UAE's Largest Hotel Recognized as Market Leader in Environmental Excellence

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES--(Marketwired - Sep 29, 2014) - Despite the size and scale of the largest hotel in the UAE and official title of World's Tallest Hotel, Emirates owned JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is leading the way in environmental excellence, gaining the coveted ISO 14001 Certification for outstanding environmental practices.

The JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is the first large hotel in the UAE to receive the certification, a statement of its deep commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability. The JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is also the first JW Marriott Hotel among 64 properties globally to receive the award, a notable achievement within 2 years of opening. The award is a particularly distinguished achievement for the region's leading Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Events hotel, because of the scale of the iconic Dubai property with 1,608 suites and rooms, 14 food and beverage outlets and 8,000 square meters of event space.

The renowned ISO 14001 Certification details optimum requirements for environmental management systems within companies, and certification is gained by effectively implementing policies, procedures and systems that follow and meet ISO standards. Assessed by a third-party certification body, British Standards Institution (BSI), the UK's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification organization, ISO14001 is the hallmark of an environmentally responsible company dedicated to reducing carbon footprint. In order to achieve the certification, multiple waste management and sustainability systems were implemented by the luxury Dubai hotel, and all JW Marriott Marquis Dubai associates participated in environmental training and departmental audits. The primary goals of JW Marriott Marquis Dubai's environmental policy include reducing consumption of natural resources and energy, reducing global waste, improving discharges and industrial waste management and increasing respect of environmental regulations.

Upon achieving the certification on Thursday 18^th September, General Manager Bill Keffer commented,

"This is a huge success for the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, both as a market leader in the hospitality industry of the UAE, as well as among the 64 strong JW Marriott hotels globally. The ISO 14001 certification is the culmination of a colossal amount of work from our property leaders and a concerted effort from the entire staff of 1,450 associates to make this ongoing initiative work. We are immensely proud of this achievement, not only because it shows our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, but also because it builds on the many existing successes of Dubai's hospitality industry. Now we can also add Environmental Excellence to our achievements, something that the region is working hard to develop and be recognized for."  

Since opening in November 2012, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai has been awarded an astonishing 22 industry and media awards, now adding ISO 14001 Certification to its list of attributes. Guests of this City Centre Dubai hotel can also participate in eco-friendly initiatives at the property including the Linen Program and Green Events, launched by Marriott in June 2009 and focusing on the use of eco-friendly meeting materials and menus featuring organic food. The JW Marriott Marquis Dubai has also recently invested in a plot of farm land in the UAE, where organic fruits and vegetables are grown exclusively for the on property restaurants.

The ISO 14001 Certification and Award supports both the efforts of Dubai Government and of Marriott Internationals Global Environmental Strategy.

About ISO 14001
ISO 14001:2004 sets out the criteria for an environmental management system. It does not state requirements for environmental performance, but maps out a framework that a company or organization can follow to set up an effective environmental management system. It can be used by any organization regardless of its activity or sector. Using ISO 14001:2004 can provide assurance to company management and employees as well as external stakeholders that environmental impact is being measured and improved.¹

About JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts

JW Marriott is part of Marriott International's luxury portfolio and consists of beautiful properties in gateway cities and distinctive resort locations around the world. These elegant hotels cater to today's sophisticated, self-assured travelers, offering them the quiet luxury they seek in a warmly authentic, relaxed atmosphere lacking in pretense. JW Marriott properties artfully provide highly crafted, anticipatory experiences that are reflective of their locale so that their guests have the time to focus on what is most important to them. Currently, there are 64 JW Marriott hotels in 26 countries; by 2016 the portfolio is expected to encompass more than 92 properties over 36 countries. Visit us online, jwmarriott.com, @jwmarriott and facebook.com/JWMarriott

The "Marquis" designation is reserved for select downtown properties that offer the highest level of comfort, technology, personal service, meeting facilities, privacy and world-class amenities.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

¹ Source: http://www.iso.org/iso/iso14000