CSR and Sustainability

🚿 In the UK, hospitality linen services used 100 tonnes of plastic weekly, with only 9% recycled. The Textile Services Association (TSA), UKHospitality (UKH), and the UK Housekeepers Association (UKHA) are working to eliminate single-use plastics in linen processing by 2025. As of 2023, 83% of TSA members have reduced plastics, and 40% offer plastic-free linen delivery. Expected reductions include 12,480 tonnes of carbon emissions and 4,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually. Premier Inn has achieved a 50% reduction in plastic use.

🏦 The Landmark London, a five-star hotel in Marylebone, wins Best Companies Award 2024 for the 10th consecutive year, ranking as the top hotel to work for in the UK. Recognized as third Best Large Company in the UK, second in London, and top three in the Wellbeing category. In 2023, the hotel donated £22,000 to Debra charity. Introduced a four-day work week for chefs with increased pay in early 2022. Launched VIPerks, an employee benefits platform, in April 2024. 90% of staff commend the hotel's strong social conscience, while 97% feel appreciated by their managers.

💸 Kimpton Fitzroy London's Christmas campaign "Never Wanted To Leave" starts on 19th November, supporting Coram, UK's oldest children's charity, raising awareness for the 12,000 UK care leavers facing adulthood annually. The campaign features a guestbook with accounts from young care leavers and a foreword by Actor Peter Capaldi. Visitors can donate by buying a £25 Christmas bauble, directly benefiting Coram. The hotel aligns its Christmas celebrations with community support, inviting guests to engage and contribute to the cause.

🏫 Blenheim Palace and Pye Homes ranked 78th on the UK's Best Large Companies to Work For 2024 list. They also placed 49th for the South East and 14th in Leisure and Hospitality's Best Companies to Work 2024. This achievement fulfills one of their 10-year goals three years early. In 2017, they set goals including becoming a Top 100 UK employer and contributing to local development and green energy. CEO Dominic Hare and People Director Megan Carter credit their team's passion and commitment for the early success.

🌊 Dhawa Ihuru celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Rannamaari shipwreck in October, marking its transformation into a thriving artificial reef since sinking in 1999. Events ran from 4th to 6th October, featuring exclusive shipwreck dives, freediving, treasure hunts, an underwater photography contest, stone carving workshops, yoga sessions, marine conservation talks, and folklore performances. The wreck, a symbol of marine conservation, is rich with coral growth and marine species, illustrating the success of artificial reefs.

🏠 Hospitality Action's 2024 Winter Online Auction, in partnership with Square, runs from November 18 to December 2, featuring over 49 lots. Highlights include a seven-course meal for six at The Ritz, a stay at The Savoy Hotel, and a spa experience at The Swan at Lavenham. A £10 raffle offers afternoon tea at The Prince Akatoki London. Funds support hospitality workers amid the cost of living crisis. Bidding starts at 10 am on November 18 and concludes at 2 pm on December 2.

🏡 Ken and Pam Cruse, co-founders of Soul Community Planet - SCP Hotels, aim to redefine hospitality with a focus on sustainability, wellness, and community. SCP's regenerative hospitality model emphasizes a values-based approach and has developed into a social enterprise that prioritizes stakeholders, specifically customers, local communities, and the planet, over immediate profitability. They maintain a high direct booking rate of 65%, despite having only 10 hotels, attributed to customer satisfaction and word-of-mouth referrals.SCP aspires to a net promoter score (NPS) of 75, indicating a high level of guest satisfaction and advocacy. SCP's integrated structure owns the real estate, management, and brand, allowing for consistent values while adapting to the uniqueness of each market. SCP's first property was a vintage motel in Southern Colorado Springs, but they found more success with nature-based resorts and small town downtown boutique hotels. SCP was established in 2018, and the Cruses met in graduate school in Washington D.C., and both worked for Marriott International post-graduation. Ken's career in hospitality was influenced by his involvement in a basketball group at Marriott, which led to key opportunities, including the acquisition of the Renaissance brand. Pam's career shifted from Marriott to USA Today, enhancing her focus on marketing and consumer psychology. SCP's holistic hospitality concept ties in with the Global Wellness Institute's definition of wellness, including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental dimensions