Corporate Social Responsibility at the 2008 World Education Congress

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the recognition that an organization is inextricably intertwined with society and the earth and must take responsibility for its actions in regard to the “triple bottom line” of people, planet, and profit. As a global community of 24,000 members and an industry leader, MPI recognizes that we, and our industry, have a huge opportunity and responsibility to help our communities throughout the globe understand and implement CSR practices.

Below are just a few ways that MPI and our partners are making a big difference at WEC.

Energy Reduction

• The buses used for the shuttle transportation to the Opening Reception at WEC feature high efficiency engines, special exhaust filters and low sulfur to reduce CO2 emissions.  They also use bio-diesel fuel.
  
  
• Many exhibitors selected to use a connection spot rather than their own booth during the trade show.  This eliminated the shipping of their booth which in turned saved on the emissions and energy that would have been used in the shipping process.
  
  
• Linen reuse program in both Mandalay Bay and THEhotel.
  
  
• In guest rooms at Mandalay Bay, Housekeeping closes drapes and sets A/C to 72 degrees after cleaning the room to help conserve energy.
  
  
• At Mandalay Bay, over 70,000 incandescent light bulbs have been replaced with compact fluorescent light bulbs.  There has been a reduction of 4% in electricity usage over last year.
  
  
• Lighting in the Exhibit Halls in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center is reduced to emergency lighting only when the halls are not in use.  During load-in, the lighting level will be turned on to 50%, increased to 100% during show hours and reduced back to 50% for load-out.
  

Minimize Waste

• Water coolers will be placed throughout the convention center so attendees can refill their re-usable water bottles.  This eliminates the extra waste of using individual single serve water bottles.
  
  
• No Styrofoam (polystyrene #6 plastic) will be used at WEC food/beverage functions.
  
  
• Juice, ice tea, coffee and water will be served in pitchers or large containers rather than in individual containers.
  
  
• Banquet department will not pre-set any beverages at Food & Beverage functions.
  
  
• China service or biodegradable disposable service ware will be used rather than paper or plastic service ware.
  
  
• Condiments will be served in bulk containers when possible to eliminate wasteful packaging.
  
  
• Cloth napkins will be used at food & beverage functions whenever possible.  Any paper napkins used will be made of post-consumer recycled paper.
  
  
• At Mandalay Bay, all scraps and left over food from food/beverage functions is sent to a composting center.
  
  
• Any untouched food is donated to the Mandalay Bay Employee Dining Room.
  
  
• Any extra or donated registration bags will be donated to a Las Vegas charity after WEC.
  
  
• The plastic name badge holders will be collected at the end of WEC and recycled.
  
  
• The number of items in the registration bag has been limited to five to reduce the amount of wasted materials.
  
  
• At Mandalay Bay, phone books are now on request and are not placed in guest rooms.
  
  
• Digital Signage will be used when possible to reduce the use of paper and cardboard.
  
  
• Mandalay Bay uses eBilling for convention groups which has drastically reduced paper usage.
  
  
• Internal paperwork at Mandalay Bay is shredded and used as packing filler in the Business Center.
  
  
• In accordance with MPI’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility and in effort to reduce paper consumption at WEC, MPI will offer only one print station at WEC, which will be located in the Global Village.  The print-on-demand feature of the print station allows attendees to access and print session handouts at their convenience.
  
  
• 100% Post consumer recycled paper will be used at the Print Station and in MPI onsite offices that have printers.
  
  
• Mandalay Bay recycles torn and worn guest room linen, by making housekeeping and EVS cleaning rags out of it.
  
  
• Mandalay Bay features motion-sensitive water-saving faucets in over 80% of their restrooms.
  
  
• Mandalay Bay features a large back dock recycling center.  All recyclables’ are sorted on the docks – from the convention center, guest rooms and casino.  The total yearly average of commodities that Mandalay Bay recycles would be about 3,048 tons or 122 Semi-trucks @ 50,000 lbs per truck.  If the trucks were end to end on Las Vegas Boulevard they would begin at Mandalay Bay and end at Planet Hollywood (approx. 1.6 miles).
  
  
• The WEC exhibitor service kit was available online only, significantly reducing paper waste.
  
  
• At WEC, donation bins will be placed on the trade show floor at end of event for exhibitors to donate extra exhibitor giveaways rather than throw them away.  The items will be donated to a local Las Vegas charity.
  
  
• WEC exhibitors were discouraged from bringing printed handouts.  They were encouraged to bring other types of giveaways especially items that were more eco-friendly or could be donated at the end of the trade show.  Exhibitors were also encouraged to use Logon and lead retrieval to send virtual brochures.
  
