
In a twist of fate, this pollution created by wasted food contributes to rising global temperatures, and the effects of rising global temperatures put our global food supply at risk. Meanwhile, over 2 billion people lack access to nutritious and sufficient food.
In a win-win, the partnership between Marriott and Scholars of Sustenance helps tackle the issue of food scarcity while also keeping thousands of pounds of food out of landfills.
What is Marriott's overall sustainability plan?
Providing top-notch hospitality to guests around the world doesn't have to, and shouldn't, contribute to making the world a less hospitable place. Marriott's overall sustainability plan is to create a positive and sustainable impact wherever it does business.
In 2017, Marriott launched its Serve 360 sustainability and social impact platform to set specific, measurable climate goals. It has since had its carbon reduction plans accredited by the Science Based Targets initiative to ensure objectivity and rigorous tracking.
By 2025, Marriott aims for 100% of its hotels to have a sustainability certification and to responsibly source 95% of materials in its top 10 categories (for example: bottled water, cleaning supplies, coffee, guest room amenities, and paper products).
Bottom line: Food waste initiatives like this by global companies such as Marriott set an example for other organizations to follow, paving the way for a cleaner, cooler, and better-fed planet.
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