Page 263 - The New Gold Standard

Sustainability and Stewardship
Oak Conservation Center and international programs director
for Gilman International Conservation, is appreciative of the
dedicated corporate alliance.“Our partnership with Ritz-Carlton
has been very beneficial to us. By bringing select people to our
location, Ritz-Carlton increases awareness of the conservation
issues we champion, and at the same time it helps us tangibly
serve the needs of families in the Congo. This project involving
their key account representatives packaging medical and school
supplies addresses our practical need while allowing us the op-
portunity to inform. I sense the event was also meaningful to the
participants.”
John Meehan, hotel manager of The Ritz-Carlton, South
Beach, has seen that community outreach events with key busi-
ness partners provide a multitude of benefits. “All of our best
referral sources are here, so it’s an opportunity to forge relation-
ships through face-to-face contact. The added bonus is that any
time we can get people involved in accomplishing meaningful
goals, those relationships are strengthened all the further. If we
had stayed in meetings all day, we wouldn’t have the same depth
of personal attachment.”
Rather than being put off by the prospect of offering their
work efforts at a key business partner event, Marty Covert of
Covert Operations, a meeting planner specializing in the needs
of luxury and high-end business travelers and meetings, has
taken advantage of opportunities to partner with Ritz-Carlton
to make a difference. “I’m part of the Association Advisory
Board for the company, and I have not only participated in these
community events but have learned a lot about the charitable ef-
forts of Ritz-Carlton. Recently, a client of mine was looking for
a team-building exercise for an event, and based on my experi-
ence at Ritz-Carlton, I suggested that their group participate in
a community activity during their meeting to achieve both team
building and a sense of accomplishment in the process.” By of-
fering the experience of community involvement at meetings
with business partners, the leadership team at Ritz-Carlton

243