CHINA: Accor Greater China is to work towards Green Hotel Certification for properties in the region, through a new partnership with China Hospitality Association (CHA).
The hotel group said the certification process would include “a comprehensive and systematic evaluation of each hotel’s performance in terms of green operations, environment, and health and safety, checked against national standards and an independent evaluation process”.
Accor said that it was the first international hotel company in China to sign a network-wide sustainable certification agreement with CHA, which will support Accor’s hotels with “professional training, consultation and guidance to continuously improve the capabilities and efficiencies of their operations”.
Earlier this year Accor committed to receiving an external sustainability certification for all of its hotels before the end of 2026, and the group said it would achieve the target through a combination of local partnerships such as this one with CHA, and global agreements with programmes including Green Key and Green Globe.
Accor partners with Green Key and Green Globe for sustainability certification
The group also highlighted other sustainable initiatives being taken in the greater China region, including the publishing of an educational white paper The Path Toward Eco-friendly Travel in China in collaboration with Trip.com and McKinsey & Company.
Accor also recently formed an alliance with Shanghai Jin Jiang International Hotels “to create and define an ESG measurement framework tailored specifically to the hotel sector”, with benchmarks for sustainable guest rooms, reducing food waste, exploring sustainable finance, and employee training.
And the group said that the reduction of food waste is also a key area of priority for the region’s hotels – in October Accor said it was aiming for a 50 per cent reduction in food waste across its hotels by 2030 and has set up 200 pilot programmes to tackle the issue.
Commenting on the news Gary Rosen, CEO, Accor Greater China, said:
“The eco-certification process with China Hospitality Association helps us measure and manage our sustainability actions more effectively, moving us toward our long-term goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.”
“We are thankful for the support of our partners, such as China Hospitality Association, who share our commitment to making a difference. As we head into 2024, we will continue to find new and innovative ways of pushing forward toward our ultimate goal of achieving carbon neutrality.”
Image supplied by Accor