Radisson is the first hotel chain to make meetings and events carbon negative

The Radisson Hotel Group has shared some of its most significant responsible initiatives for 2021.

Radisson Collection Hotel in Georgia

In 2019, the Green Key partner had already set high standards for sustainability after deciding to offset the carbon footprint for every meeting and event from its hotels at a global level. In 2021, the Radisson group achieved a new benchmark by offsetting twice the CO2 emissions from all the events and meetings across more than 400 hotels in their EMEA portfolio, becoming the first hotel chain in the world to make its events and meetings carbon negative. According to the hotel group, the initiative that started in 2019 has allowed for offsetting more than 30,000 tons of CO2, equivalent to taking more than 6,500 fuel-powered cars off the road.

Among other responsible initiatives, the Radisson Hotel Group has also developed two new partnerships that reinforce its position as a green mobility leader. The new collaborations with pan-European Allego and the Indian Sunfuel focus on bringing new electric vehicle options and stations across Radisson establishments in Europe and India. Furthermore, the Group has also compromised to reduce the surplus food from all of its hotels across Europe in an effort to reduce food waste.

At a global level, the Radisson Hotel Group is also one of the 25,000 hotels worldwide that support the creation of the Basic Sustainability Framework, currently being developed by the WTTC and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. This new framework will be announced in March 2022, and it aims to provide shared knowledge about sustainability and sustainable practices in hotels across the world.

With a new year ahead, the Global Senior Vice President Sustainability, Security and Corporate Communications for Radisson Hotel Group, Inge Huijbrechts, has reinforced the importance of continuing to develop responsible initiatives in Radisson hotels in 2022:

“[…] Sustainability is a top priority for our industry and our customers. At Radisson Hotel Group, we continue to work on our roadmap to Net Zero and are proud of the milestones we have realized in a challenging year for our industry. 2021 marked an opportunity to harness our focus on responsible business initiatives for both our Group and collectively for the hospitality industry. We look forward to another year of establishing strong strategic partnerships as we all work towards a responsible recovery and return of travel”.

More details of Radisson Hotel Group’s achievements can be read here.

First Green Key awarded hotel in Nigeria

Green Key is pleased to announce that the first establishment in Nigeria, the Radisson Blu Hotel Lagos Ikeja, has been awarded the Green Key!

The team of the Radisson Blu Hotel Lagos Ikeja proudly presenting their Green Key award.

Green Key keeps growing on the African continent, our newest member being the Radisson Blu Hotel Lagos Ikeja in Nigeria.

As a safe and healthy environment is top priority to the hotel, achieving the Green Key award has been a milestone in its sustainability work.

To name a few of the hotel’s initiatives, it is working in partnership with the cleaning product company Diversey and SOS Children Villages to recycle soap in the frame of the “Soap for Hope” programme, an initiative to reuse unfinished soap bars from hotels. Children and caretakers in the SOS Children Villages learn how to recycle them and distribute the new soap bars in their community. Furthermore, the hotel has several initiatives to reduce its water consumption. Guests are asked to reuse their towel and bed linen through the “Just a Drop” initiative, low-flow shower heads and taps restrict the water flow and the hotel’s main water tanks is installed with a water float switch to stop spillage when full. In addition, the use of filtration and purification systems for the pool and fountains help the hotel to conserve and reuse water. In total, these practices save the hotel about 80m3 of water daily.

 “We as a hotel are proud to be Green Key certified, showing that we are part of the leading standard of excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operations within the tourism and hospitality industry”

- Lovina Onyinye Ozoagu, Assistant Human Resources Manager

New global Responsible Business training programme for Radisson Hotel Group

Since the launch of its first environmental policy in 1989, Green Key partner Radisson Hotel Group never stopped paying attention to its commitment to sustainable development

Known as “Living and Leading Responsible Business”, the new Responsible Business training programme is set to be rolled out worldwide over the next 16 months. First launched in 2001, the existing Responsible Business training programme has been revamped by a global and cross-departmental team as part of a five-year strategic plan.

