Singapore’s iconic Marina Bay Sands has become the first venue in Southeast Asia to be certified with the international sustainability standard ISO 20121, according to a company statement released on Wednesday.
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The integrated resort now offers an accredited venue capable of implementing a sustainable events management system that meets the international standard used by global events organisers that ran the London Olympics and the EU Presidency in Copenhagen.
With the ISO 20121 certification, the hotel company and event organisers will be able to run their entire events at the Marina Bay Sands while systematically ensuring environmental and social standards are met, from the reduction of carbon emissions to addressing employee motivation and retention.
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We hope that our efforts in environmental protection will inspire our clients, partners and stakeholders to adopt responsible environmental and social practices as well as drive the industry in that direction in the future
George Tanasijevich, President and CEO of Marina Bay Sands
MBS chief executive George Tanasijevich said achieving the ISO20121 certification would help the company to maintain its edge in the region’s growing MICE industry.
“We hope that our efforts in environmental protection will inspire our clients, partners and stakeholders to adopt responsible environmental and social practices as well as drive the industry in that direction in the future,” Tanasijevich added.
ISO 20121 is a voluntary international standards certification designed for the MICE industry to sustainably manage an entire event. It is created by the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO), the world’s largest developer of voluntary international standards.
This standard is the international version of the British Standard’s specifications developed in 2007 and implemented by the London Organising Committee for the London Olympic Games in 2012.
Chew Tiong Heng, Executive Director for Business Tourism Development at the Singapore Tourism Board also welcomed the announcement.
“We applaud Marina Bay Sands’ sustainability efforts and strongly encourage more MICE partners to integrate sustainability practices into their operations,” said Chew.
The company’s certification process, audited by independent certification body BSI, has been aided by its sustainability efforts based on the Sands ECO360° global strategy designed by its parent company in the United States, the Las Vegas Sands.
The company said its initiatives include energy and water efficiency in building management, waste recycling in its resort operations, and sustainability outreach programmes. It also offers sustainable event planning services, which assist planners meet their ‘green’ meetings goals through tracking of energy usage in specific areas, sustainably choosing food and beverage menu and providing a post-event sustainabilty report.
Wilfred Chan, BSI’s sustainability product manager at BSI Asia Pacific said the hotel group has shown that the significant aspects of running internal and external events are sustainable.
“Marina Bay Sands has consistently demonstrated its commitment to executing good sustainable business practices at its Sands Expo & Convention Centre’s operations. The achievement of ISO 20121 Sustainable Events Management System certification proves that sustainability is well embedded in its strategic business approach,” Chan commented.
In 2012, Marina Bay Sands building was awarded the Green Mark Gold Award by Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority. The Green Mark scheme is Singapore’s green building rating system. In 2013, it was the first venue outside the US, certified for sustainable meetings by the American Society for Testing and Materials standard, one of the oldest voluntary standards organisation based in the US.
