IHG Hotels & Resorts has unveiled a new corporate and social responsibility programme called Journey to Tomorrow.
The group said the commitments it was making as part of the ten-year programme would “make a positive difference for our people, communities and planet over the next decade”.
The commitments include:
- Implementing a 2030 science-based target that delivers 15 per cent absolute reduction in carbon emissions from direct operations and a 46 per cent per square metre reduction in franchise operations;
- Targeting 100 per cent new build hotels to operate at very low/zero carbon emissions
- Achieving a gender balance and a doubling of under-represented groups across its leadership;
- Supporting employees to prioritise their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of others;
- Eliminating single use items, or move to reusable or recyclable alternatives;
- Minimising food going to waste through a “prevent, donate, divert” plan.
IHG’s CEO, Keith Barr, said: “Journey to Tomorrow embodies IHG’s strengthened commitment to make sure we do what’s right, not just what’s needed. We want every IHG stakeholder to see that we’re on a journey to be successful in every sense of the word, and we are determined to contribute towards positive social and economic change, to stand up for key issues such as diversity, equity and inclusion, and human rights, and to make more responsible environmental choices."
As part of the programme, IHG commissioned a global study of around 9,000 adults. The survey found that 82 per cent said it is important to choose a hotel brand that operates responsibly and would spend an average of 31 per cent per night more on accommodation that meets this need.
The poll also found that 60 per cent of respondents said that the pandemic has made them more socially and environmentally conscious about their impact on the world when travelling.