The new global Responsible Business training programme provides team members in the near 100 countries where the group operates with the tools they need to drive standards and best practices. Training pilots have been completed to identify how the programme can help driving Responsible Business in every hotel and corporate offices. Moreover, all the participants have the opportunity to know how to put it into practice since the programme is available in 21 languages. Radisson Hotel Group aims to have trained its 1 100+ hotels in operation by the end of 2020.

Our responsibility for People, Community and Planet is borderless, so global alignment on our Responsible Business program is a key driver for Radisson Hotel Group. The new Responsible Business training program aims to engage and align all our team members – helping them to have a stronger impact on our group targets, as well as global efforts to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development goals.”

- Sven Wiltink, Director Responsible Business EMEA and Training Project Lead

This new strategy consists of two pillars: Living Responsible Business and Leading Responsible Business. On the one hand, all hotel team members are invited to follow classroom training. The latter deals with ethics, diversity, inclusion, community support, footprint reduction and sorting waste. More sensitive topics can also be evocated such as sex trafficking and forced labour. On the other hand, an e-learning tool permits group and hotel leaders to discover how Responsible Business can be integrated into all company departments. This part of the programme deals with footprint reduction, youth employability, responsible recruitment and sourcing, such as human rights.

This new Responsible Business training programme is such an inspiring strategy for hospitality establishments which want to be part of a more responsible and sustainable industry.

Radisson Hotel Group launches new meetings and events offering

Green Key’s hotel chain partner Radisson Hotel Group is proud to launch Radisson Meetings™, its new global meetings and events offering. Available across the group’s seven hotel brands, Radisson Meetings is developed around the three core elements of successful events – Personal, Professional and Memorable – while being 100% carbon neutral through offsetting.

Meetings and events play an important part in Radisson Hotel Group’s ambitious five-year plan. The launch of Radisson Meetings represents an important milestone in reaching its goal of becoming the market leader in this segment and customers’ first choice for their meetings and events. 

Eric De Neef, Executive Vice President & Global Chief Commercial Officer, Radisson Hotel Group, said: 

“Radisson Meetings represents our commitment to deliver a personal, professional and memorable service to our guests, and to respond to changing market trends and expectations. We are investing in our meeting venues at our 1,100+ hotels worldwide, in training of our teams, and in technology. A state-of-the-art IT infrastructure and distribution platform are core elements helping us to deliver our brand promise. Finally, all Radisson Meetings are carbon neutral – we are the only hotel group worldwide to automatically offset any carbon footprint at no cost to our customers.”

THE FOUNDATIONS 

Placing customer needs at the heart of its offer, Radisson Meetings is built on three core pillars: personal, professional and memorable.

Radisson Meetings makes every meeting personal through its team of meetings and events professionals, who are trained to take a solution-focused approach and to design solutions around each client’s individual requirements. Excellent customer service is one of the factors that matters most to event planners when selecting a venue. That is why Radisson Meetings promises a dedicated point of contact throughout the planning process who will provide support and recommendations, as well as on-site on-demand support at the touch of a button during the event.

Radisson Hotel Group is committed to making a multi-million investment across its portfolio in new audio-visual technology and improved facilities. This investment will help the group deliver on its promise to provide a professional and consistent quality service across its entire portfolio. Implementation has already been completed in 55 properties across 11 countries in EMEA and will be progressively rolled out globally across the group's portfolio by the end of the five-year operating plan in 2021.

To help event planners deliver memorable events for their attendees, Radisson Meetings provides an impressive portfolio of venues, tempting menus and other extras that will surprise and delight. 

With the launch of Radisson Meetings, Radisson Hotel Group automatically offsets the carbon footprint of every meeting or event taking place at their hotels worldwide, at no cost to attendees or organizers. To do this, Radisson Hotel Group has teamed up with FirstClimate, one of the largest carbon offsetting organizations in the world. 

For each meeting, the carbon footprint is calculated and then offset through First Climate by supporting projects that combat climate change and have a positive sustainable development contribution in Peru, Kenya, and India or invest in wind energy in Turkey and the USA. All selected projects are Gold Standard or Verified Carbon Standard certified. Furthermore, Radisson Meetings focus on ongoing efforts to minimize food waste and eliminate single-use plastics. 

