The Radisson Hotel Group has shared some of its most significant responsible initiatives for 2021.

In 2019, the Green Key partner had already set high standards for sustainability after deciding to offset the carbon footprint for every meeting and event from its hotels at a global level. In 2021, the Radisson group achieved a new benchmark by offsetting twice the CO2 emissions from all the events and meetings across more than 400 hotels in their EMEA portfolio, becoming the first hotel chain in the world to make its events and meetings carbon negative. According to the hotel group, the initiative that started in 2019 has allowed for offsetting more than 30,000 tons of CO2, equivalent to taking more than 6,500 fuel-powered cars off the road.

Among other responsible initiatives, the Radisson Hotel Group has also developed two new partnerships that reinforce its position as a green mobility leader. The new collaborations with pan-European Allego and the Indian Sunfuel focus on bringing new electric vehicle options and stations across Radisson establishments in Europe and India. Furthermore, the Group has also compromised to reduce the surplus food from all of its hotels across Europe in an effort to reduce food waste.

At a global level, the Radisson Hotel Group is also one of the 25,000 hotels worldwide that support the creation of the Basic Sustainability Framework, currently being developed by the WTTC and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. This new framework will be announced in March 2022, and it aims to provide shared knowledge about sustainability and sustainable practices in hotels across the world.

With a new year ahead, the Global Senior Vice President Sustainability, Security and Corporate Communications for Radisson Hotel Group, Inge Huijbrechts, has reinforced the importance of continuing to develop responsible initiatives in Radisson hotels in 2022:

“[…] Sustainability is a top priority for our industry and our customers. At Radisson Hotel Group, we continue to work on our roadmap to Net Zero and are proud of the milestones we have realized in a challenging year for our industry. 2021 marked an opportunity to harness our focus on responsible business initiatives for both our Group and collectively for the hospitality industry. We look forward to another year of establishing strong strategic partnerships as we all work towards a responsible recovery and return of travel”.

More details of Radisson Hotel Group’s achievements can be read here.

Hotels and corporate offices around the world organized over 1,200 events during the 14th year of the Responsible Business Action Month, a core pillar of the Hotel Group’s overarching Responsible Business program.

Every year, Radisson Hotel Group devotes September as its Responsible Business Action Month. The month is celebrated across the globe, with hotels and corporate offices coming together for various actions to reach out to the community and support those in need. Even though focus is placed on September, many of the global initiatives are taking place year-round. The month is also devoted to contributing to Radisson Hotel Group’s global charity partners such as Just a Drop (Radisson Blu), the Global Food Banking Network (Radisson), Read Indeed (Country Inns & Suites by Radisson Hotels) and Youth Career Initiative (Park Inn by Radisson).

“During September, we make every moment matter by creating a positive impact on local communities through fundraising activities, donations and enthusiastic volunteering by our hotel teams around the globe.” says Inge Huijbrechts, Global Vice President of Responsible Business. During the month, each of Radisson Hotel Group’s brands implement programs that have a positive and unique impact to their communities.

At the Radisson Blu hotels, the Blu Planet program was supported through participation in volunteer activities related to water scarcity and water mindfulness. This included for instance Walks for Water and ocean and river clean-up activities that you can read about in our previous news feature as well as other initiatives. The highlight was the launch of Radisson Blu’s pilot Blu Planet for Housekeeping, which gives guests the opportunity to forego housekeeping services. More than 60 hotels participated in the initiative and for every night a guest opted in, the hotels donated on the guests’ behalf to the charity Just a Drop, which funds drinking water projects in Guatemala, Kenya and India.

Park Inn by Radisson continued with its award-winning initiative Adding Color to Lives with activities in support of helping youths at risk. The initiative was partnered by a world-famous street artist, Joel Bergner, and guided by him, Park Inn by Radisson employees and local youth designed and painted murals in the cities of Stuttgart (Germany), Riga (Latvia), St Petersburg (Russia), Bucharest (Romania) and Sharon, Pa. (U.S.).

Radisson Hotels focused to care and give back to communities by supporting the fight against hunger, serving meals to people in need and through food drives and fundraisers held for local foodbanks while Radisson Hotel Group’s lifestyle select brand Radisson RED had a focus on the sharing economy. The RED hotels held swapping events for fashion, books and tools and collected donations via the pay forward principle.

Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts continued the work on the “Save Tomorrow’s Trees Today” campaign while Country Inns & Suites by Radisson Hotels collected books for children in need and worked together with local communities on literacy activities.

In response to the series of devastating hurricanes that hit communities in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean in August and September, Radisson Hotel Group teams also came together to raise funds for employees affected and Radisson Hotels deployed a campaign to their members who helped raise 93,000 USD in donations for the American Red Cross.

Source: Radisson Hotel Group