Melvin Mak appointed Group Director Sustainability & ESG at TUI
Melvin Mak has in-depth knowledge of sustainability in the tourism industry. For more than 14 years, he has been responsible for the sustainable transformation of TUI, first as Sustainability Manager for TUI Netherlands, later as Head of Sustainability for the Western Region and, since 2020, as Head of Sustainability Strategy & Technology. With a bachelor's degree in International Tourism Management (Tio Business University, Amsterdam) and a master's degree in Responsible Tourism (Manchester Metropolitan University), the Dutch-born Mak combines practical experience with a theoretical foundation.
TUI pursues a holistic approach with its group-wide sustainability strategy ‘People, Planet, Progress’. It brings together the ecological, social and economic aspects of sustainability and covers all business areas – from hotels and airlines to cruise companies. Ambitious targets have been set for each of these areas, which Melvin Mak will manage across the Group in close cooperation with the teams in the respective business areas. He will become a member of the company's Sustainability Council, the central steering body for TUI's sustainable transformation. In addition to TUI CEO Sebastian Ebel and the Chief Sustainability Officer of the TUI Group, Thomas Ellerbeck, the council includes the CEOs and managing directors of the group's operating companies.
The focus is on topics such as reducing emissions and meeting the Science Based Targets (SBTi), roadmaps for the increased use of sustainable fuels for cruise ships and aircraft, the expansion of renewable energy in the hotel portfolio, and the promotion of sustainable mobility concepts. The implementation of the e-mobility strategy in source markets and destinations is a central component of this. Melvin Mak's work will focus in particular on innovations and new technologies in order to test their scalability for TUI, put them into practice and thus drive forward sustainable solutions.
„Sustainability is a core element of TUI's strategy and the ‚licence to operate‘ for the tourism industry,“ says Thomas Ellerbeck, Member of the Group Executive Committee and Chief Sustainability Officer of TUI Group. „With his in-depth knowledge and proven leadership skills, Melvin Mak will play a central role in implementing our sustainability and ESG roadmap and strengthening TUI's position as a pioneer in sustainable tourism.“
About TUI Group
The TUI Group is one of the world's leading tourism groups and operates worldwide. The Group is headquartered in Germany. TUI shares are listed in the MDAX index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and in the regulated market of the Lower Saxony Stock Exchange in Hanover. TUI Group offers its over 20 million customers integrated services from a single source and forms the entire tourism value chain under one roof. The Group owns over 400 hotels and resorts with premium brands such as RIU, TUI Blue and Robinson and 18 cruise ships, ranging from the MS Europa and MS Europa 2 in the luxury class and expedition ships in the HANSEATIC class to the Mein Schiff fleet of TUI Cruises and cruise ships operated by Marella Cruises in the UK. The Group also includes Europe's leading tour operator brands and online marketing platforms, for example for hotel-only or flight-only offers, five airlines with 125 modern medium- and long-haul aircraft and around 1,200 travel agencies. In addition to expanding its core business with hotels and cruises via successful joint ventures and activities in vacation destinations, TUI is increasingly focusing on the expansion of digital platforms. The Group is transforming itself into a global tourism platform company.
Global responsibility for sustainable economic, environmental and social action is at the heart of our corporate culture. With projects in 25 countries, the TUI Care Foundation initiated by TUI focuses on the positive effects of tourism, on education and training and on strengthening environmental and social standards. In this way, it supports the development of vacation destinations. The globally active TUI Care Foundation initiates projects that create new opportunities for the next generation.
