This joint project between IUCN and Accor, one of the leading hotel companies in the world, focuses on the contribution that hotels can make to conservation and enhancement of biodiversity through their day-to-day operations. Many hotels already make positive contributions to biodiversity in the way they manage their grounds, by obtaining organically-grown food, or by informing their guests about ways they can protect and enjoy biodiversity. The Guide will focus in particular on the biodiversity implications of specific products (such as spa products, room amenities, food and drinks, souvenirs, furniture), or activities such as landscaping and ground maintenance, excursions, partnerships and sponsorships with other organizations.
The Guide will highlight the different ways in which hotels can influence biodiversity conservation, which include:
- Internal operations (where the hotel has the maximum control)
- The supply chain (how biodiversity issues could be incorporated in purchasing policies)
- Customers (including through awareness raising and information provision)
- Relations with surrounding communities through both partnerships for addressing biodiversity challenges in one or more areas of a hotel’s responsibilities and through cooperation with outside partners and sponsors (traditional philanthropy through donations and support to local organisations and projects).
To ensure that the project draws strongly on Accor’s practical experience, and that the guidelines can be widely adopted and implemented, a ‘focus group’ of Accor hotel manager representatives along with relevant corporate departments has been established and is consulted regularly.
The Hotel Biodiversity Operational and Communication Guidelines will be published in English and French and will be launched at the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona.
The project was made possible thanks to the financial contribution of the French Ministry for Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Planning and Development, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
