Responsible Business - Let's take responsibility

Taking responsibility for the environment and local community has been an important part of Rezidor's broader commitment 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, environmental improvement, employee well-being and health and safety. To read more about the RB programme, please go to www.responsiblebusiness.rezidor.com.

Our hotels are engaged with both local charity groups and Rezidor's corporate international charity organisation, the World Childhood Foundation. The mission of Childhood is to defend the rights of the child and to promote better living conditions for vulnerable and exploited children at risk all over the world.

Here are some of the Responsible Business activities and achievements of this hotel:

Reduce H&S Incidents

• We have tested the performance of our fire fighting and evacuation team by making 4 fire drills; they have handled the situation in a high responsible way
• 20 Food handlers have attended the Food Safety Management Training and 12 managers have attended the HACCP system Training that was conducted at Radisson Blu Resort, Sharm El Sheikh by the Hospitality Training Consultant certified by AH&LA in affiliation with the Egyptian Tourism Federation, the Egyptian Hotel Association, USAID and AH&LA.
• In February 2007, the RB Team celebrated the first crop of the Organic Orchard after their 3-month working in the designated land, where the Gardeners harvested the onions, watercress, wheat, corn, radish, mint and coriander corps, which will be used by the hotel kitchen. Potatoes were being tried also and shown a success. Therefore we will start putting the seeds for potatoes and tomatoes for the next corp. All the products are organically grown without any fertilizers and are supplied by the recycled water from the hotel rooms.

Employees - Increase Employee RB Awareness

• RB Newsletter and monthly activities are displayed at the staff notice board.
• 35 New hired employees have attended the introduction to RB program during their orientation induction meeting.

Reduce H&S Incidents

• In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, National Programme for Aids fighting, Family Health International organization, the hotel doctor arranged for a 2-hours HIV & Aids session in February 2007 at Radisson Blu Resort conducted by three doctors each representing the mentioned organizations and attended by 20 of the hotel staff and trainers. The session discussed the difference between the HIV and the Aids and how to implement Aids prevention and care awareness. By the end of the session the doctors distributed an informative pictorial book prepared by the Ministry of Health and the USAID.
• According to the RB action plan, the annual training according to the SOS manual was conducted by the Security Manager and the Industrial Safety Coordinator on 18th & 19th of March 2007. 21-employees including the Emergency Team, MOD's, front staff and Housing staff attended the two-days training, where they were trained on How to act in case of (fire, evacuation, bomb threat, robbery and sickness).

Foster a happy working environment

• As we all agree that input and efforts of our staff are highly crucial to our success and expansion we also believe that boosting their morale will make a major impact on their performance, which often links to staff retention. We continued over 2006 with the staff trips to the protected area in Nabq Bay, where they go after the working hours by the hotel bus and they can enjoy swimming, chatting, laughing, sharing preparing a BBQ meal and getting closer to each other and discover the treasures of the Nabq protected area.
• In August 2006, the RB Coordinator has conducted a training course for the RB Committee under the subject of "Using Team Work". The three hours training included 2 workshops, a role-play directed and played by the participants, and teamwork activities. The picture shows the participants when they were trying to think and work all together in order to solve a problem.
• In February 2007, the Management Team with the employees, who have accomplished their 5-years with the hotel have experienced an unforgettable desert safari. They covered their faces with the scarves and started to discover the desert while riding the quad bikes. They enjoyed a delicious BBQ dinner in a Bedouin Tent surrounded by the huge mountains of Sinai while watching the live show of the Egyptian folklore.

Environment - We love our planet

• "Use less water by using common sense" was our slogan for the Hotel Environment Action Month of 2006. Because we do believe that the future generation has their right to get their needs of the potable water, we decided to significantly reduce our water use by equipping the Staff Housing bathrooms with full bottle of water (0.75 litre) inside the toilet flush box, which represented a 35% savings per flush toilet and cut the indoor water consumption.
• We believe that ensuring the sustainability of Egypt as a tourist destination is of paramount importance. It is equally important to deliver a sustainable holiday to our guests. In view of this fact on December 04th, three of the hotel management team (HR Manager, Chief Engineer & RB Coordinator) have attended the Responsible Tourism Seminar that was conducted by the FTO and the Travel Foundation in Sharm El Sheikh. The seminar discussed the following topics (Successful Environmental Management for Tourism Businesses, Reducing Energy & Water related costs, Building better Employer-Employee relationships, and Ensuring that the Local Community benefits from Tourism). At the end of the seminar the hotel has received a certificate of attendance.
• In affiliation with the Environment Affairs Agency - Department of Natural Protectorates under the Egyptian Cabinet, the hotel has organised 2-days marine environment workshop for all the Recreation staff regarding; natural wealth in South Sinai & Red Sea, hurtful elements and the Egyptian law & fines if violation. Our employees have successfully passed the quiz and they were awarded certificates signed by the Deputy Manager of South Sinai Protectorates and Nabq Protectorate Manager.
• Every Friday, around 15 employees from the Housekeeping department meet early in the morning to start an environmental day as a part of their commitment towards the local environment. In the picture: The environment lovers team from the Housekeeping department after they collected 12 bags of tissues, stones, cigarette butts and dry leaves.
• After coordination with the in-house children and their parents, on April 22nd, 2007 we were celebrated the Earth Day at 11:00 AM at the Hotel Beach. Six children (different nationalities & ages) were there with their digging and watering cans. The Chief Gardner and his team were also there with the required tree, seeds, tools & gloves. Mr. Glanzmann the General Manager joined the children in digging the hole and planting the tree. A group photos were taken after we placed a wooden sign beside the tree having the children names on it, and at the end a thank you card was handed out by the General Manager and the RB Coordinator to the participant children. The parents were standing around their children admiring their agricultural skills and giving them applause.

Community
Extend our Support to the people in need

• As winter season has just started and to protect those in need from the cold weather, on November 01st, 2006 Radisson Blu Resort, Sharm El Sheikh has donated the unused staff uniform to the Red Crescent organization in South Sinai, who will distribute these clothes to the people in need in El Tour City. The donated clothes were 331 pieces mix of shirts, T-shirts and trousers in a good condition "washed, pressed and packed". Red Crescent has awarded the hotel a medal of recognition for our continuous contribution. In the picture: staff members with the Red Crescent team in front of the hotel entrance.
• In December 2006, and before ending our partnership with "Save The Children" organisation, we have collected and transferred an amount of LE 5,760 to this organisation before we start our support to different organisation.