Visa Eco Benefits bring sustainability to every transaction

Visa, the digital payments provider, has launched Visa Eco Benefits in Asia Pacific. Eco Benefits is a suite of sustainability-focused solutions that will help Visa cardholders across the region better understand the environmental impact of their day-to-day payments. They can calculate the carbon footprint generated by their Visa transactions, and access options for carbon offsetting or charitable donations from their bank’s website or app.

Banks in Asia Pacific that sign up for Eco Benefits will be able to offer these solutions to their Visa cardholders and meet a growing demand for sustainable financial services. According to a new Visa/YouGov survey*, 66% of consumers in Asia Pacific expect their bank to offer ecofriendly payment solutions. Over half (52%) would switch banks in order to access a product or service that helps them understand the carbon footprint of their spending.

“The majority (78%) of people in Asia Pacific said they are more likely to make more environmentally friendly purchases if they’re able to see their carbon footprint and take steps to change their spending habits,” said Kunal Chatterjee, Country Manager for Singapore and Brunei.

“Our bank and fintech partners across the region can now add these sustainability features to existing Visa cards. Eco Benefits is another way that Visa is expanding our network beyond payment transactions to deliver more insights to our partners and their customers.”

The following solutions are included in Visa Eco Benefits:

Carbon footprint calculator: insights powered by Verrency for cardholders to understand the estimated carbon footprint generated by their purchases

Carbon offsets: cardholders can elect to offset their carbon footprint from a range of specially curated projects in areas such as forestry and clean energy

Charitable contributions: donations to environmental organisations can be triggered when Visa cards are used

Card materials: physical payment cards made from sustainable materials

Personalised education: cardholders can access personalised tips and education on sustainable consumption

“Consumer household expenditure - the products and services we purchase every day - is a major contributor of global greenhouse gas emissions**,” said Jeroen van Son, global CEO of Verrency. “That gives us as consumers a phenomenal opportunity to address climate change by offsetting the carbon footprint of our day-to-day behaviour and start to live a carbon neutral life. Up until now, customers did not have any convenient tools to take decisive action to offset their carbon footprint. Verrency’s Carbon Action Index changes that. From now on, consumers can choose to live a carbon neutral life, just by using their Visa card as they do today.”

Visa Eco Benefits is a continuation of Visa’s global aspiration to be a climate positive company, using its products, services, data, network and brand to drive sustainable commerce and support the transition to a low-carbon economy. In 2021, Visa announced a pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Paris Climate Agreement goal.

*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Singapore. Total sample size was 14,356 adults across 14 markets. Fieldwork was undertaken between 23 June – 5 July 2022. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all adults (aged 18+) nationally in each of the respective markets. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all adults (aged 18+) nationally in each of the respective markets. The survey was conducted in the following markets: Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia, mainland China, Indonesia, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Japan and Taiwan. 

**Columbia Climate School, How Buying Stuff Drives Climate Change, December 2020.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group sees nearly 70% cut in annual plastic footprint

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (MOHG) pledge to eliminate all single-use plastic (SUP) across its portfolio of luxury hotels by end-March 2021 has encountered a delay due to slower-than-expected utilisation of existing SUP supplies due to low business levels. The group said the pandemic has led to temporary hotel closures and low occupancies, thereby slowing the depletion of existing stocks of plastic products by up to 12 months in some markets.

Source: MOHG. We Care packages for guests feature reusable fabric masks that are plastic-free.

By the end of Q121, the group has achieved a nearly 70% reduction in its annual plastic footprint. Based on estimated plastic stock depletion timelines and supplier delivery commitments, it is expected that all hotels will eliminate SUP by the end of Q122, avoiding 930 tonnes of plastic waste each year.

SUP is being eliminated across all areas of the hotels, including rooms, spa, transport, restaurants and bars as well as in back-of-house areas not seen by guests, such as offices, colleague areas and kitchens. To help colleagues work through their efforts to eliminate SUP, the most common SUP items were identified across the three main operational departments: F&B, spas and rooms. Of these, six high-impact items accounted for 81% of the annual SUP waste generated:

- Garbage bags (294 tonnes per year)

- Water bottles (7.7 million bottles per year)

- Slippers (816,000 pairs per year)

- Vacuum bags for food (88 tonnes per year)

- Cling film (80 tonnes per year)

- Amenities - shampoo, conditioner and shower gel (4.9 million bottles per year)

The Group continues to focus on eliminating SUP where feasible. For example, We Care packages for guests include reusable fabric facemasks that are plastic-free, but made exceptions for toothbrush bristles and hygiene seals for F&B items such as beverages or candy jars. MOHG is also working with suppliers to reach its goals.

