LAS VEGAS—Earlier this year, Sands released its 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, which included plans for its corporate responsibility program for the next five years and three new ambitions the company is targeting to achieve by 2025. Under the Planet pillar, Sands aims to achieve its science-based target of a 17.5 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2025.
Sands’ goal to achieve this reduction in carbon emissions aligns with the company’s low-carbon transition strategy and reflects one of the five key environmental issues Sands has prioritized to reduce its impact. Sands’ multi-faceted low-carbon strategy focuses on addressing energy efficiency, renewable energy, and transportation.
Energy Efficiency
Sands has several initiatives in place to reduce energy consumption and help propel a reduction in carbon emissions, including leveraging cutting-edge building technology to reduce utility use; implementing the Sands ECOTracker program, which drives additional conservation initiatives; and scaling creative process efficiencies.
Renewable Energy
Although dense urban environments in Singapore and Macao lessen opportunities for local large-scale renewable energy projects, the company has committed to increasing purchase of renewable energy certificates in nearby regions to support the transition to zero-carbon grids. Sands also continually searches for and evaluates on-site renewable energy generation to complement existing solar photovoltaic and solar thermal systems.
Transportation
While resort operations represent Sands’ largest greenhouse gas footprint, guest transportation to and from properties is an important component of the company’s low-carbon transition strategy. Sands intends to increase the number of guest electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, electrify equipment vehicles and transition guest shuttle buses to EV and alternative fuel sources. The company also plans to purchase nature-based carbon offsets to lessen its transportation footprint.
“We have achieved large, measurable emission reductions since the program’s inception in 2010,” said Katarina Tesarova, Senior Vice president and Chief Sustainability Officer. “We design all our buildings with sustainability in mind and continuously deploy the best available technology to reduce energy consumption and emissions. Our low-carbon transition strategy further builds out our renewable energy program to decarbonize our operations.”
In 2021, Sands invested $4.3 million in energy-efficiency projects and spent $62 million in support of sustainable products and services, as well as maintained active partnerships with 26 environmental organizations. Sands’ efforts have been again recognized by some of the world’s most prestigious sustainability benchmarks, with the company included in 2021 on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for World and North America and the CDP Climate and Water A-Lists. Sands was the only hospitality company recognized with an “A” designation on both CDP lists.
To learn more about Sands’ five-year ambitions and Planet initiatives, read the 2021 ESG Report at https://www.sands.com/content/uploads/2022/04/LVSC_ESG-Report-2021_spreads.pdf.
