The hotel chain Meliá Hotels & Resorts presented its new programme for events and business gatherings, EcoTouch Meetings, based on sustainability as added value and implemented as part of the company’s commitment to environmental protection, one of the pillars of its Corporate Responsibility strategy.
Following the agreement to promote the fight against climate change adopted by the international community at COP21 in Paris, Meliá has taken another step towards integrating sustainable elements into its brand culture with the launch of the EcoTouch programme. The initiative has already been implemented in all of the hotels in Spain and is in the development stage in other countries. It impacts the chain’s operational processes as well as the materials used at events and the food served, without any increase in price for customers. Similarly, it also aims to sensitise and promote awareness among customers of the need for responsible use of resources and of the environmental impact of their activities.
Of particular note among the programme’s main features is the calculation of the carbon footprint for each event. This informs the customer of the total greenhouse gas emissions generated, with a view to reducing them in the future. All of the materials used are recycled, such as notebooks, pens, markers, flipcharts and coasters, and efficient use of resources is promoted, e.g. through use of glass pitchers instead of plastic bottles, low-consumption lights to save electricity, computer and audiovisual equipment with an energy rating of “A” and selective collection of waste, among other initiatives. In terms of food, the EcoTouch programme promotes healthy, seasonal Mediterranean ingredients and features alternative menu options for allergy sufferers and vegetarians, all of which are created by leading chefs trained on the programme.
Meliá Hotels International was recently recognised as one of the world’s leading companies in the fight against climate change when it was included in the list of the 113 global companies with the best performance scores in this area compiled by CDP, which ranks corporate response to climate change.