Radisson Rewards for Business, the group’s loyalty program for event planners, is also an important component of the Radisson Meetings concept. Members can earn valuable points toward rewards for all bookings at all Radisson Hotel Group brands.

For more information, please visit: 

https://www.radissonmeetings.com

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group changes name to Radisson Hotel Group and announces the new brand, Radisson Collection

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group announced its rebranding to Radisson Hotel Group, effective immediately, at the International Hotel Investment Forum in Berlin, and the newly rebranded Hotel Group has announced its new brand, Radisson Collection

Radisson Hotel Group’s new identity leverages the powerful, international brand equity of the Radisson name to drive awareness in the marketplace, increase marketing efficiency across the global portfolio and offer exceptional experiences to make Every Moment Matter for guests, owners and talent. “Every Moment Matters” will be the new signature service philosophy of the company and all its hotel brands.

Radisson Hotel Group capitalizes on a strong partnership between Radisson Hospitality, Inc. (formerly Carlson Hotels, Inc.) and Rezidor Hotel Group AB (headquartered in Brussels, Belgium) who has master franchise agreements to develop and operate several brands across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The newly rebranded Radisson Hotel Group has also announced “Radisson Collection”, a premium collection of exceptional hotels in landmark locations bringing together the finest hotels in the Radisson Hotel Group portfolio.

Radisson Collection hotels are united by exceptional design and experiences across dining, fitness, wellness and sustainability. All hotel properties are situated in prestigious locations, close to prime leisure attractions and boast an individual and locally authentic atmosphere. 14 hotels are confirmed to join the collection following the launch. 

The Radisson Hotel Group is currently the 11th largest hotel group with more than 1,400 hotels in operation and under development within its eight hotel brands: Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson and prizeotel.

From Georgia to the Netherlands - Radisson is keeping Responsible Business a top priority

From cleaning up the canals of Amsterdam (the Netherlands) to the beaches of Batumi (Georgia), Radisson is active in their support to keep the planet litter-free!

In Batumi, Georgia, the Responsible Business team from the Radisson Blu Hotel Batumi held a beach cleaning activity. During the summer, the beaches are filled with tourists visiting from all over the world. While the hotel loves hosting them, the beach tends to get a bit messy. The hotel, therefore, led by example and picked up garbage along the beach, keeping their 'front yard' looking as great as ever. 

The team from the Radisson Blu Hotel Amsterdam and Radisson Blu Hotel Amsterdam Airport also got together recently for 'Pride Plastic Fishing'. The day after the Amsterdam Canal Pride, the famous canals of Amsterdam need a bit of love and attention and a lot of cleaning up! After a briefing about how to clean the canals, then the team set sail - a great combination of cleaning and sightseeing! 

Source: Radisson

Green Key is re-confirming the successful cooperation with Radisson Hotel Group

The Radisson Hotel Group and FEE are very happy to announce a new collaboration agreement for the period 2014-2018. The agreement involves cooperation with Radisson hotels in 70 countries in the Middle East, Europe and Africa. The agreement is the continuation of a successful partnership which started in 2010.

Daniel Schaffer (CEO of FEE) says: “The Radisson Hotel Group was the first international hotel chain that FEE had an agreement with in our Green Key programme back in 2010, and we are very happy to confirm the continuation of a successful collaboration for the next five years”. Radisson’s ambition is that all its hotels in the Middle East, Europe and Africa should be eco-labelled by 2015, and Green Key is one of the preferred eco-labels for the hotel chain.

Inge Huijbrechts, Vice-President for Responsible Business at Radisson Hotel Group, adds: “We have signed a long-term agreement with FEE because we see Green Key as an excellent tool for hotels to have a credible eco-label certification. Green Key is specialized in hotels and each hotel is thoroughly audited before a Green Key is awarded. Having all our hotels eco-labelled provides proof to our guests of our responsible business commitment.’

Currently 140 hotels within the Radisson Hotel Group have been granted the Green Key eco-label.