WELCOME TO OUR MGM SUSTAINABILITY NEWSLETTER
We’re doing a lot behind the scenes at MGM to reduce our impact on the environment and support the people that mean the most to us, including all our employees and community. Contributing to a better Macau through our arts and culture program is also an important aspect of our approach. Through this newsletter we will share our monthly sustainability highlights with you, and hope you will join us in our sustainability programs to help us Create a Better Tomorrow Today.
Spring cleaning for senior citizens ahead of Chinese New Year (CNY): In spirit of the Chinese tradition to spring clean the home before CNY as a symbol of good luck and fortune, MGM has teamed up with Centro de Dia “Brilho da Vida” to help in the festive activity for the 6th year. On January 20, 160 of our volunteer team members rolled up their sleeves to help 220 households at the Fai Chi Kei housing unit for senior citizens to get their homes ready for the New Year. At the end of each spring clean, the traditional Fai Chun red banners were placed on doorways and windows and New Year goodie bags were given to wish households a healthy and prosperous Year of the Rooster.
For another CNY tradition, to be at our best for the coming of a New Year - from January 9-12, MGM’s 30 Volunteer Hairdresser Team members also provided complimentary haircuts to 145 senior citizens at Asilo de Santa Maria and Centro de Dia “Brilho da Vida”.
CNY gifts to our community and guests: This CNY, MGM created tailor-made gifts to send well-wishes to those that mean the most to us.
To our community, MGM created a uniquely-designed towel gift set and distributed 1200 sets to 8 local community associations on January 23-24, including Caritas Macau, Macau Association of Support for the Disabled, Fuhong Society of Macau, Macau Deaf Association, Macau Special Olympics, Macau Youth Volunteer Association, "S. José Ká–Hó" Children and Youth Home, and "Jardins Dom Versiglia" Youth Home.
We also provided all our full-time staff with a gift towel set to celebrate our 9th anniversary as a token of appreciation for their hard-work and dedication.
During CNY, we treated our guests to a tasty and meaningful gift. During January 28-30, all in-room guests were surprised with CNY fortune pockets, consisting of brightly-colored, hand-stitched bags containing festive cookies and mini cupcakes, all of which were prepared by people with learning disabilities in association with Fuhong Society of Macau and Sem Meng Chi Restaurant.
Success of Macau small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) program: To celebrate the success of the Macau SME Procurement Partnership Program, co-organized by Macau Chamber of Commerce (MCC) and all 6 integrated resort operators, a press conference was organized on January 17 to acknowledge the achievements thus far of the initiative. MGM has been an active supporter including five SME Business Matching Sessions, among many other interactive and engaging activities. Mr. Lionel Leong, Secretary of Economy and Finance of Macau SAR, and Mr. Kou Hoi In, President of the Board of Directors of MCC, delivered addresses wishing the future success of the program in 2017 in bringing continued economic growth and employment prospects to the Macau SME community.
Sustainability-themed CNY float: As Macau residents and visitors from afar gathered to watch Macau’s dazzling CNY Parade on January 30 and February 4, MGM’s parade float not only wowed and entertained, but also had a unique twist - an environmental message at its heart! To create the float, we thoughtfully used materials that can be readily recycled such 1500 plastic bottles, 400 wine glass bottles and 500 room key cards; and for lighting we utilized 100% LED lighting, which uses up to 80% less energy than non-LED alternatives. The acrobats and dancers that lead the front of the float also donned costumes made from over 4,000 bottle caps, among other recyclable materials. To the crowd, MGM distributed recycled soap created through its partnership with the Clean The World Program – a program that collects, sanitizes and recycles leftover soap, which is then donated to those in need in Macau and beyond.
Red packet recycling: Every year, thousands of trees are cut down to help make our beautiful lai see packets – this CNY we can give back to the environment by recycling these packets to be made into paper to be used once again. As part of our environmental commitments to reduce waste, we have supported the “Lai See Packets Recycling Campaign 2017” initiated by the Macau Environment Protection Bureau.
Lion dance blessing ceremony to mark the New Year: On January 28, MGM hosted a grand celebration to welcome the arrival of the Year of the Rooster. Eight lions with vivid costumes marched into the Hotel VIP Lobby entrance for the eye-dotting ritual carried out by management (a ceremony which signifies the awakening of the lion’s spirit before the lion dance performance). The Ceremony culminated in the lighting of firecrackers, as well as a lion dance parade accompanied by sounds of clashing cymbals, drums and gongs, sending well wishes of good fortune to all corners of the Resort.