Bonvoy Connects for Responsible Marriott Events

Marriott's Responsible Events: Bonvoy Connects Worldwide

Marriott International has launched Connect Responsibly with Marriott Bonvoy Events, a service for meeting planners to integrate sustainability into their events at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties. Connect Responsibly intends to provide meeting and event customers with thorough Meeting Impact Reports to help them assess the environmental impact of their events and choose from various carbon credit buying alternatives. The program is set to launch internationally in managed and franchised venues from participating brands by the end of October.

“There is nothing like connecting in person, and doing so responsibly makes it much better. With the Connect Responsibly program, we are giving our meetings and events customers options to understand their meetings' impacts better as we collectively strive to create a more resilient future for travel,” said Erika Alexander, Chief Global Officer of Global Operations, Marriott International.

Fueled by growing demand for meeting solutions that address sustainability and informed by research and consumer insights from its global pilot program, Marriott is focused on offering a Meeting Impact Report through the Connect Responsibly program. Available following an event, the user-friendly Report is intended to capture event details, property-specific sustainability practices implemented, and the event’s carbon and water footprints, calculated through established hospitality industry methodologies. Marriott expects the Report to be available in 11 different languages based on location.

In collaboration with South Pole, a carbon asset developer and climate consultancy, Marriott plans to offer meetings and events customers the ability to access select carbon offset projects. Through the Meeting Impact Report, these customers can utilize the South Pole online shop to choose from a range of carbon offset projects – verified by independent third-party organizations – that can be purchased as part of their event.

“Meetings and events are important business for Marriott. Our customers are eager to participate in sustainability efforts. Connect Responsibly expands ongoing initiatives and strengthens our efforts focused on sustainability in hospitality,” said Tammy Routh, Senior Vice President of Global Sales at Marriott International.

“We are excited to build on our sustainability reporting capabilities to provide our meetings and events customers with detailed Meeting Impact Reports and offer access to a select portfolio of verified carbon offset projects through our collaboration with the South Pole.”

This declaration is part of Marriott's efforts to minimise greenhouse gas emissions at its hotels and throughout the supply chain. As of April 2024, Marriott is the largest global hospitality company to have received approval from the Science Based Objectives project for both short-term and long-term science-based emissions reduction objectives (SBTs). To accelerate progress toward its SBTs, Marriott created its Climate Action Program (CAP), which includes property-specific carbon reduction goals and initiatives.