Source: RIU

Palma de Mallorca - RIU Hotels & Resorts continues to move forward with the Proudly Committed strategy after the circular economy plans in place at its hotels in the Balearic Islands have been certified by AENOR. The Riu Playa Park, Riu Concordia, Riu Bravo, Riu Festival and Riu San Francisco in Playa de Palma, as well as the Riu La Mola in Formentera, have received this certification.

This milestone is a great step forward in the chain’s commitment to sustainability and also represents a valuable opportunity for RIU to adapt these circular economy plans and implement them in the rest of the chain’s hotels, located in 21 countries on four continents (Africa, America, Asia and Europe), in line with the Proudly Committed strategy.

These plans are intended to instigate a profound transformation in the operation of the hotel industry, in accordance with Law 3/2022, of 15 June 2022, concerning urgent measures for the sustainability and circularity of tourism in the Balearic Islands. This endorsement from Spain's leading certification body goes beyond the legal requirements and makes this project an important step forward in the company’s global sustainability strategy.

One of the Proudly Committed strategy’s priority goals is to move towards a more circular business model. This AENOR certification, in addition to the Zero Food Waste certification we gained in early 2024, allows us to assess our model, analyse the results and propose continuous improvements so we can continue moving towards this goal, says Lola Trián Riu, Director of Sustainability at RIU Hotels, who adds that the Balearic Islands are the birthplace of large holiday hotels, and this model has been implemented worldwide. Now we have the chance to lead the way once again, this time by sustainably transforming the sector.

Ángel Luis Sánchez, director of the Mediterranean Region at AENOR, wanted to highlight the importance that companies like RIU Hotels, which are strongly rooted in society and have an enormous impact on the population, make an effort and undertake to protect the environment, adopt good corporate governance and benefit the local community of the Balearic Islands. The AENOR Circular Economy and recent Zero Food Waste certifications are proof that they are setting an example for locals and visitors alike on the islands.

The Mallorcan chain is committed to a model that minimises waste and maximises value by using resources efficiently and extending their useful life. This includes initiatives such as recirculating materials within hotels or converting biowaste produced in the company’s establishments into high-quality compost. This compost is used by local farmers, thereby promoting sustainable agriculture and the use of locally grown products in the hotel restaurant. The chain has another initiative in collaboration with the La Fiore glass factory to recycle glass. The hotel collects and sorts used bottles, which are then transformed into new artistic glass utensils by La Fiore. RIU then buys these objects to use in the hotels, thus closing the recycling cycle. The company also has several new initiatives in the pipeline.

RIU's circular economy plans for its hotels in the Balearic Islands include energy audits and consumption monitoring, renewable energy self-supply and the incorporation of energy efficiency and automation systems.

Based on the methodology of the Balearic Islands Tourism Strategy Agency (AETIB), these plans involve performing a circular evaluation, planning measures and goals and carrying out an internal analysis to help ensure that strategies are updated and in line with changing global circumstances. In order to achieve the goals, different indicators are defined along with the corresponding objectives and targets in priority areas of action, such as energy, water, materials and waste, responsible food purchasing, training, recruitment and awareness raising.

About AENOR

AENOR helps transform society by building trust between organisations and people through compliance assessment (certification, inspection and testing), training, information and business transformation consultancy services. Currently, more than 88,000 work centres hold one of AENOR's certifications in fields such as quality management, sustainability, verification of non-financial information, animal welfare, occupational health and safety, digitalisation or compliance.

AENOR is the most renowned certification body among businesses and consumers alike. It has in-house staff, which means that it is able to use the expertise it has gained over the years for the benefit of its clients, and it provides innovative solutions to new competitive gaps thanks to its proximity to knowledge sources. What’s more, it covers many sectors and locations.

AENOR is a global entity that currently operates in 87 countries. In Spain, it has in-house auditors based in a total of 19 offices covering all the Autonomous Communities. It also has a permanent presence in 12 other countries, mainly in Latin America and Europe.

About RIU Hotels & Resorts

The international RIU chain was founded in Mallorca by the Riu family in 1953 as a small holiday firm and is still owned by the family's third generation. The company specialises in holiday resorts and over 78% of its establishments offer its acclaimed All Inclusive by RIU service. With the inauguration of its first city hotel in 2010, RIU is expanding its range of products with its own line of city hotels called Riu Plaza. RIU Hotels & Resorts now has 97 hotels in 21 countries. In 2023, the chain welcomed 6,4 million guests and provided jobs for a total of 35,808 employees. RIU is currently the world's 36th ranked chain, one of the Caribbean's most popular, and the fourth largest in Spain in number of rooms.

For further information please visit: www.riu.com.

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