Las Vegas Sands announced it will be a presenting partner sponsor of the upcoming Clinton Global Initiative meeting on Sept. 23-24 in New York City, building on the company’s commitment to addressing economic, social and environmental issues for the betterment of its regions around the world.
The CGI meeting coincides with the U.N. General Assembly and brings together business, government and civil society leaders to drive progress on climate resilience, inclusive economic growth and recovery, health equity, the full participation of women and girls, and humanitarian response efforts to crises around the globe. Since its inception the CGI has driven more than 4,000 commitments to action in its priority areas, which have improved the lives of nearly 500 million people in more than 180 countries.
“This event has fostered important dialog and established ongoing, forward-thinking global action for tackling the world’s most pressing challenges,” Robert Goldstein, chairman and CEO of Sands, said. “Our support is indicative of our commitment to helping advance CGI priorities, as well as being part of the conversation to learn how our company can meaningfully contribute to these areas.”
“At CGI this year, we’re bringing together hundreds of leaders from across sectors to not only discuss pressing issues facing the world, but also to take action,” Greg Milne, CEO of the Clinton Global Initiative, said. “We’re grateful to Las Vegas Sands for helping to make the CGI 2024 Annual Meeting possible and supporting a community of organizations from the public and private sectors who are implementing solutions to our greatest challenges.”
Sands focuses its work to address global and regional challenges under the “People, Communities and Planet” pillars of its corporate responsibility program, which drives the company’s efforts to promote workforce development and economic empowerment; advance diversity, equity and inclusion; help eliminate barriers and uplift disadvantaged populations; and ensure ongoing progress in addressing climate change and preserving the planet’s vital resources.
Specifically, Sands has set actionable goals to make tangible progress under each pillar:
People: By 2025, the company aims to invest $200 million in workforce development, which encompasses team member advancement, local business and supplier development, and hospitality education in its regions. Since 2021, the company has spent $181 million toward its 2021 to 2025 workforce development ambition in support of advancing economic empowerment.
Communities: Sands is committed to building resiliency and making its communities ideal places to live, work and visit through its Sands Cares community engagement program, which prioritizes addressing hardship relief and supporting disadvantaged populations, advancing education, building the capabilities of nonprofit organizations to solve pressing problems, and promoting the cultural and natural heritage of its local regions. By 2025, Sands aims to contribute 250,000 Team Member volunteer hours toward these priorities, augmenting its philanthropic investments.
Underpinning the company’s work in its “People and Communities” pillars is its dedication to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion through team member and supplier programs, along with supporting diverse community organizations to help remove systemic barriers and create opportunities for underrepresented groups.
Planet: To address climate change, Sands has set a target to achieve a 17.5 percent reduction in emissions by 2025, as compared to a 2018 baseline. In 2023, the company reduced emissions by 50 percent, even as energy consumption increased with business returning to pre-pandemic levels. The reduction is representative of Sands’ persistent approach to energy-efficiency projects and commitment to renewable energy certificate purchases.
Under the “Planet” pillar, the company is focused on core environmental priorities in the areas of low-carbon transition, waste, materials and resources and water stewardship, led by the Sands ECO360 global sustainability program.