Accor Greater China partners with China Hospitality Association for Green Hotel Certifications
The eco-certification program will build awareness for sustainable tourism while supporting Accor's efforts in environmental transformation throughout the region
Accor Greater China announced a new partnership with China Hospitality Association (CHA) for the purpose of designating its hotels across the country with Green Hotel Certification, in line with national standards.Accor is the first international hotel company in China to sign a network-wide sustainable certification agreement with CHA. The initiative will provide consistent, reliable, and independently audited information on Accor’s hotel operations, while helping consumers to make more eco-friendly travel choices. The signing ceremony between Accor and China Hospitality Association took place on November 29, 2023 at the 8th China International Hotel Industry Conference in Haikou, Hainan Province.
As a hospitality leader, Accor is actively engaged in working with our partners to make China a more sustainable and healthier place to live, work, and explore. Our guests and Chinese travelers appreciate these efforts as their expectations for sustainable tourism continue to grow. 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. Gary Rosen, CEO, Accor Greater China
The Green Hotel Certification process will 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. China Hospitality Association will also support Accor’s hotels with professional training, consultation and guidance to continuously improve the capabilities and efficiencies of their operations. Accor hotels in China will thus deepen their commitment to conservation practices, environmental protection, and creating safe and healthy atmospheres.
We are proud to work with Accor Greater China as its preferred certification partner and we look forward to supporting the group with its continued efforts to make positive and influential contributions to the environment and society. With the implementation of our professional Green Hotel Certification standards, Accor is proving its leadership of the tourism industry and setting an excellent example of environmental and corporate responsibility. Chen Xinhua, President, China Hospitality Association
The eco-certification of its hotels is an important step along Accor’s path toward sustainable transformation in Greater China and across the industry in which it operates. Earlier this year, Accor collaborated with Trip.com and McKinsey & Company to publish an educational white paper, “The Path Toward Eco-friendly Travel in China”, which sets out a series of actions for supporting the sector’s journey towards a net positive model. Accor also formed an unprecedented 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.
Meanwhile at its hotels, Accor Greater China is currently engaged in numerous operational efforts designed to reduce carbon emissions. Currently, hotels are implementing an industry-first biodegradable and environmentally friendly solution that replaces disposable plastic bottles of toiletries in hotels, while continuing to identify more opportunities for plastic elimination throughout the guest experience. The reduction of food waste is also a key area of priority for the region’s hotels, along with initiatives to shift thinking and encourage greater environmental sensitivity in the mindsets of guests and employees.
We are thankful for the support of our partners, such as China Hospitality Association, who share our commitment to making a difference,
said Mr Rosen. 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.
Accor is fully supporting its 5,500 hotels in obtaining external sustainable certifications. Through a combination of global and local partnerships, Accor will reach the target of 100% of its network eco-certified by 2026.
About Accor, a world-leading hospitality group
Accor is a world leading hospitality group offering experiences across more than 110 countries, over 5,700 properties, 10,000 food & beverage venues, wellness facilities or flexible workspaces. The Group has one of the industry's most diverse hospitality ecosystems, encompassing more than 45 hotel brands from luxury to economy, as well as Lifestyle with Ennismore. Accor is focused on driving positive action through business ethics, responsible tourism, environmental sustainability, community engagement, diversity, and inclusivity. Founded in 1967, Accor SA is headquartered in France and publicly listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and on the OTC Market (Ticker: ACCYY) in the United States. For more information, please visit group.accor.com or follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok.