“Although our ambitious timeline to eliminate all single-use plastic from our premises by the end of March 2021 has been deferred by one year, largely as a consequence of the pandemic, we have made massive progress, with a majority of our hotels expected to reach the elimination goal by the end of July this year,” said James Riley, Group Chief Executive.

The Group will issue another progress update in Q421.

Priceless Planet Coalition expands

Mastercard has welcomed new global coalition partners to the Priceless Planet Coalition, as well as environmental experts to the newly-announced Advisory Committee.

New partners based in the Asia Pacific and Middle East (APME) include: Australia's Archa, Emirates NBD, Expo 2020 Dubai, Frank Green of Australia, UAE-headquartered payments solution provider Network International, and Australian fintech 1derful join existing coalition members from the US and UK. New partners HSBC and Scotiabank have a significant presence in APME, while another new partner, payment solutions provider EedenBull, has Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore.

Launched in January 2020, the Priceless Planet Coalition unites the efforts of consumers, financial institutions, merchants and cities to fight climate change through the restoration of 100 million trees over five years – together with climate science and forest restoration experts Conservation International (CI) and World Resources Institute (WRI). Coalition partners in multiple regions are launching campaigns to enlist consumers in environmental action and reforestation efforts with innovative donation technologies.

“Mastercard is committed to building a more inclusive and sustainable digital economy, where people, communities and the planet can thrive. Through the Priceless Planet Coalition, we are empowering our global network of partners and consumers – who share our commitment to being a force for good in the world – to unite in action and create exponential impact for the environment,” said Jorn Lambert, Chief Digital Officer, Mastercard.

“We continue to embed sustainability into the very fabric of our business – including our digital product strategy – as more consumers look to change their behaviour and make mindful spending choices that are better for the planet.”

A new Advisory Committee will support the development of the Priceless Planet Coalition’s work. Committee members will use the latest scientific research and data to ensure that the Priceless Planet Coalition makes the greatest positive impact on both the climate globally and on local communities.

Core to the Priceless Planet Coalition’s mission is empowering and inspiring consumers to take action against climate change. The Priceless Planet Coalition aims to reinforce a restoration model that’s not only focused on planting trees, but on regrowing forests in geographies with the greatest need and most potential for a positive climate, community and biodiversity impact. 

Guided by CI, WRI, and its new Advisory Committee, the Coalition plans to use rigorous science-based best practices to identify three restoration locations for 2021 in Kenya, Brazil and Australia. Beyond these initial projects, the project portfolio will be expanded to include other locations that meet established criteria.

Mastercard continues to develop environmentally-conscious solutions that enable more people to embrace a sustainable lifestyle through their spending choices:

- A collaboration with the Swedish fintech startup and new coalition partner Doconomy enables people to track, understand and take accountability of their environmental footprint through digital tools that set a new standard for purpose-driven payment solutions.

- For people interested in contributing to reforestation projects and other environmental causes, a Mastercard donation platform and soon-to-be-available mobile app enable direct donations to the reforestation partners of the Priceless Planet Coalition and round up everyday purchases.

- Mastercard also offers a widget, a web API that can facilitate banks and merchants to enable cardholder donations in diverse points of the consumer journey.

- Mastercard is also embedding the coalition into loyalty programmes run on behalf of issuers and merchants. For example, the company will enable cardholders to redeem reward points for trees through their gift catalogue and in real time through Mastercard Pay with Rewards.

- To enable issuers to offer cards made from more sustainable materials, Mastercard recently launched the Sustainable Materials Directory, encouraging wider adoption of certified eco-friendly solutions. Mastercard has approved 34 different sustainable card products to date, which have been issued by more than 60 financial institutions.

- Mastercard continues to target the reduction of first-use polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and to research alternative materials for cards, including recyclable, bio-sourced and biodegradable material in collaboration with leading vendors through its leadership of the Greener Payments Partnership (GPP).

