Kempinski Hotels has marked a major milestone in its commitment to sustainability with the launch of Responsible Meetings & Events by Kempinski, a groundbreaking initiative designed to empower event planners to reduce the environmental impact of their gatherings. Developed in collaboration with EarthCheck, the global leader in sustainability benchmarking for the hospitality and tourism industry, this program offers event organisers practical tools to meet increasing regulatory demands and rising expectations for environmentally responsible events.
At the core of this initiative are two key tools: VenueCheck and EventCalculator. VenueCheck is a management system that provides planners with a sustainability checklist tailored to their event spaces, ensuring that every aspect of an event is as eco-friendly as possible. EventCalculator goes a step further by accurately estimating an event’s total carbon footprint-factoring in everything from energy consumption and water use to transportation and accommodation emissions.
Barbara Muckermann, CEO of Kempinski Group, is excited about the program’s potential to transform the industry: “We are proud to work with EarthCheck, our long-term sustainability partner, to launch Responsible Meetings & Events by Kempinski across our collection of iconic hotels. By offering event planners the tools to calculate the environmental impact of their events, we are empowering them to make a positive difference.”
With Kempinski as EarthCheck’s global launch partner, the luxury hotel brand has early access to these sustainability tools, allowing them to provide valuable input into their development. This partnership cements Kempinski’s leadership role in shaping a greener future for the hospitality industry, in line with the ambitious goals laid out in the company’s Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Report 2023.
EarthCheck CEO, Stewart Moore highlighted the importance of this collaboration, especially given the growing regulatory pressure in Europe and the US. “VenueCheck allows all stakeholders-venues, planners, and delegates-to be mindful of their environmental impact and respond accordingly. In today’s world, people expect their events to be sustainable, and our tools help clients not only meet but exceed these expectations.”
VenueCheck offers hotels a verified framework to assess and improve their sustainability practices. To participate, hotels must already hold EarthCheck certification, a standard that 43 Kempinski properties have achieved to date, with more in the pipeline. EventCalculator further supports planners by providing data-driven insights, breaking down an event’s carbon footprint into actionable categories such as energy, waste, transportation, and food consumption.
The tools adhere to international standards like ISO 20121 for Event Sustainability Management, ensuring that Kempinski’s clients are not only compliant with best practices but also positioned as leaders in sustainable event management. Verified hotels can proudly display EarthCheck’s Responsible Venue and Responsible Event logos, signalling their commitment to eco-friendly operations.
Currently, 18 Kempinski hotels have achieved VenueCheck verification, with 12 more in progress. Kempinski aims to enrol all EarthCheck-certified properties into the program by 2025, further solidifying its dedication to a sustainable future.
As the meetings and events industry continues to evolve, Kempinski and EarthCheck’s collaboration sets a new benchmark for what it means to plan and execute environmentally responsible events-meeting the growing demand for sustainability with innovation, leadership, and tangible results.
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