CSR and Sustainability

🌏 Preferred Travel Group, in partnership with the Travel Foundation, launches a Climate Action Plan to cut carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and reach Net Zero by 2050. Key pathways are Measure, Decarbonize, Regenerate, Collaborate, and Finance. A baseline emissions inventory and a situation analysis kick-start the plan, with objectives aligned to the Paris Agreement and Glasgow Declaration. By 2025, the company aims to implement operational actions and strategic initiatives to reduce its environmental impact, focusing on business travel and events to tackle Scope 3 emissions.

🌎 Preferred Travel Group, in partnership with the Travel Foundation and ecollective, launched its Climate Action Plan to cut its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and reach Net Zero by 2050. Building on the Glasgow Declaration, the plan follows five pathways: Measure, Decarbonize, Regenerate, Collaborate, and Finance. The company conducted a baseline emissions inventory, set objectives aligned with the Paris Agreement and Glasgow Declaration, and prioritized actions for strategic implementation. By 2025, priorities include enhancing emissions tracking and refining travel and event policies to reduce Scope 3 emissions.

🏆 The Charitable Endeavour Awards at the FEA conference on November 20 recognized extraordinary charitable support in the foodservice and hospitality sectors. Unox won the company category, raising £22,000 for the Burnt Chef Project with a 150kg combi oven carried to Ben Nevis. Lockhart Catering Equipment won the team category by cycling from London to Paris in 24 hours, raising £7,725 for Duchenne muscular dystrophy research. Marc Sumner, who organized the Feast FC football match, won the group category, raising £3,000 for the Milly-Rose Stirrup Foundation. Andy Kershaw won the individual award by raising £14,000 for the Marston’s Charitable Foundation and The Sam Myatt Memorial through a London to Paris bike ride.

🎄 Kimpton Fitzroy London launches 2024 Christmas festivities including a perk-filled package and merry menus. The "Kimpton All The Way" package offers a luxurious welcome with Champagne, a restful night in a prime room, and breakfast. Festive menus feature courses like roasted turkey roulade and slow-cooked beef shin, with dessert options such as Christmas pudding and baked Alaska. The Never Wanted to Leave campaign supports UK’s children charity, Coram, with a reimagined guest book and bauble purchase for £25 aiding the charity. A 16-foot Christmas tree and lavish decorations by Steven Duggan Events enhance the holiday ambiance.

💰 Choice Hotels International, Inc. announced the 2024 "Your Community, Your Choice" grant program recipients in North Bethesda, Maryland, marking the program's fifth anniversary. Since 2019, over 70 hotels in the U.S. have aided local nonprofits through $275,000 in donations. Grants support various causes such as food security, veteran aid, abuse victim aid, education, and animal welfare. Nonprofits are nominated by Choice hotels with community ties to the organizations' missions. Additional Choice Hotels community involvement includes partnerships with the American Red Cross, Operation Homefront, and sustainability initiatives like Room to be Green.

🚿 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.

🛡️ Eco-friendly lighting and energy-efficient appliances are key to enhancing hotel sustainability. Solar panels offer renewable energy and may provide financial incentives. Sustainable kitchen equipment, like energy-efficient refrigerators with LED lighting, IoT-enabled sensors, and eco-friendly refrigerants such as R-290 and R-600a, reduce energy use and environmental impact. Low-flow faucets and water recycling systems conserve water. Recycled or upcycled furnishings, green cleaning products, and smart room technologies that adjust energy use based on occupancy further support sustainability efforts. These measures can decrease operational costs and attract eco-conscious guests, contributing to long-term success in the hospitality industry.

🏥 Harris Rosen, founder of Rosen Hotels & Resorts, passed away at 85. Vice president Frank Santos announced his death, highlighting Rosen's philanthropy in education, health, and fighting cancer. Rosen was revered by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) for his contributions to the hotel industry and his philanthropic work. His generosity founded the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida, recently ranked first nationally for five consecutive years. A private Celebration of Life will be held by the family.