Social Responsibility
Palace Resorts invites Meetings & Incentive planners to be green savvy and incorporate the latest social responsibility practices into their meetings and incentive services. From recycling marathons to water conservation, the protection of turtle eggs, waste management and more, Palace Resorts is committed to preserving the environment and teaching others to do the same by implementing green practices into their businesses, conference services and ultimately their everyday lives. With social responsibility and environmental practices becoming more and more prevalent in today’s meetings and incentives industry, Palace Resorts has created Green Sustainable Events (GSE) to further promote these causes.
Why host a Green Sustainable Event? The advantages of these green events – where all aspects including venue, food service, transportation and materials are coordinated in order to reduce environmental impact – are, in fact, extremely beneficial to planners. Social responsibility is a global trend that is increasingly growing in market demand. GSE is a way to show, as well as teach, clients the importance of environmental care, not to mention that the energy and economic savings because of these types of events are tremendous.
As an industry leader in social responsibility hospitality initiatives, Palace Resorts is proud to be internationally recognized for continuous green efforts. Supported by the Palace Foundation, the standard for sustainable tourism has been raised by Palace Resort, as the company was the first new group member globally to join the EarthCheck Program - the environmental sustainability program that's raising the benchmark for certification. Through EarthCheck, Palace Resorts has implemented new systems to monitor, measure, and manage resort operational efficiencies, adhering to the highest of scientific standards for sustainable tourism, including eco-friendly approaches to operations, conservation measures and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Certifications
As a result of fulfilling all new EarthCheck policies, Palace Resorts has also successfully completed the certifications for MARTI, the Meso American Reef Tourism Initiative, which awards companies that protect the region's natural landscape through sustainable hotel operations. The company’s golf courses are also the first of Latin American properties to be awarded the Golf Environment Organization (GEO) Certification, which boasts esteemed recognition and endorsement of the United Nations and the World Wildlife Foundation, as a result of the green design, construction, studies of impact and environmental practices at our clubs and courses. Other certifications held by Palace Resorts include Calidad Ambiental Turistica.
ABOUT PALACE FOUNDATION:
Through our continued efforts and unwavering dedication to the land and people of Quintana Roo, Yucatán, Jalisco, Nayarit and Punta Cana, the Palace Foundation strives to enrich and enhance the lives of the people residing in areas where Palace Resorts properties exist, as well as supporting and initiating environmental causes and programs. To that effect, the Foundation has taken great strides to better the surrounding area through the creation of four committees, each dedicated to specific initiatives that contribute to the organization’s overall mission.
Social Welfare Committee – this committee is charged with assisting in the advancement of the surrounding societies by promoting the personal development and growth of all of its members. This includes psychological and legal assistance by partnering with professionals who specialize in psychiatric, substance abuse services, in addition to support and legal advice for women.
Environmental Committee - this committee’s mission is to educate guests and staff on the importance of environmental safety prevention practices and instill and integrate environmental policies into the corporate culture. The committee aims to balance the development of business with the environmental wealth in the area by enforcing the five “R”s of Environmental Education: Reduce, Reject, Reuse, Recycle and Respect
- Reduce – the amount of waste and trash generated
- Reject – the use of non-environmentally friendly products
- Reuse – maximize the use of products and objects before discarding them, using them for new and different purposes
- Recycle – creation and manufacturing of new products without the use of natural resources, but rather with already existing materials
- Respect – protect the environment and respect life in all forms
Health Committee – Palace Foundation’s health committee provides support to individuals with disorders and serious health problems that have put their lives at risk due to lack of financial resources. The services offered by this committee encompass treatment of life-threatening illnesses, physical rehabilitation, financial support for high risk surgeries and hospital expenses in case of emergencies.
The health committee is able to provide qualified individuals with financial support via donations from the general public, associates and corporate alliances.
Education Committee – The education committee strives to provide area youth in need with the tools necessary to complete their education and develop into individuals who can contribute to society. Through partnerships with area universities and educational institutions, the Palace Foundation education committee award scholarships and financial aid to those who face economic adversity.
