Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming partner with Ocean Conservancy

Tuesday, November 19, 2024 11:02 AM
Photo:  Shutterstock
  • Rege Behe, CDC Gaming

Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming have announced a partnership with Ocean Conservancy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting oceans from today’s global challenges. Ocean Conservancy will advance sustainability actions in Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming properties and the communities and tourist destinations they serve.

The Global Sound Waves sustainability partnership with Ocean Conservancy advances the work of Save The Planet sustainability teams at local Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming properties. By focusing on the upstream management of water, food, and material waste, the campaign promotes waste audits that identify alternatives and diversion opportunities, while emphasizing how data informs the company’s goal for waste reduction.

“We are proud to collaborate with Ocean Conservancy to launch Global Sound Waves as our signature event to reduce waste, celebrate success and expand sustainable solutions across our company’s global operations,” said Hard Rock International Vice President of Global Social Responsibility Paul Pellizzari in a statement. “At Hard Rock, one of our cherished mottos is ‘Save the Planet’ and through our global team members’ common actions, we aim to reduce waste and drive meaningful change to protect our planet.”

Between September and November, the campaign produced four waves:

  • Team Member Education: Over 230 employees participated in a global trivia event to build the knowledge and skills that can make a difference.
  • Operational Waste Innovation Competition: A contest produced 45 submissions from front-line employees in Europe, Asia, and North America, identifying innovative solutions to reduce waste. The first-place winner was Jair Alexander Lopez Espericueta from Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta. Second- and third-place winners were Shanda Howard from Hard Rock Cafe Waikiki and Hanna Stensland from Hard Rock Cafe Tromso.
  • Donation Campaigns: Funds from Hard Rock Casinos’ ‘Change for Change’ program in October 2024 raised $75,000 for Ocean Conservancy. Players donated change from redeemed gaming vouchers to the Hard Rock Heals Foundation to benefit the Ocean Conservancy.
  • Community Cleanup Events: Hard Rock, Seminole Gaming and Ocean Conservancy November 16 coordinated global activations aimed at protecting the environment, promoting biodiversity and reducing plastic pollution. Participating properties included Seminole Hard Rock hotels and casinos in Florida (Hollywood, Immokalee, Coconut Creek), and Hard Rock Cafe Sacramento; Hard Rock Hotel Maldives; Hard Rock Hotel Bali; Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast; and Hard Rock Casino Ottawa. Other community waste reduction and biodiversity events were activated across Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati; Hard Rock Hotel & Casinos Sioux City, Atlantic City, Rockford; Hard Rock Hotels Dalian, Cancun, Vallarta, Tenerife, Los Cabos, Riviera Maya, Shenzhen, Bali; and Hard Rock Cafes Sharm El Sheikh and Nabq. These events will become part of Global Sound Wave in the future.

Ocean Conservancy is an organizer of beach cleanups around the world, launching the International Coastal Cleanup in 1986. Since then, more than 18 million ICC volunteers have joined local cleanup efforts to remove over 385 million pounds of trash from beaches and waterways worldwide.

“From plastic pollution to climate change and beyond, the ocean is facing threats that can only be addressed through bold, global action and widespread public interest,” said Ocean Conservancy Chief Brand and Communications Officer Jenna DiPaolo. “Partnering with a hospitality brand like Hard Rock, which is so beloved and reaches so many different people and places around the world, will expand our audience of ocean lovers and environmental advocates while having meaningful, measurable impacts on the ground through cleanup and related waste reduction efforts.”

Rege Behe is lead contributor to CDC Gaming. He can be reached at rbehe@cdcgaming.com. Please follow @RegeBehe_exPTR on Twitter.