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By Gwen Migita
Last month, Caesars was pleased to partner with TriplePundit to host a Twitter chat on our latest programs and accomplishments, as shared in our seventh annual citizenship report, Connecting for #Citizenship. I joined with leaders from our properties; our longtime partner and sustainability reporting expert Elaine Cohen, and sustainable business expert Andrew Winston, who also serves on Caesars’ External Advisory Board. Check out the #CitCaesars3p Storify, and read on for more details – including answers to questions we didn’t have time to address in the chat.
We kicked off the chat with some of our highlights from 2015, such as our $39 billion in generated economic value, our progress on energy, GHG, water and waste goals, our 80 percent wellness program participation rate, and our continued commitment to responsible gaming. Next, we explored the work of two properties: Horseshoe Baltimore and Harrah’s North Kansas City.
Horseshoe Baltimore: Working to transform a city
Noah Hirsch, our VP of marketing at Horseshoe Baltimore, shared some highlights of the casino’s accomplishments. An important goal of Horseshoe Baltimore is to serve as a catalyst for development for the city’s southern gateway.
First and foremost, the property is committed to employment in the city of Baltimore, with nearly 60 percent of staff residing within the city. In its second year of operations, Horseshoe Baltimore has welcomed more than 9 million guests and paid more than $124 million in gaming taxes, while support
ing 48 local organizations with $160,000 in donations and more than 2,200 hours of community service in 2015 alone. For example, Horseshoe Baltimore supported the establishment of an employment center for Baltimore residents and supported waterway cleanup and trail maintenance.
More recently, in September, Horseshoe Baltimore hosted a centennial celebration of Fort McHenry Park along with National Park Trust and the local YMCA, helping to get kids back into nature.
Harrah’s Kansas City: Creating a best place to work
Jennifer Jennings, VP of human resources at Harrah’s North Kansas City, discussed why her property has been on the Kansas City Business Journal Best Places to Work list for ten years running. Harrah’s North Kansas City strives to take care of employees, from tuition reimbursement to an employee relief fund.
Creative programs like Walk a While in My Shoes, in which senior leaders job shadow roles like housekeeping, help management and employees understand one another. The property shows its care for the community, too, placing second place among Caesars properties in a Senior Appreciation Month contest for its commitment to feeding local seniors facing food insecurity.
Meetings for good
The Twitter chat was also a chance to promote Caesars new Meetings for Good initiative, an addition to our existing Responsible Meetings program. Meetings for Good connects our meetings customers with local nonprofits to create customized volunteer programs that can be integrated into their events. Participating nonprofits include organizations dedicated to seniors, environmental sustainability, education, health and wellness, and deployed soldiers and veterans.
Answering additional questions from the chat
As with all Twitter chats, questions were coming fast and furious about everything from our responsible meetings standards to how we developed CodeGreen metrics. We couldn’t answer all of the questions before the time was up, so here are some additional questions and our responses:
Q from @ImperativeImpact: How is @CaesarsEnt using their human capital to give back + build #employeeengagement?
A: Our HERO program empowers employees to support causes important to their communities. 260,000+ hours volunteered in 2015.
Q from @dayoungtx: Any unique challenges driving sustainability in hotels that are active 24hrs a day like in yours Vegas?
A: Energy is definitely a challenge for 24-hour operation! We’ve invested more than $70 million in 180+ energy efficiency projects since 2004.
Q from @iPura: Poultry industry is focused on #FoodSafety & improved processing methods. Have any favorite suppliers?
A: We've been recognized for our dedication to a diverse supply base -- learn more about our responsible supply chain here.
Q from @ecodeogroup: How do you think #CSRstorytelling could help @CitizenCaesars engage new customers esp #Millennials?
A: We know #diversity is important to #millennials, just one example is our @CZRDiversity handle that we use to connect with diverse suppliers.
Q from @PeggyatKC: How do employees 'win'? great way to give back! (Re @CitizenCaesars A10a)
A: The annual #cleantheworld contest is an essay contest that’s open to our housekeeping staff, who work so hard at collecting soaps!
Caesars thanks all those on Twitter who participated in #CitCaesars3p! If you have more questions about our citizenship programs or our new report, please reach out to us at sustainabilityfeedback@caesars.com.
Gwen Migita is vice president of sustainability and corporate citizenship for Caesars.
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