Las Vegas Sands

Sands ECO360 Meetings program is part of Sands’ overall sustainability program

Las Vegas Sands Corp., the world’s premier developer and operator of integrated resort destinations, continues to set the industry standard in developing sustainable business practices with a significant expansion of its custom Sands ECO360 Meetings program. New offerings include “Green Meeting Concierges” to guide the entire sustainable meeting planning process, “Sands ECO360 Event Impact Statement” — a report to track a meeting’s sustainability performance, and the option to add community engagement events to the meeting experience.

The Sands ECO360 Meetings program was created specifically to help Las Vegas Sands’ meeting and convention customers fully leverage the company’s award-winning investment in sustainable building and business practices. Meeting organizers interested in hosting a “green” event now have the option of working with one of Sands’ Green Meeting Concierges, trained and dedicated professionals who will seamlessly integrate Sands’ standard sustainability practices into meeting events for the minimum environmental impact. Sands’ Green Meeting Concierges also use the new Sands ECO360 Event Planning Tool to work closely with clients to customize their programs, often innovating and implementing new practices to help them meet individual sustainability goals. 

Another new option is the “Sands ECO360 Event Impact Statement,” which clients can request for their event. The report details performance against a myriad of sustainability metrics, including a carbon footprint calculation, utility consumption, recycling and waste diversion, sustainable food and community benefit.

“Our clients have a growing interest in conducting business in an environmentally responsible way, and they are asking us for more solutions to help them minimize impact on natural resources,” said John Mims, senior vice president of worldwide sales and resort marketing at Las Vegas Sands Corp. “The Sands ECO360 Meetings program continues to provide Sands’ best-in-class environmental practices, but we are now delivering more customization to meet our clients’ individual goals.”

Launched in September 2011, the Sands ECO360 Meetings program is part of Sands’ overall sustainability program, the Sands Eco 360 Global Sustainable program, introduced in March 2010. The program integrates Las Vegas Sands Corp.’s best practices, technologies and methodologies in the area of sustainability across all properties. Sands ECO360 Meetings program comprises three key focus areas: high-performance facility, standard sustainable meeting practices and green meeting options. Many of Sands’ facilities have received third-party environmental certifications, providing a foundation for a successful green meetings program. Further, all meeting clients benefit from Sands’ standard sustainable meeting practices, which are fully integrated into operations and include resource conservation procedures (e.g. equipment and lighting shut down in unoccupied spaces), paper reduction programs, waste diversion, indoor air quality management, and responsible purchasing. The customizable program offers additional options to clients, including serving sustainable food and using sustainable decorations, the ECO360 Event Impact Statement and community volunteering programs. The Sands ECO360 Meetings program has been implemented in Las Vegas Sands’ global properties in the United States, Singapore and Macao, and the meeting customers will receive consistent services worldwide. 

“Sustainable practices are an unquestioned business trend, yet they represent great complexity for many organizations,” said Michael Luehrs, president of the Green Meeting Industry Council and a sustainable business advisor for MeetGreen. ”The team behind the Sands ECO360 Meetings program is an exemplary example of leadership from which the hotel and meetings industry can directly benefit. Innovative, creative, persistent and inspired, the comprehensive and easy-to-use tools and resources they have developed save event planners valuable time and energy. Their clear commitment to customer service is evident in their exuberance and an on-going investment in staff training that has resulted in a deep expertise that is virtually unparalleled in the hospitality sector.”