Sands China bans sharks fin

Tuesday 26th of February 2019

Sands China said it has banned the Chinese delicacy, shark fin, from its restaurants, as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to protecting the environment.

The ban went into effect Jan. 1, 2019, and covers the entirety of Sands China’s internal and external food and beverage operations, including all restaurants owned by the company.

The initiative is part of Sands ECO360, the global sustainability strategy of Sands China’s parent company, Las Vegas Sands Corp. Sands ECO360 drives the stewardship of responsible business operations in the areas of green buildings, environmentally responsible operations, green meetings and events, and stakeholder engagement and outreach.

“This shark fin ban reflects our company’s firm commitment to continue reducing the environmental impact of our operations,” said Mark McWhinnie, senior vice president of resort operations and development for Sands China Ltd.

Sudhanshu Sarronwala, executive director of marketing and communications for WWF International, said: “We welcome Sands China's new commitment, which shows the way for others in the hospitality sector toward saving sharks and the ecosystems that depend on them. As sustainable options do not exist for sharks, halting consumer demand is the only solution today. Sands China’s commitment takes us a significant step closer to closing shark product demand for good.”

In November, Sands China launched its Green Cuisine campaign across 14 of its signature restaurants to promote environmentally sustainable vegan dishes to guests and visitors, including some made with innovative plant-based meat alternatives like Omnipork and Beyond Meat.