Marriott International is redoubling its commitment to sustainable development through the launch of the “Responsibly Connected” program. The new measure is aimed at planners looking to reduce the environmental footprint of their events. It will provide planners with detailed reports tracking the carbon and water impacts of their activities.
Connect Responsively will be available globally in late October across the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio, including managed and franchised hotels. At the heart of the program is Meeting Impact Reporting, a tool that Marriott is positioning as a game-changer for event sustainability reporting.
Following the event, reports document the specific hotel sustainability practices implemented for the event. This includes activity carbon and water footprints derived using the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) methodology. Depending on the location of the event, reports will be available in 11 languages.
Erika Alexander, chief executive of global operations for Marriott International, emphasized the growing importance of environmentally friendly meeting solutions. “We are providing our meetings and events customers with options to better understand the impact of their meetings, as we work together to create a more resilient future for travel.”
Marriott’s sustainability goals
The push for the program didn’t happen in a vacuum. Marriott Hotels is seeing growing demand from corporate clients looking to align its activities with broader sustainability goals. Research from the global pilot program has informed the development of Connect Responsibly and shows that sustainability of events is becoming a must-have.
The plan also includes a partnership with carbon offset developer South Pole. To mitigate the environmental impact of their activities, planners can select proven carbon offset projects directly from the Antarctic platform. Tammy Routh, Marriott’s senior vice president of global sales, noted that the company’s customers are “eager to participate in sustainability efforts.”
Marriott’s “Serve 360” initiative underscores its responsibility to be a force for good. As part of the initiative, the company shared its 2025 sustainability and social impact goals. In April, Marriott International received approval for near- and long-term emissions reduction targets from the Science-Based Targets initiative.
