CSR and Sustainability

📈 Who? Nicolò Rolle, CCO of Lybra Tech (Zucchetti Group), questions the sustainability practices in the hotel industry. What? He highlights issues like "eco-branding" and the need for operational changes over mere certifications. How? By adopting energy and water efficiency, minimizing food waste, smarter staffing, and ethical procurement. Why? To ensure sustainability is integral to operations rather than just a marketing tactic. Challenges include short-term focus, fragmented tech, and transparency fears.

✈️ Since 1 June 2025, Lufthansa Group partners with Airbus to implement the 'Sustainable Corporate Value Fare' for all employee flights within Germany. This initiative allows Airbus to offset up to 30% of CO₂ emissions using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). This collaboration, which began in early 2024, aims to enhance sustainability in business travel. Lufthansa Group offers various options, including SAF bulk deals, to help companies invest in sustainable aviation.

🌎 Jun 27, 2025, Meliá Hotels International was recognized as the most sustainable hotel company in Europe and second globally by TIME and Statista's 2025 sustainability index. Evaluated against over 5,000 global companies through 20+ ESG benchmarks, Meliá stands among the top 20 Spanish firms. It also ranks as the 3rd most sustainable tourism brand globally per S&P Global and leads Merco's ESG ranking in Spain, emphasizing its comprehensive integration of sustainability in operations.

📊 November 2023, SilverDoor launches a free Carbon Calculator covering 20,000 units across 27 countries. Demand for sustainability data rises, with clients prioritizing accommodations offering carbon emissions reporting. The tool helps analyze carbon footprints, comparing emissions from serviced apartments versus hotels using Cornell's Benchmarking Index. Clients can view CO2e data, explore savings, and assess sustainability features. Siân Ellis, Sustainable Procurement Lead, highlights emissions data as vital for Scope 3 reporting and business operations.

📆 2025 Forum, Oxford Belfry: Record attendance with 18 exhibitors and 80+ delegates from 25 organizations. Trending in tableware: seaside blue, sage green, and sustainability. Despite early 2025 economic challenges, optimism rises. Q1 was slow for orders, but summer shows improvement. LET Forum Awards, May 20th, raised £1,500 for Hospitality Action. FEA, organizer, represents nearly 200 companies in foodservice equipment.

📍 London, 2025: The Wesley, a London-based hotel group, secures Green Key Accreditation for its commitment to sustainability. Evaluated on 13 aspects, including energy and waste management, they also achieved two Carbon Certifications for reducing emissions and staff engagement. The Wesley operates two central London hotels: The Wesley Euston, with 100 rooms, and The Wesley Camden, a 38-room boutique, opened in December 2022 after an £11 million conversion.

🏨 Amadeus partnered with WSHA in April, launching a pilot Employability Program in India with Kherwadi, targeting 200 underprivileged youth in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi. The initiative, operational in India, Egypt, and Sri Lanka, has empowered over 6,000 young people with hospitality skills. Amadeus contributes financially and through employee volunteering, mentoring, and software training. WSHA, with 66,000 hotels and 300 brands, aims for a "Net Positive" hospitality sector.

🏨 In Lille, Oceania Hotels transformed a historic Art Deco bank into the Hotel & Spa Oceania Les Augustins 4*. This first low-carbon hotel in Lille features 87 rooms and an 8x4m stainless steel pool. It received the BBCA low-carbon label, using local flax insulation and reusing materials. The spa retains original vault safes, and the restaurant, led by Jayson Clément, serves sustainable dishes. The hotel includes coworking spaces and modular meeting rooms.

🏆 Accor, in October 2024 in Paris, celebrated the Olympics with a bold marketing initiative by having gold medalist Kauli Vaast surf on the Seine under the Eiffel Tower, just three days post his Tahiti win. This 36-hour event, supported by the Games Organising Committee and Paris, garnered over 5 million views worldwide, aligning with Accor's values. Additionally, OKKO Hotels partnered with Ameublement Français to launch sustainable room designs, while The People Hostels & We Love Green festival collaboration reached 8.3 million people.