PARIS—Concorde Hotels & Resorts has launched a new corporate social responsibility (CSR) program at its 27 four and five-star hotels around the world. The program is centered around three key pillars: environmental commitment, social commitment, and societal commitment. Environmental commitment starts with the development of carbon footprints of the hotels, in turn allowing the group to reduce energy consumption, fight pollution, better sort its waste, and develop an offering of in-season products on the menus of its restaurants. This commitment spans all areas:
• Kitchens—The adaptation of pans to the size of the burners in order to limit the loss of energy.
• Concierge desks—Providing an eco-responsible means of transport to the customer, including access to Concorde bicycles and reservation of hybrid taxis.
• Business offices—The use of unfinished bottles of water for watering plants and a proposal of community service.
• Bathroom amenities—All of the group’s hotels are currently putting into place a line of organic cosmetic products. These shampoos, conditioners, shower gels and soaps are 100 percent organic, eco-labeled and Cosmebio certified. The group is one of the only ones in the industry to implement this initiative brand-wide.
• Food and beverage—Concorde hotels are featuring a number of dishes made from local, seasonal products from integrated farming.
• Staff training—In cooperation with an internal training center “Contact,” an online role-playing game has been developed on the topic of sustainability in which employees play in teams to create their responsible hotel. The goal is for all employees in the company to be trained by year end.
Social Commitment
Concorde Hotels & Resorts is committed to an approach favoring access to employment for all, particularly in accommodating senior employees or employees with disabilities. For example, in 2010, nearly 15 new employees with disabilities have benefited from this policy, joining the 34 other such employees already present within the company.
Concorde Hotels & Resorts also emphasizes skill development as a major component of its human resources policy. The group’s employees have training opportunities throughout their career. This training is then recorded in a Training Passport. The internal training center, Contact, offers various tools, including nearly 150 online training modules.
Societal Commitment
Concorde Hotels & Resorts has partnered with a non-governmental charitable organization, CARE France, an international association with dedicated social missions in 23 countries around the world. In particular, the group has committed to supporting the projects of CARE France and climate change for the planet’s southern populations. These actions will result in prevention (construction of shelter), training (sustainable farming), repair and reconstruction, as well as emergency interventions.
Concorde guests and employees are encouraged to give back through charity events, fundraising efforts, airline miles’ conversions and “solidarity packages” in which financial contributions will be made to CARE France for each stay purchased.
This societal initiative also extends to meeting groups at Concorde hotels who will now be given a chance to participate in local community outreach activities in place of traditional incentive activities.
In order to further affirm its commitment, Concorde Hotels & Resorts will obtain Green Globe accreditation for all its hotels with nearly 240 labeling criteria detailing environmental, social and cultural efforts and initiatives. In April 2010, Hotel Concorde Berlin was the group’s first property accredited by Green Globe with an 86 percent success score—a first step towards the inclusion of other hotels including Hotel Martinez in Cannes and Concorde Opera Paris.
In addition to this distinction, the group has signed the Diversity Charter as well as the United Nations Global Compact, two initiatives that further the company’s dedication to its CSR programs.
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