Earlier this year, Mastercard was the first in the payments industry to receive approval from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for an updated emissions target, which aligns to a 1.5-degree Celsius climate trajectory. The company also joined RE100, formalising a commitment to continue using 100% renewable energy across all of its global operations.

Hashtag: #pricelessplanet

Six Senses joins Global Tourism Plastics Initiative

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has become one of the first signatories of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, led by the UN Environment Programme and UN World Tourism Organization, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

As a signatory of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, Six Senses furthers its commitment to eliminating, innovating and circulating its use of plastics by 2025, although the brand is on its way to being plastic-free in 2022.

According to Six Senses, sustainability is the only choice in a shared world of limited natural resources and fragile ecosystems. "It demands doing what is right rather than what is easy," the company said in a statement.

"This strategy is based on the life cycle assessment of plastics and understanding the impact these products have on the environment from fossil fuel extraction through to disposal. It’s an approach that focuses on upstream suppliers, seeking innovative solutions and promoting a de-plasticised lifestyle by providing more sustainable alternatives," the company said.

Under the Global Tourism Plastics initiative, Six Senses has pledged to:

- Eliminate remaining unnecessary plastic packaging from our rooms and bathrooms by 2022.

- Eliminate all unnecessary plastic packaging from service areas by 2022.

- Introduce more reusable solutions in kitchens to replace unnecessary plastic packaging (cling film and plastic packaging of fresh products) by 2022.

- Introduce reusable solutions in service areas (host shops) to replace single-use packaging by 2022.

- Source naturally compostable packing and other materials where appropriate.

- Work with suppliers to avoid plastic packaging, source plastic-free alternative products, and arrange packaging take-back programs wherever possible.

- Work with other hotels and industry partners to share best practices, supplier recommendations, and other information to help the industry move away from plastic.

- Sort all waste materials, upcycling or composting when possible on site, sending to offsite recycling where available - all with the aim of zero waste to landfill.

Six Senses is already committed to:

- Eliminating all plastics from its operations by the year 2022, with priority on single-use plastics and going beyond that to remove 100% virgin plastic sourcing.

- Zero waste to landfills as a general goal for all Six Senses resorts.

- Continuing its policy of no single-use shampoo and amenity bottles, plastic water bottles and plastic straws.

“The travel industry is growing at a rapid rate on a planet that has limited natural resources. That means all hospitality leaders have a responsibility to stand up and be accountable for making a sustainable difference and achieving measurable results. Our health and wellness ethos is around making our guests feel better inside and out, so it makes sense for our social and environmental policies to make them feel good about their choice of vacation and their impact on the ecosystems around them too,” said Neil Jacobs, CEO, Six Sense Hotels Resorts Spas.

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas manages 15 hotels and resorts and 28 spas in 20 countries under the brand names Six Senses, Evason and Six Senses Spas, and has signed a further 27 properties into the development pipeline. Six Senses is part of the IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) family.

*As of June 2020

The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative is developed by the Sustainable Tourism Programme of the One Planet network, a multi-stakeholder partnership to implement SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production. The Global Tourism Plastic Initiative acts as the tourism interface of the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment.

Source: Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas. A plastic-free
table setting with a glass water bottle and two glasses.

The initiative unites more than 450 businesses, governments, and other organisations behind a common vision and targets to address plastic waste and pollution at its source. To realise this vision, tourism companies and destinations commit to eliminate the plastic items they don’t need; innovate so all plastics they do need are designed to be safely reused, recycled, or composted; and circulate everything they use to keep it in the economy and out of the environment.

By taking serious action in a coordinated and determined manner on plastic pollution, the tourism sector can help preserve and protect the places and wildlife that make destinations worth visiting.

Dine sustainably at Avani properties in Indochina

Source: Avani. Plant-based coconut acai bowls at Avani+ Samui Resort.

With an eye on a greener future and a more sustainable outlook, Avani Hotels has rolled out a series of initiatives focusing on sustenance and wellness.

Signature Avani properties in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos are stepping up their commitment to support local communities by highlighting the region’s speciality produce and the need to rely less on imports. They have also adopted zero-waste initiatives, including plans for on-site composting systems to process all organic waste, and an organic garden to promote self-sufficiency.

