Responsible Business - Let's Take Responsibility

Taking responsibility for the environment and local community has been an important part of the broader commitment of the Rezidor Hotel Group to sustainable development for many years. In 2001, this commitment was fortified and placed within the scope of a programme called Responsible Business (RB). Each hotel has a unique RB Action Plan covering areas such as community outreach, cultural heritage, employee and children’s rights, health and safety, as well as environmental improvements.

The hotels are engaged with both local charity groups and the corporate international charity organisation supported by the Rezidor Hotel Group, the World Childhood Foundation. The mission of the foundation is to defend the rights of the child and promote better living conditions for vulnerable and exploited children all over the world.

The hotel is Green Leaf accredited and audited.

Community involvement:

• The hotel organises several actions for the benefit of community spirit.
• The hotel works closely with the Ikhaya Lothando Home for Boys, situated in a local community in Tembisa.

Waste generation control:

• Reduce - Hotel suppliers are asked to decrease the amount of packaging in their deliveries.
• Reuse - Furniture, bedding and equipment are donated to charity groups.
• Recycle - Paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, metal cans, oil, printer cartridges, batteries and metal hangers are recycled.

Energy efficiency:

• The hotel uses energy-efficient light bulbs.
• Elevators work with counter weight to reduce energy consumption.
• A general off/on switch controls lighting in guest rooms.

Security:

• Formula TRIC (threat assessment, risk evaluation, incident response) is implemented.
• Crisis management and communication are practiced.
• Staff is trained in first aid and the Heart Start defibrillator.
• Chief of Safety & Security managers are on duty and regular security trainings occur.

Other activities:

• Once a year, the hotel staff plants trees.
• Responsible Business is included in all job descriptions.

How guests can help:

• Donate unwanted items like toiletries, towels and clothes; simply leave them for the housekeeping staff or drop them off at the reception desk.
• Offset a stay as a Club Carlson member and help environmental projects in cooperation with a carbon-free company.
• Put used batteries in one of the hotel's battery boxes.
• Reuse towels.
• Save energy by switching off any appliances when they are not in use.

Why Responsible Business is important:

Preserving the environment has become increasingly important as more species of plants and animals become endangered or extinct. Half of the world's population lives on less than 2 USD per day, and by 2025, it is expected that food production will have to double to be able to feed the growing population. Companies like the Rezidor Hotel Group have the resources to make a change.