Radisson Hotel Group’s 2021 Responsible Business Report outlines its latest sustainability targets in line with its strategic five-year plan. These include the company's commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, accelerating the implementation of the cross-industry Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality and Hotel Sustainability Basics initiative.
Radisson Hotel Group has its set science-based emission reduction targets and strengthened its performance with a net-zero carbon future in sight by 2050. This includes a long-term, science-based target to reach net zero value chain GHG emissions by no later than 2050, in line with the SBTi Net-Zero Standard. Radisson Hotel Group will be part of the Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign and will join the UNFCCC Race to Zero campaign as part of a globally coordinated effort to reach the goal of net zero.
Sustainable Efforts
In 2021, the group reduced its carbon footprint by 23 percent per square meter and reduced 13 percent of its water footprint per square meter (vs. 2019). In line with the group’s renewable energy transition strategy, more than 56 properties run 100 percent on renewable electricity. In 2021, Radisson Hotel Group properties were equipped with more than 500 electric car charging stations in partnership with Allego, Sunfuel and other global partners. Radisson Meetings are 100 percent carbon neutral, and offsetting 37,800 tons of carbon since 2019.
Following the launch and implementation of the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol across the full portfolio, 100 percent of eligible hotels have completed the third-party validation by SGS to ensure the latest safety protocols were in place and implemented correctly. To date, 133 hotels remain certified by Safehotels, a safety and security certification company.
More than 28,500 people have been provided with access to safe drinking water and hygiene solutions via water aid partner, Just A Drop, in countries like India. Radisson Hotel Group has supported 12 environmental and social carbon offsetting projects in China, India, Peru, USA, Turkey, and Borneo through its industry-leading 100 percent Carbon Neutral Meetings initiative.
Alliances
Radisson Hotel Group is a member of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and is playing a key role in the development of the Hotel Sustainability Basics in cooperation with the WTTC. The objective of the initiative is to create consistency across the industry and provide clear-to-recognize, easy-to-implement, and meaningful steps to improve sustainability at any given hotel. The Basics Framework will raise the global starting level of hotel sustainability in a transparent and easy-to-understand manner for all travelers and stakeholders.
The group reaffirmed its ongoing focus on human rights, business ethics and diversity in hotels worldwide by issuing its sixth slavery and human trafficking statement and by increasing the number of women in leadership roles to 29 percent. Radisson Hotel Group continued to expand its online Learning and Development initiatives in partnership with hospitality training provider, Typsy, which resulted in a 120 percent increase in training hours in 2021 versus 2020. Radisson Hotel Group was recognized by Forbes as the #4 Best Employer in the Travel & Leisure industry, highlighting the group’s dedication to its employees and note-worthy distinction as a leading employer of choice.
Team members volunteered more than 26,500 hours and donated more than €510,000 to charitable causes, including SOS Children’s Villages, the Group’s global charity partner.
“While net zero by 2050 seems far away, we need to take action immediately," said Inge Huijbrechts, global SVP of sustainability, security and corporate communications, Radisson Hotel Group, in a statement. "Our world needs Responsible Businesses now more than ever, and we need to accelerate global climate action by 2030 in order to ensure a livable future for both our people and our planet. Much needed progress can be made by taking everyone in the hospitality value chain on the sustainability journey by setting increasingly ambitious sustainability goals. We are proud to be playing a leadership role in the development of the Hotel Sustainability Basics, which will launch later this year to establish a common industry framework to grow sustainable travel. Together with our new Build Planet guidelines to develop sustainable hotel asset portfolios, these are essential step-changes that need to be made on the route to net zero.”