MOHG works with suppliers who do no harm to the environment and adhere to human and labour rights in farming or fishing. Photo Credit: gettyimages/x-reflexnaja
It’s not just shark’s fin that Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (MOHG)
is making a stand against. The list of banned seafood on its food and
beverage and catering menus now include other premium ingredients such
as bluefin tuna, caviar and abalone.
Love it or hate it, the new luxury in dining is to do no harm to the
planet. And there will be planners and delegates nodding their firm
approvals. MICE planners who are catering to corporate sustainability
agendas and the diverse personal preferences of delegates welcome such a
move as they continue to align themselves with suppliers and vendors
that fly the sustainability flag.
MOHG works closely with its suppliers to select ingredients that
have been produced in conditions that align with human and labour rights
and have not caused harm to the environment. Its list of endangered
seafood to avoid has increased from 8 to 19 this year, and only seafood
that has been certified to the robust standards of the Marine
Stewardship Council or Aquaculture Stewardship Council will be exempted.
Other food categories that will be responsibly sourced are coffee,
tea, vanilla, cocoa and cage-free eggs. MOHG aims to achieve 100%
compliance by end-2023 for cage-free eggs and end-2022 for the other
categories.
“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,” said James Riley,
Group Chief Executive, MOHG.
The
group’s efforts have resonated with Michelin-star restaurants such as
Amber, located at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. The
restaurant received a Green Star in the 2022 Michelin Guide, in addition
to its two Michelin Stars, as recognition of its industry-leading
sustainable practices.
MOHG maintains transparency in its global initiatives with the
publication of regular sustainability reports, with the next one due in
the Spring of 2022. The group’s progress will be verified by the
internationally recognised third-party assessor, LRQA.