Avani Pattaya Resort

Avani Pattaya Resort has pioneered the first hydroponic farm in the this coastal town of Thailand. The farm supplies 40% of Avani Pattaya’s daily supply of fresh ingredients, with the rest going to the Pattaya community. Today, the farm nurtures over 22,000 plants including a wide range of salads and greens such as microgreens, red oak, green oak, cos, rocket, Swiss chard and Chinese kale.

The farm recently adopted free-roaming chickens that supply fresh eggs for breakfast every day.

The team at Avani Pattaya have started efforts to phase out single-use plastic and have doubled down on sustainability initiatives by adding a compost site to reduce landfill waste. They are also replacing single-use plastic bottles with refillable sealed containers for bathroom amenities.

A tour of the farm gives guests an insight into sourcing farm-to-table organic produce that forms the basis of local cuisine. Aspiring chefs can then join a cooking class and whip up a delicious meal to enjoy, or learn how to start their own hydroponic farm at home.

Avani+ Hua Hin Resort

Avani+ Hua Hin Hotel’s commitment to locally sourced produce now extends to 90% of the ingredients used in the resort’s restaurants. The resort aims to support the local economy and reduce its carbon footprint by working closely with Thai farmers and suppliers to source fresh, locally-grown ingredients.

Avani+ Hua Hin Resort has also partnered with local businesses in Thailand who run ethical and fully sustainable operations. These include a free-range chicken farm supplying organic eggs in biodegradable packaging; artisanal product manufacturers who use no artificial colours or flavourings; and a boutique organic vegetable farm supplying fresh herbs.

Avani+ Samui Resort

Over on the Thai island of Koh Samui, Avani+ Samui Resort invites guests to the new wellness-centric KoKo plant-based café. Designed to improve personal wellness, KoKo offers a sustainable dining experience by reducing animal product consumption.

From healthy lunch bowls and mix-your-own salads to plant-based protein burgers and gluten-free and vegan cakes, KoKo maintains a fully-sustainable supply chain. KoKo chefs use only plant-based ingredients, many from the property’s garden and a nearby coconut plantation, resulting in locally-sourced dishes such as its cocoa bowl and beetroot sandwich.

FCC Angkor by Avani

FCC Angkor’s Scribe Bar in Cambodia has introduced zero-waste cocktails where ingredients are reused, recycled and upcycled to minimise waste. For example, the Colonial Fare cocktail features locally-sourced pineapples as its main ingredient. The fruit is juiced for the cocktail, while the pulp is dried to be used as a garnish or as part of another cocktail.

All organic waste is converted into compost and then used as fertiliser for the hotel’s garden, which grows plants for the restaurant and bar such as lemongrass, pandan and krasang teap (a key ingredient in beef lok lak, Cambodia’s national dish, served at the property’s Mansion restaurant).

Avani+ Luang Prabang

Overlooking a Buddhist temple dating back to 1548, the new rooftop garden at Avani+ Luang Prabang Hotel in Laos boasts some of the best views of the UNESCO Heritage town. Growing on its 140 sq m rooftop is a selection of organic fruit and vegetables such as banana, papaya, cherry tomatoes and cabbage; as well as herbs including coriander and chilli.

The idea for the garden was inspired by Head Chef Waran’s childhood memories of his mother picking fresh vegetables for daily family meals. Guests are invited to learn how to plant and grow different types of produce, as well as master the basics of Laotian cuisine.

Avani welcomes guests to over 30 properties, including in Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, and the UAE. Avani Hotels are designed for the Millennial-minded traveller whose priorities are style, value and comfort. Its upbeat, contemporary hotel concept has a focus on good sleep, designed social spaces, locally-inspired sustenance and friendly service.

Avani is a member of the DISCOVERY loyalty programme and is part of the global hospitality group Minor Hotels.

Hashtag: #AvaniHotels.

Sustainability comes to the fore for beauty industry

"Beauty manufacturers, companies, and brands must shift to a whole new paradigm when approaching zero waste and sustainability, focussing on every aspect of the supply chain."

This is the message from Mintel, the market intelligence agency. the company said Sub-Zero Waste is the trend set to impact global beauty and personal care markets in the coming years.

