Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group(MOHG) has pledged to expand its responsible procurement efforts to cover the key priority categories of seafood, coffee, tea, vanilla, cocoa and cage-free eggs.
In 2012, the Group was among the first luxury hospitality organisations to ban shark’s fin from its menus. Mandarin Oriental has since continued to expand global responsible commitments, with formal policies, strategy and processes now serving as the foundation for efforts to purchase more sustainably and ethically.
The Group works closely with suppliers to identify and purchase best available options that are of high quality and produced with respect to human and labour rights and consideration for the environment. New targets for all Mandarin Oriental-operated outlets include:
- By the end of 2022, 100% compliance with MOHG ‘Avoid List’ of endangered seafood species
- By the end of 2022, 100% responsibly sourced coffee, tea, vanilla and cocoa
- By the end of 2023, 100% cage-free eggs (shelled and liquid)
To ensure that progress is measured and reported in a transparent and robust manner, each hotel’s responsible procurement status will be independently verified by the internationally recognised third-party assessor, LRQA.
The Group partners with industry peers and leading NGOs in advancing sourcing practices and expanded its ‘Avoid List’ of endangered seafood from 8 to 19 seafood types this year, covering all at-risk seafood types identified by the latestWWF’s Endangered Seafood Guide. This expansion of commitment reflects stepping away from serving a number of ‘luxury’ seafood items, including bluefin tuna, caviar and abalone, unless they can be certified to the robust standards of the Marine Stewardship Council or Aquaculture Stewardship Council.
The efforts of the Group’s restaurants toward responsible procurement have not gone unnoticed. Amber at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, received a Green Star in the 2022 Michelin Guide, in addition to its two Michelin Stars. This award was in recognition of the restaurant’s industry-leading sustainable practices, including a dairy-free and less meat-centric menu, and the use of local organic produce, sustainably harvested seafood and responsibly sourced agricultural commodities.
“We live in a time where the need for action against the climate crisis and for addressing sustainable development challenges has never been more pressing. As an award-winning global luxury hospitality group, we are committed to delivering hospitality excellence in a manner that is Naturally Better for our Planet, Guests, Colleagues and Communities.” said James Riley, Group Chief Executive. “As we grow our portfolio of hotels and residences, we will continue to strengthen our responsible procurement programme as part of our commitment to operate sustainably over the long term.” he added.
Progress on the Group’s global initiatives are regular communicated, including through the company’s Sustainability Reports, and are supported by the dedication of Mandarin Oriental’s 10,000+ colleagues who continue to identify impactful ways to respond to local community and environmental needs. The next Sustainability Report will be published in Spring 2022.