  
• Freeman has created a unique manufacturing partnership resulting in the recycling of over 12,000 yards of aisle carpet for WEC.  This very successful innovative industry program recycles used carpet into drainage pipe for septic systems, dramatically reducing land-fill waste.  This carpet is not only “recyclable”, but actually is recycled in quantities that have a true impact. 
  
  
• Freeman uses modular structural systems made of recycled aluminum, which can then be recycled and extruded back into new components after use.  The volume of aluminum that is recycled into new components has increased dramatically at WEC due to “connection spot” concept.
  

Environmentally Responsible Purchasing

• At food functions during WEC, when plastic service ware must be used, we will be using biodegradable disposable service ware.  The cutlery is called Spudware and is made from 80% vegetable starch and 20% soy or other vegetable oils.  It is high-heat tolerant, biodegradable and compostable.  The cups and plates are made from sugar cane, high-heat tolerant, biodegradable and compostable.
  
  
• Mandalay Bay Convention Center only uses Boyd coffee, which is 100% sustainable, organic and certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
  
  
• Mandalay Bay banquet menus now feature sustainable menus and sustainable items on the menu marked with an icon.  Currently 80% or more food is sourced within 500 miles.
  
  
• WEC attendees will receive re-usable water bottles to use during the conference.  The water bottles are 100% free of bisphenol-A (BPA).
  
  
• The plastic badge holders used at WEC are a thinner version which uses less plastic.
  
  
• The name badge stock used for WEC name badges is all recycled paper.
  
  
• The WEC registration bags are made from 100% recycled polypropylene and can be re-used after the event.
  
  
• MPI staff uniform shirts are made from an innovative cotton/bamboo blend – bamboo naturally adds softness and breathability.
  
  
• All paper bathroom supplies in the convention center will be minimum 35% post-consumer recycled content paper.
  
  
• If paper napkins are required for any WEC food/beverage events they will be made from 35% post-consumer recycled content paper.
  
  
• The Onsite Daily paper is printed on paper that contains 10% post-consumer recycled content and the ink is soy-based.  The printer is Forest Stewardship Council-certified.
  
  
• The conference guide is printed on paper harvested through sustainable forestry practices with 10% post-recycled domestic stock, the ink is 100% plant-based with no petroleum (mostly soy oil and a little linseed oil) and features a water-based aqueous coating on the cover.
  
  
• During the trade show, booths will have a cardboard-style wastebasket made of recycled natural products, instead of plastic wastebaskets.
  
  
• Back-of-house flooring in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center has been replaced with a 100% sustainable natural rubber product from the Hevea tree, which is not harmed and continues to grow.
  
  
• The carpet and wood floor cleaners used at Mandalay Bay are Green Seal certified.  Also all CO2 aerosol products used at the resort are being converted to non-aerosol and 30% of their kitchen and bathroom cleaning supplies are green seal approved.
  
  
• The carpet cleaning machines at Mandalay Bay are all Green Seal certified.
  
  
• The Las Vegas volunteers will be wearing shirts made from 50% Recycled Polyester/50% Eco-carbon.  Eco-carbon is a natural fiber derived from re-used coconut shells or bamboo plants.  Recycled Polyethylene Terapthalate (R.P.E.T) Polyester is derived from post-industrial and post-consumer sources like recycled plastic bottles and plastic packaging.  Using this type of polyester diminishes the reliance on “virgin” polyester (derived from petroleum) and keep plastic bottles out of landfills.

• The power Mandalay Bay purchases is made up of 9% renewable sources of energy.

Community Service 

• The Community Service project at WEC this year will take place at Opportunity Village.  Opportunity Village is a not-for-profit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities by providing them with vocational training, employment and social recreation services that make their lives more productive and fulfilling.  MPI-WEC volunteers will help their special employees clean up and refurbish their thrift store. With MPI’s help to complete this project, Opportunity Village employees will be free to work on more contracts during the week; increasing their pay rate and helping them live more purposeful lives.  Additionally, MPI-WEC volunteers will help paint a mural on a large wall within the thrift shop.
  
  
• Mandalay Bay employees can participate in the MGM MIRAGE Voice Foundation.  The Voice Foundation invites employees to give through payroll pledge deductions or one-time contributions.  Donations go farther because 100% of every dollar pledged goes directly to the charitable organization or cause designated.  MGM MIRAGE absorbs 100% of all administrative costs associated with donations.  The employees choose where their donations go.  The following are some of the charitable organizations that the Voice Foundation supports.