Following last spring’s earthquake in Nepal, employees of the Radisson Blu Resort Fujairah (UAE) donated an average of five percent of their salary to support their four Nepali colleagues whose families were affected by the earthquake. One of the affected staff lost two close family members in the quake. This is just one example of steps taken by employees of Rezidor Hotel Group properties to help those in need. The story comes from the Rezidor Hotel Group’s 2015 Responsible Business Report. Be sure to read the report. Rezidor has long emphasized responsible business. It implemented its first environmental policy in 1989. It followed with its Responsible Business program in 2001. Since then it has gradually developed various environmental actions and launched Think Planet in 2012. Think Planet covers the environmental actions of the business including energy efficiency, carbon offsetting, water conservation, waste management, and sustainable procurement.
There are many highlights to pay attention to in Rezidor’s 2015 report, including energy savings of 22 percent, water consumption reduced by 29 percent, 272 eco-labelled hotels, 32,000 trees planted, and Meetings Minus Carbon offsets of 32,000 tons of carbon.
Last year Rezidor launched a Radisson Blu partnership with “Just a Drop” and donates $15 for every 250 towels reused in Radisson Blu hotels—enough to provide one child with drinking water for life. Each hotel has a Responsible Business Coordinator and Responsible Business team. This helps drive the success of Rezidor’s Responsible Business initiatives.
Rezidor has cut energy consumption thanks, in part, to wireless guestroom controls and LED retrofits. Rezidor introduced a group-wide initiative to retrofit LED lights in all of its hotels. Rezidor uses continuous and creative communication to ensure that employees develop good energy use habits such as switching off appliances and lights when not in use.
One of Rezidor’s most recent successes is the Radisson Blu Hotel Nairobi Upper Hill which was awarded the Green Key eco-label in January 2016. As the first Green Key hotel in Kenya, it fully demonstrates the Think Planet commitment of Rezidor. The hotel integrates environmental technologies in the building including systems which enable it to reuse grey water for irrigation, a reverse osmosis plant for water production, energy efficient lights for interior and facade lighting, and solar panels for hot water production.
Twenty-five percent of Rezidor hotels are equipped with combined heat and power plants. Fifty-two percent of Rezidor hotels are now accurately measuring food waste during preparation, on the plate, or through spoilage. The company gathers data by volume or weight so that its food and drink teams can accurately gauge the required quantities. Rezidor has also rolled out food waste reduction training through its network of area chefs. The training resulted in a reduction of 20 percent in waste-per-cover in selected locations.
Rezidor works closely with all suppliers to set strict environmental and responsible business criteria on the products and services it purchases. All Rezidor suppliers, at the group, area, and hotel level, are required to sign the Supplier Code of Conduct which becomes part of the supplier agreement. Fifty-one percent of hotels also actively ask suppliers to complete Rezidor’s Responsible Business Supplier Questionnaire.
To access the 2015 Responsible Business Report and learn more about Rezidor’s initiatives, click here.