The zero waste philosophy is gaining momentum as more and more consumers are affected by natural disasters and dwindling natural water resources. Better informed consumers will no longer tolerate egregious waste like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a direct consequence of years of indiscriminate abuse of single-use plastics. Moving forward, focussing efforts on reducing packaging is not enough; there is far greater potential for ‘out-of-the-box' thinking from manufacturers and brands at every stage of the beauty supply chain.

Over the next five years, the focus on sustainability will reach new heights around the world as environmentally conscious consumers look for ways to reduce waste in all aspects of their lives, including their beauty and personal care routines. Brands that purposely create limited shelf life products or encourage overconsumption run the risk of consumer backlash. Consumers will demand that brands be more environmentally responsible and take accountability for their actions, Mintek said.

Sharon Kwek, Senior Innovation and Insights Analyst, Mintel Beauty and Personal Care said, “‘Sub-Zero Waste' is not just a trend; it's a movement towards a ground-shaking new archetype for the beauty and personal care industry. Some companies are already discussing completely removing packaging from the equation.

"Whether reducing or eliminating waste altogether, if brands don't change their approach now, they will become insignificant. Brands that place current profits ahead of making the necessary investment in zero waste and sustainability will not be around in the future.

"We’re seeing that some indie brands have the upper hand with regard to sustainable beauty as they have built their business practices around ethics and environmentally friendly practices. Larger brands must adopt new practices in order to catch up with these smaller, more nimble competitors.

"Consumers today are paying a lot more attention to their impact on the planet and climate change calls are more drastic than ever before. A bigger-picture focus is needed throughout the beauty and personal care industry supply chain for a true zero waste mentality."

Identify the greenest hotels in the world with GreenHotelWorld

Source: GreenHotelWorld website.

Through a recent partnership with TripAdvisor, GreenHotelWorld has integrated green hotels included in the TripAdvisor GreenLeaders Program to claim the largest collection of certified, verified green hotels on one hotel platform.

GreenHotelWorld filters more than 8,000 green hotels worldwide based on their certified and verified green practices. GreenHotelWorld has systemised the standards introduced by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) to determine its green practices categorisation. The GSTC serves as the international body for establishing and managing standards for sustainable tourism and is recognised as the accreditation body for green hotel certification labels.

“There are many green hotel certification labels with different focus, quality and credibility out there,” said Robert Boer, founder of GreenHotelWorld. “Our Green Rating algorithm helps.. to search and filter through these labels and select hotels based on their certified and verified green practices.”

In addition, the platform proposes 124,000+ low cost guarantee non-green hotels that are rendered carbon neutral for travellers through a free integrated service that offsets CO2 emissions created by hotel stays*. GreenHotelWorld commits to offsetting 26.6kg of C02 emissions for overnight hotel stays.

GreenHotelWorld has partnered with myclimate, one of the world’s leading providers of voluntary carbon offsetting measures, to calculate and offset the CO2 emissions of user bookings. “At the end of each year, myclimate will audit our bookings and determine if we have compensated sufficiently based on our estimated average of 26.6 kg per overnight stay,” said Boer. “We are really happy with the projects myclimate has selected for us in India, Kenya and Nicaragua because they combine CO2 offset with poverty alleviation.”

At GreenHotelWorld.com, companies can filter search results by a hotel’s verified green practices such as the protection of the environment, social responsibility, support for local economy and/or preservation of cultural heritage. Free CSR reporting for businesses is provided along with customised pages online for special events and conferences for attendees, in which carbon neutral hotels are proposed and tracked for CSR reporting.

“We aim to educate and empower our customers to be part of the transition to a sustainable economic model. Why should the consumer pay to offset the carbon emissions of a service sold to them by a travel company?” said Willem Blom, co-founder and Head, Business Development and Partnerships, GreenHotelWorld.

“Our goal is to make green travelling the new status quo and that next to location, price and availability, the hotel’s green practices become as important,” added Jonas Casanova, who leads the technology team at GreenHotelWorld. “We want to appeal to all eco-conscious business and private travellers in the world to become our ambassadors, fans, followers and customers to make this green impact together.”

*One overnight hotel stay produces an estimated 20.6kg of CO2 emissions in “non-green” hotels. This is called a CO2 footprint (United Nations World Tourism Organization).