MAKKAH – Movenpick Hotel and Residences Hajar Tower Makkah has won the Green Globe certificate for the third year consecutively. This internationally recognized certificate is awarded to tourism and hotel sector companies for environmental sustainability criteria and corporate social responsibility. It is awarded for the degree of interaction of companies with their social surroundings through training and development programs from the perspective of corporate social responsibility and boosting the positive image of environmental friendly companies. Tamer Fahmi, engineering administration manager, highlighted the big role played by modern engineering technology by converting a company from a facility that consumes energy without real awareness to an environmental friendly company by all standards. The world's attention today is directed toward the responsibility that lies on individuals and companies in order to protect the Earth and secure a healthy and safe future for “our children and grandchildren”. This can be achieved by adopting sustainability strategies and implementing them in all sectors. Despite the high cost of environment friendly materials and equipment, which for the first instance appear to be a risk for companies, they achieve high percentages of savings in the long run (term?). In an example for this, Movenpick Hotel Makkah replaced 50 watt halogen bulbs by 5 watt LED bulbs. This decreased the percentage of energy consumption and achieved a long term decrease in costs. The hotel also implemented many strategies for achieving a 10 percent daily decrease in water, electricity and chemicals consumption. This is apart from the awareness signboards that were distributed in different places in the hotel in order to contribute to upgrading public awareness on the environment. The hotel management is keen that all the hotel utilities are environment friendly by implementing the bases for environmental sustainability and disseminating actual awareness among the employees and guests. An example for this is the celebration of the Earth Clock by the hotel and its guests. All the lights were switched off and candles were lighted in the hotel's hall. All these efforts and strategies have boosted creating an environmental friendly hotel. Meanwhile, Adel Irfan, general manager of Movenpick Hotel Makkah, expressed pride about the continued success and achieving tangible development through implementing effective strategies towards an environment friendly hotel that carries out an important role in developing and serving the society. He said the Movenpick chain of hotels worldwide follows long term policies aiming at leading the hotels in sustainability programs towards a better tomorrow. The management strives to secure a healthy and catalyzing environment from all aspects. It also strives to develop today's children for a better future by disseminating awareness and activating training and development programs. Movenpick Hotel Makkah is of special importance as it is located in the capital of the Muslim world, Makkah. It receives the Guests of Allah from all parts of the world throughout the year. It strives to provide the best services that meet the visitors' standards and provides them a healthy and comfortable environment that helps them perform their rites and acts of worship. Irfan said his management is striving to focus on developing the efforts being exerted in sustainability projects and boosting the corporate social responsibility programs to serve the Makkan community. It is also striving to increase Saudization of jobs and providing job opportunities to the promising young men and women of Makkah so as to achieve the goals of sustainability and growth of the society.
