In a unique partnership between The Rezidor Hotel Group and The CarbonNeutral Company, guests are offered the opportunity to offset greenhouse gas emissions from their stay at a Rezidor hotel, including their travel, thus making their entire trip CarbonNeutral®.
To offset, all that is needed is to join Rezidor’s free loyalty programme, goldpoints plussm. One night at a Radisson SAS hotel collects on average 3,000 Gold Points. Only 1,000 Gold Points is needed to offset 100 kg of carbon dioxide – which corresponds to 2–5 stays at a hotel, including travel by train. The offsetting scheme will offer a wide variety of offsetting possibilities depending on travel patterns. The initiative is part of Rezidor’s award-winning Responsible Business programme and will be launched 1st of March.
Travel and hotel stays are part of business life. However, climate change and global warming are very much a reality and travelling is one of many contributors. Energy is used in hotels to ensure the guests’ comfort through lighting, heating, cooling, etc. To minimise the impact on global warming, the Rezidor Hotel Group has an energy management programme in place since 2001, which includes:
• quarterly measuring and reporting of energy consumption at hotel and corporate level - in 2006, the energy consumption per m2 for Rezidor was reduced by 8% compared to 2005
• energy efficient lighting, sensors and timers have been installed, as well as key card switches in the rooms in more than 70% of all Rezidor hotels
• work to find alternative energy solutions; some hotels have already installed solar panels and others incorporate renewable energy solutions
Rezidor has already offset the carbon dioxide emissions of its recent hotel managers’ annual conference, as well as of its corporate offices through tree-planting and renewable energy projects.
The CarbonNeutral Company has measured the amount of greenhouse gases produced from Rezidor’s operations, including fuel, energy consumption and waste, as well as travel. The CO2 equivalents will be balanced by donating money towards carbon reducing projects which save the equivalent amount of CO2. Projects chosen include a wind power project in India, energy efficiency projects in Jamaica and methane capturing projects in the US.
Notes to editors:
The Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the world. The group features a portfolio of 272 hotels in operation and under development in 47 countries, encompassing approximately 55,000 rooms.
Rezidor operates the brands Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts, Regent International Hotels, Park Inn and Country Inns & Suites in Europe, Middle East and Africa, along with the goldpoints plus SM loyalty programme for frequent hotel guests. Rezidor has signed a worldwide license agreement with the Italian fashion house Missoni, to develop and operate a lifestyle hotel brand of the same name: Hotel Missoni.
In November 2006, Rezidor was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. With 35%, Carlson Companies currently is the main shareholder.
goldpoints plus, is the loyalty programme for Radisson SAS, Park Inn, Country Inns and Park Plaza Hotels and Resorts in Europe, the Middle-East and Africa. With 260,000+ members, its benefits can be enjoyed at over 400 hotels around the world.
The Corporate Office of the Rezidor Hotel Group is based in Brussels, Belgium. More information: www.rezidor.com
The CarbonNeutral Company is the world’s leading carbon offset and climate consulting business. We enable businesses and individuals to tackle their climate change impacts in a way which delivers value – commercial, environmental, personal.
The company works with over 200 B2B, B2C, NGO and government clients including BSkyB, Honda, Avis Europe, Barclays Bank, The World Conservation Union, Berkeley Homes, Ricoh and the Radio Taxis Group as well as celebrities and 50,000+ consumer clients.
CarbonNeutral® is the registered trademark of The CarbonNeutral Company (TCNC). It is the leading brand mark and quality standard for action on climate change. It means global warming emissions have been measured, reductions recommended, and the remaining emissions ‘offset’ in accordance with the CarbonNeutral protocol. This protocol assures quality of offset projects, and carbon footprint assessments. TCNC commissions an independent verification of CarbonNeutral programmes to further underpin their carbon promise.
For more information please go to www.carbonneutral.com or call +44 207 833 6000
