CSR and Sustainability

📆 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.

🍺 Beyond Belief Brewing Co, a sustainable brewery, will offer its Zenith Pasta IPA in 400 Sainsbury's stores nationwide from June 16. Their innovative process replaces 50% of traditional malt with surplus pasta, reducing food waste and saving 1.35L of water per liter of beer. The 440ml can is priced at £3.25 with 5% ABV. The brewery collaborates with Dell’Ugo and aims to expand using other waste, like bakery products, for new brews.

📍 Scandic Hotels plans to open a new hotel in Uppsala's Södra City district by Q2 2028. The hotel will feature amenities like a 100-square-meter gym and a large restaurant, and aims for LEED Platinum and Nordic Swan Ecolabel certifications. Construction starts in autumn 2025. The development, part of a mixed-use building, aligns with Scandic’s Nordic expansion strategy and aims to benefit from Uppsala's growth as Sweden's fourth-largest hotel market.

🌎 2023 report shows 69% of travelers seek sustainable options, with 56% of Gen Z willing to pay more for eco-friendly travel. Hotels are urged to adapt by using data for targeting eco-conscious travelers and collaborating with green agencies. Strategies include promoting eco-credentials, transparency, and on-property sustainability efforts. This shift aligns with growing demand for responsible tourism amidst climate change, offering a competitive advantage in the hospitality industry.

🏨 The ibis budget Madrid Albasanz is a new hotel asset in the MADBIT district, a fast-growing innovation hub in Madrid. Located 30 minutes from the city center, it caters to business and leisure travelers. The hotel features sustainable designs like photovoltaic panels and centralized air conditioning. Extendam and DG Invest emphasize affordability with various room types, parking, and a terrace. This marks their 10th Spanish hotel, meeting the rising demand for budget accommodation.

🐝 Wild Boar Estate, near Windermere, initiated beekeeping to aid its 72-acre land's ecosystem. By summer, each of the three hives hosts up to 60,000 bees, contributing to pollination and honey production. Managed by General Manager Adam Bujok and apiarist Jackie Kerr, the team ensures hive health and plans to use honey in a microbrewery. The project supports sustainability and offers honey for guests. Busy seasons span late spring to early summer, with hive checks continuing year-round.