PARIS—Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its award-winning Fairmont Sustainability Partnership, now part of Accor’s Planet21 program. In continuing to set the industry standard in sustainable practices, Fairmont along with Accor has announced the goal to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. A commitment has also been made to eliminate any remaining single-use plastics in guestrooms, meeting areas, and restaurants across all hotels by the end of 2022.
“Thirty years ago, our forward-thinking team literally wrote the book on environmental sustainability in the hospitality industry with the very first edition of our famed Green Partnership Guides,” said Sharon Cohen, Vice President, Fairmont Brand. “Today, as part of Accor, we are working on new ways to push the envelope even further in our efforts to combine leading operational efficiencies aimed at reducing overall impact on the planet, with innovative programs promoting responsible tourism. At Fairmont, we feel both a responsibility and a fervent ambition to keep the most beautiful destinations of the earth healthy, strong and thriving for future generations to enjoy.”
The brand’s environmental platform, once described by National Geographic Traveler as “the most comprehensive environmental program in the North American hotel industry”, continues to focus on energy and water conservation, reductions in waste generation and carbon emissions, the elimination of single-use plastics, sustainable practices related to design, proactive construction and procurement policies, as well as community outreach through local groups and partnerships.
The majority of luxury travelers are increasingly concerned with the impacts of tourism on the planet and ways in which companies are proactively reducing their overall environmental footprint. Research from Fairmont and Accor studies indicate that four out of five travelers view environmentally sustainable practices and locally sourced kitchen ingredients as important, while 84 percent consider it important that hotels recommend experiences that are not detrimental to the local community.
“Our guests recognize that changes need to be made if the qualities that attract them to an extraordinary destination are going to last—and they rely on us to drive that change,” said Cohen. “At Fairmont, each one of our hotels and resorts is intertwined with its community, continuously evolving how we do business, and engaging our employees, customers, partners and community members to create stronger, more sustainable futures for our local environments and economies.”
