Casino operator Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd says it is committed to expanding renewable energy use, improving resource efficiency, cutting waste at the source and strengthening responsible sourcing. In its Sustainability Report 2024, the firm said it a “solid foundation” to advance towards carbon neutrality, climate resilience and circular solutions.
Melco Resorts has set a series of goals for 2030, centred around environmental sustainability and social responsibility. These goals, outlined in its “Above & Beyond” strategy, include achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, achieving zero waste across its properties, eliminating single-use plastics, and fostering a “best-in-class” working environment for the group’s employees.
The company established 2019 as its baseline year for measuring progress towards the 2030 goals.
The group runs casinos in Macau, Cyprus, and the Philippines, and is soon to open one in Sri Lanka.
“This commitment to progress shaped our approach in 2024,” stated Melco Resorts chairman and chief executive, Lawrence Ho Yau Lung, in the report.
“It was a year of recalibration, as we continued strengthening operations, reigniting momentum and ensuring our integrated resorts remain at the forefront of excellence,” he added.
The casino firm said that more than 25,000 photovoltaic panels have been installed on rooftoops at its properties, “generating close to 10,000 MWh of renewable energy each year, a 72-percent increase in cleaner electricity consumption compared to 2023”.
“Despite a 39-percent rise in visitation and a 19-percent increase in hotel occupancy, the intensity of our energy and water consumption, as well as greenhouse gas emissions, remained significantly below our 2019 baseline, even with the addition of a new property and an integrated resort,” observed Mr Ho.
Melco Resorts stated that it had “substantively increased” – by 58 percent over the last year – the amount of valuable materials diverted through recycling and composting across its operations.
The company also said that its Nordaq refilling system for drinking water avoided the use of 13.2 million single-use plastic bottles; and that it had recycled more than 763 tonnes of playing cards in 2024, a 50-percent increase over the previous year
“These efforts reflect a deeper ambition to embed sustainability into procurement. That’s why we are taking a closer look at how we source, who we work with and where we can do better,” stated the CEO.
Melco Resorts stated that in 2024 it delivered “over 870,000 learning hours” through its Melco Learning Academy. The brand’s “REACH! Programme” also expanded, “offering new mental and physical wellbeing initiatives, ensuring that sustainability includes our people’s health and resilience,” it added.
The company also said it “deepened” partnerships with small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) during 2024.
“Through 21 ‘Heart of House’ and community events, generating over US$1 million for local businesses in Macau, we provided 603 SMEs and NGOs with platforms to connect, expand and grow,” noted Mr Ho.
“We also integrated capacity-building programmes, job opportunities for people with disabilities, and NGO-supported products into guest experiences like turndown services,” he added. “These initiatives generate revenue for causes aligned with our values and strengthen our commitment to social inclusion.”
