Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metekhi Palace

“Beyond my personal passion and recognition that I’m a temporary resident on this beautiful planet,” he said, “I have a personal responsibility to try and care for the planet for travel and tourism in particular.” Anthony Capuano, President and Chief Executive Officer

Environmental Responsibility

The company aims to achieve the 2050 goal of a Net Zero Carbon footprint. They have taken their benchmark KPI from 2016 as the base to measure the effectiveness of the actions they are taking and have set themselves shorter-term goals to achieve by 2025: reduce energy consumption by 50%, reduce water consumption by 30%, and reduce solid waste by 30%. Charging stations for electric cars have been installed in the parking lot, and photovoltaic panels have been installed on the roof, which save up to 2.5% of annual energy consumption.

Energy savings are achieved by introducing new technologies: LED lighting, solar panels, and AC and heating automation. The hotel pays a lot of attention to solid waste management, partnering with companies for the collection and recycling of plastic, glass, paper, and hazardous materials. The hotel has a Green Committee that communicates its initiatives internally and supports them. 

Responsibility Towards Employees 

The company provides associates with a wide array of tools and training on physical and mental well-being, which are exclusively available to Marriott International and tailored to meet various needs. They offer associates access to fitness centers, organize special recognition events, and celebrate their successes. The company also has a disaster relief fund to support associates in need. 

The company conducts an annual Associate Engagement anonymous survey, inviting associates to share their opinions on the business, how they feel about it, how they evaluate their benefits and responsibilities, and their leadership. 

The hotel's Diversity and Inclusion goals aim to achieve a healthy balance of male and female associates. They work closely with local organizations and some UN entities in the country to offer employment for refugees. 

Responsibility in the Marketplace 

Company policies are available for guests, customers, and clients, and are published on the website.  The company  conducts annual mystery audits to ensure that standards and policies are properly implemented in the hotel. The results are shared with management and headquarters, and corrective actions are advised if needed. 

The hotel is fully compliant with US regulations for serving guests with disabilities, offering three rooms specifically designed for wheelchair users. 

Hotel suppliers are selected after rigorous evaluations of their social responsibility, fair trade practices, and environmentally friendly products. This includes all cleaning chemicals, linens, toiletries, etc. The company aims to work mostly with local farmers for food supply, although this is not always possible.

Sheraton runs ongoing customer surveys to collect feedback from guests about their experiences, needs, and observations while at the hotel; claims or issues are escalated to headquarters if they cannot be resolved on-site. 

 Supporting Communities:

One of the company’s core values is to serve the communities where they operate. This involves engaging associates to support the most vulnerable, making efforts to clean up the local environment, and participating in blood donation campaigns twice a year.

The company has a management system called "Just Report It" that facilitates communication with community organizations. This system allows hotels to report activities in the following categories:

1. SERVE 360: Supporting the vulnerable, acting with integrity, promoting sustainability, nurturing and developing talent, and supporting youth.
2. Culture: Reporting events and actions that involve associates and the company’s culture of respect for all, including training on diversity, human trafficking, and other important topics.

Government Affairs: Networking with various government institutions to promote tourism in the destination and providing feedback on legislation.