April 14, 2009 - Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has become the first international hotel brand to join WWF's Climate Savers program, pledging to reduce carbon emissions from its existing portfolio of hotels to 20% below 2006 levels by 2013.

As part of its climate commitment, Fairmont conducted a detailed greenhouse gas emissions inventory, clocking annual direct and indirect emissions across its 53 managed properties at more than 375,000 metric tons of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent), or 0.055 metric tons of CO2e emissions per guest night.

Beyond emissions reduction, the hotel chain has committed to establish a sustainable procurement policy and supplier code of conduct, seek LEED green-building certification for some of its properties, and update its construction codes to incorporate LEED standards. Fairmont Hotels says it also plans to relocate its corporate offices in Toronto, Canada, to a LEED Gold-certified building by 2011.

"We see our Climate Savers partnership with WWF as a sound strategic decision, one that will help ensure destination health and contribute to the financial stability of the industry," says Thomas Storey, president of Fairmont Hotels.

WWF's Climate Savers is a voluntary program to reduce corporate greenhouse gas emissions. The program, which counts among its members Fortune 500 companies including Coca-Cola, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, and Nike is expected to save a cumulative 50 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2010.