CSR and Sustainability

🍴 Since opening in 2014 at HMP Brixton, The Clink Restaurant and Bakery has trained over 400 prisoners, awarding 235 City & Guilds NVQ qualifications, and significantly reducing reoffending rates. Housed in a historic 1819 building, it offers seasonal British cuisine and high-quality baked goods. The venue received a "Highly Commended" rating from the AA Rosette for two years. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, it continues to transform lives through hospitality education. Bookings are essential.

🤷‍♀️ Women in travel tech are underrepresented, with only 26% in the workforce and 11% in executive roles. RateGain, at a recent Barcelona panel, highlighted systemic barriers and launched initiatives like “SheLeads,” certifying 15 women. They propose removing bias from applications, challenging unconscious bias, and fostering allyship, noting that ally-friendly workplaces see a 50% reduction in employee turnover. Leadership diversity is seen as beneficial for innovation and business success.

📈 2021: Essendi, formerly AccorInvest, began a transformation process, leading to a name change from AccorInvest to Essendi. A shareholder, Accor, is set to exit as planned. The company is focusing on holistic value creation by dynamically increasing asset value, renovating and rebranding hotels, and enhancing the customer experience. Emphasis is also placed on ESG issues, which form the foundation of Essendi's strategy. This transformation process aims for long-term success.

🏨 Motel One Paris-Porte de Versailles opens with 347 rooms near the Porte de Versailles exhibition center, featuring Art Deco design and Charles Levalet's illustrations. The hotel offers a rooftop Skybar, three meeting rooms for up to 12, and a lounge for co-working. Sustainability efforts include green electricity and refillable dispensers. Opened in 2018, it joins the Porte Dorée location, with a Nice property planned for 2027. The brand focuses on international expansion and inclusivity initiatives.

🌎 Ten leading European tourism and travel organizations convened in Gothenburg, Sweden, on July 8, 2025, for the Rhodes Forum. They emphasized sustainability and climate action, aiming for a climate-neutral tourism sector by 2050. Discussions included support for MSMEs, better EU legislation, and easier funding access. Gothenburg's sustainable urban model was highlighted. Key events were strategic workshops, case studies, and site visits, like Liseberg Park. The forum reaffirmed the industry's commitment to tackling climate challenges and promoting public-private partnerships.

📈 Neil Jacobs led Six Senses to expand from 8 to 27 hotels, with 38 more in development, including locations like Bhutan and the Caribbean. In 2019, he facilitated its $300 million acquisition by IHG Hotels & Resorts. He championed sustainability, introducing local food sourcing, plastic-free practices, and biophilic design. Six Senses Place, a social wellness club, will open in London this year. Neil plans a new venture, focusing on innovative ideas in hospitality.

🌎 Trip.com Group has launched a feature providing carbon emissions data for major travel services, supporting sustainable travel goals. In 2024, the company facilitated over 100 million sustainable travel orders and produced 457 MWh of clean electricity. The Country Retreat Programme expanded to 34 sites, creating 40,000 job opportunities and boosting incomes by USD 5,500. Women represent 57.1% of the workforce, with 32.7% in senior roles. The company targets carbon neutrality by 2050.

✈️ EcoCeres and British Airways signed a multi-year deal to supply sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 400,000 metric tonnes. This equates to flying 240,000 passengers between London and New York. EcoCeres will use 100% waste-based biomass feedstock. By 2030, British Airways aims to power 10% of flights with SAF. In 2024, SAF comprised 2.7% of their fuel use, contributing to a 13% reduction in carbon intensity since 2019.