Crowne Plaza Changi Airport has become the first hotel in Singapore to be awarded the prestigious and coveted Gold Certification through the world's leading sustainability certifier of travel and tourism Organisations, EarthCheck. This exciting “first” underscores the hotel's dedication towards leading sustainability practices in the hotel industry and building a responsible business with a firm commitment to the environment.

EarthCheck, the world's most scientifically rigorous environmental management programme is designed specifically for the travel and tourism industry. All organisations are evaluated against eleven EarthCheck benchmarks and a number of key indicators are measured including energy and water consumption, total waste production, and community commitment. Operational data submitted by similar organisations are compared before being rated against “Baseline” and “Best Practice” levels.  

Attaining the Gold Certification involves a strict auditing process of reporting and verifying the hotels environmental performance for five consecutive years. Crowne Plaza Changi Airport is one of the rare organisations to have achieved the Gold Certification within five years.

"To reduce the amount of Greenhouse Gas emissions and conserve natural resources, we have to play our part in addressing the challenges faced by the planet through our environmental initiatives. We are honored to be Singapore's first Gold EarthCheck Certified Hotel and we will continue striving forward in terms of leading environmental conservation practices in the industry. The certification is only achievable with the continuous commitment and support given by all team members of the hotel, clients and suppliers." said Mr. Bill Sheppard, General Manager of Crowne Plaza Changi Airport.

To promote sustainability, the hotel spearheads environmental activities and engages hotel staff, clients, and suppliers, encouraging them to participate in best environmental management practices. The hotel also consistently reduces resources and energy consumption, introduced water saving control systems in guest rooms and public toilets, and carry out waste management technology techniques to reduce, reuse and recycle waste through effective waste separation.

Commenting on the hotel's Gold Certification, Stewart Moore, CEO and Founder of EarthCheck, said, “I would like to congratulate Crowne Plaza Changi Airport on being the first hotel in Singapore to achieve EarthCheck's Gold Certification. Crowne Plaza Changi Airport is a stand-out sustainability champion for the InterContinental Hotels Group. The EarthCheck team is delighted by the hotel's efforts and hard work.”

Since 2010, Crowne Plaza Changi Airport has been certified by EarthCheck for its environmental initiatives. The hotel has also been recognized by ASEAN Green Hotel Awards 2014 and Singapore Green Hotel Award 2013.

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Notes to Editors:

About Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts: Part of the IHG global portfolio, the Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts brand is a dynamic upscale hotel brand located in nearly 65 countries around the world in major urban centers, gateway cities and resort destinations. As the fourth largest upscale full-service hotel brand in the world and one of the fastest growing, the Crowne Plaza brand has a solid foundation for future growth. The portfolio has doubled since 2003 to nearly 400 hotels, and the global pipeline has increased fourfold to nearly 100 hotels. At Crowne Plaza hotels, we help our guests feel energized and productive, with 24-hour business services, wireless high speed Internet access in the lobby, and fitness and leisure facilities. Our Sleep Advantage® program ensures our guests get a great night's sleep to power through their day. For reservations at Crowne Plaza properties, visit www.crowneplaza.com. Connect with us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/crowneplaza  or Facebook: www.Facebook.com/crowneplaza.

About InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG): InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of nine hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites®, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts.

IHG manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty programme with over 73 million members worldwide. The programme was relaunched in July 2013, offering enhanced benefits for members including free internet across all hotels, globally.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,600 hotels and more than 674,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories. With more than 1,000 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG expects to recruit around 90,000 people into additional roles across its estate over the next few years.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit: www.ihg.com/media, www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ ihg or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

About EarthCheck: EarthCheckis one of the world's largest certifiers of sustainable travel and tourism operators; with more than 1,200 clients in over 65 countries. EarthCheck certification complies with the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Greenhouse Gas Protocol, and the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) 14064 range of standards for greenhouse gas accounting.