{"id":93815,"date":"2024-07-30T13:27:36","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T13:27:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?post_type=articles&p=93815"},"modified":"2024-07-30T13:27:36","modified_gmt":"2024-07-30T13:27:36","slug":"game-changers-mehvesh-mumtaz-ahmed","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/game-changers-mehvesh-mumtaz-ahmed\/","title":{"rendered":"Game Changers: Mehvesh Mumtaz Ahmed"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Game Changers: Mehvesh Mumtaz Ahmed<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For Mehvesh Mumtaz Ahmed, a truly memorable travel experience is about more than just staying in a hotel. For the vice president of social impact at Rosewood Hotel Group<\/a>, it\u2019s about the guests who come to stay, the employees at the properties, and giving back to the communities where the hotels are located.<\/p>\n

\u201cI find inspiration in the human instinct to do good,\u201d Ahmed tells GRAZIA USA. \u201cIt\u2019s easy to become jaded given the many challenges the world faces, but my energy stores get replenished each time I talk to someone who wants to make a difference, no matter how big or small.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since starting with the renowned hospitality brand, Ahmed has worked on helping to make a difference. At the core of Rosewood\u2019s brand identity, sustainability and social impact are not just initiatives but fundamental elements of each property\u2019s experience. From eco-conscious culinary offerings and educational guest programming to sustainable design and celebrating local culture, every detail is meticulously crafted to embody commitment to both the planet (its Rosewood Sustains program) and its people (Rosewood Empowers).<\/p>\n

Ahmed also helped launch the new Rosewood Impact Trailblazers program, which encompasses six of the hotels in the portfolio. (There are 44 Rosewood Hotels in 20 countries.) These trailblazers include Rosewood Phuket, Rosewood Baha Mar, Rosewood Sa\u0303o Paulo, Rosewood Phnom Penh, Rosewood Mayakoba, and Rosewood Hong Kong, with each committed to achieving at least one ambitious \u201cstretch goal\u201d by 2025. These goals focus on transformative sustainability practices like achieving carbon neutrality, the elimination of single-use plastics, and a 90 percent waste diversion rate. Additionally, they aim to locally source 70 percent of produce and protein, develop significant long-term community partnerships, and transform at least one hotel restaurant into a business driven by purpose.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cMy ultimate goal is to create a reality where the ideas of luxury and sustainability are not mutually exclusive but actually synonymous\u2014and I hope Rosewood will show how,\u201d Ahmed admits. \u201cWe want to ensure that every sustainable, socially responsible choice we make does not compromise on the luxury quality of an experience, but rather elevates it and makes it unique.\u201d Ahmed adds that \u201cit\u2019s incredible to see<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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the initiatives that have come to life through the tenacity and passion of our team. Take BluHouse at Rosewood Hong Kong, the group\u2019s first restaurant wholly informed by the criteria of a \u2018business with purpose,\u2019 which seeks out talent from the most underserved and overlooked communities in Hong Kong. It also sets aside a portion of revenue towards further supporting those in need in the neighborhood.\u201d Ahmed also cites Rosewood Mayakoba as an inspiration for its work in creating a local community school in 2017: \u201cToday, the school welcomes over 450 students, and Rosewood Mayakoba\u2019s guests and staff continue to support with tuition and supplies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another major driving force for these sustainable changes is the guests. \u201cOne of the most encouraging trends we\u2019re seeing in hospitality is the desire and demand from travelers for meaningful experiences that allow them to authentically engage with the places and communities that they are visiting,\u201d Ahmed says. \u201cTravel is no longer just about staying in the most beautiful room or indulging in a five- course meal. It\u2019s now about discovering the heart and soul of a place through experiences designed to celebrate and preserve it. It\u2019s exciting to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read GRAZIA USA<\/em>\u2018s Summer Issue featuring cover star Sienna Miller:<\/a><\/h4>\n