Novotel City Centre in Sydney is Accor’s 100th hotel in Australia to achieve globally recognized Sustainable Tourism Certification – Image: Accor Pacific
Australia’s largest hotel operator Accor has reached a major milestone on its sustainability journey with the Sustainable Tourism Certification of its 100th hotel in Australia by Ecotourism Australia. This milestone brings Accor closer to its goal of having 100% of its network across the Pacific region achieve Sustainable Tourism Certification by the end of 2025.
The 100 hotels, resorts and apartments from all states and territories across Australia have each demonstrated their strong commitment to environmental, socio-economic, cultural and responsible management principles, implementing global best-practice sustainable tourism standards to achieve certification.
“Just over a year after announcing our partnership with Ecotourism Australia, we have proudly reached the significant milestone of 100 Sustainable Tourism Certified hotels across the country, with Novotel Sydney City Centre being the landmark 100th certification,” said Accor Pacific Chief Operating Officer, Adrian Williams. “This achievement underscores our commitment to sustainability and responsible tourism.
“Sustainable Tourism Certification not only enhances the competitiveness and attractiveness of our hotels but also boosts operational excellence and revenue generation. This achievement aligns perfectly with the expectations of today’s travelers and our corporate clients, who increasingly seek responsible options and prefer hotels with third-party sustainable certifications.
Accor Pacific Chief Operating Officer, Adrian William – Image: Accor Pacific
“We will continue to strive for excellence in sustainability and set new benchmarks for the industry.”
Of the 100 certified hotels, 30% are strategically located in the central business districts of Sydney and Melbourne, making them particularly well-suited to meet the sustainability and business needs of Accor’s corporate clientele.
Ecotourism Australia
Ecotourism Australia Chief Executive Officer Elissa Keenan said the commitment by Accor was significant.
“Achieving Certification is a rigorous process, involving over 200 key indicators across the four pillars of sustainability and strong business practices. It can take up to twelve months and includes an independent third-party audit before Certification is awarded. Hotels must demonstrate ongoing commitment, with periodic independent audits required to maintain Certification.
“Accor continues to demonstrate their industry leadership through commitment to authentic sustainability, drawing on Ecotourism Australia’s 30 years’ experience upholding globally recognized sustainable tourism standards.
“It has been remarkable witnessing each of the hundred properties take up the challenge and demonstrate spirited enthusiasm toward their certification, implementing a range of creative and impactful solutions to sustainability challenges.”
Commitment to carbon neutrality
In February 2024, Accor joined the ‘A-list’ of global environmental non-profit CDP (CDP is a not-for-profit charity running the global disclosure system for companies, investors, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impact), as part of the leading companies regarding transparency, management of environment risks and demonstrating the rigor and ambition with which the climate issue is addressed in the company’s business model.
This recognition rewards the work carried out as part of the Accor Group’s sustainability strategy, that places people and nature at its heart, infusing three strategic pillars: to transform sustainably our operations and hotels to enhance guests experience, to accelerate the transition to a sustainable food model by offering differentiating culinary experiences to guests, and finally to participate in making tangible, at sector level, a new way of travelling.
As part of this strategy, Accor is committed to contributing to carbon neutrality by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement and validated by SBTi (Science Based Targets Initiative). The Group has also undertaken to reduce its carbon emissions by -46% on scope 1 & 2 and -28% on scope 3 by 2030. To achieve these commitments, Accor is working closely with its owners and plays an active role within the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and the Hospitality Alliance for Responsible Procurement to set new standards for the industry.
From luxury to economy, Accor operates 19 international brands and over 400 hotels across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and French Polynesia, such as Sofitel, MGallery, Art Series, Pullman, Swissôtel, Mövenpick, Grand Mercure, Peppers, The Sebel, Mantra, Handwritten Collection, Novotel, TRIBE, Mercure, BreakFree, ibis, ibis Styles and ibis budget, as well as Ennismore’s SO/.
Qualmark Gold certified Accor hotel St. Moritz in New Zealand – Image: Accor Pacific
Accor in sustainability partnership with Qualmark New Zealand
New Zealand’s largest hotel operator, Accor, has entered into a strategic partnership with Qualmark to work towards certifying Accor hotels, resorts and apartments across New Zealand as Gold Standard Sustainable Tourism Businesses.
For three decades Qualmark, a New Zealand quality assurance organisation, has supported thousands of tourism businesses across the country to operate sustainably. The New Zealand based Accor hotels are working towards Gold certification under Qualmarks Global Sustainable Tourism Council recognised standards.
The sustainable tourism businesses certification criteria is a rigorous process that evaluates standards of sustainability across five key pillars: business systems, environment, people, community and culture, and health and safety.
This criteria was the first in New Zealand to gain Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) recognised status. This means Qualmark members can be confident that achieving Qualmark certification meets global standards of sustainability and that travellers can be assured of a globally recognised accreditation.
Qualmark New Zealand General Manager, Steven Dixon, said: “Compared to 10 years ago, travellers are now three times more likely to choose a business that has been sustainably accredited. Our vision is to see all New Zealand tourism businesses join Qualmark, to make it easier for our manuhiri (visitors) to make sustainable choices.”
Interview with David Young – Accor Director of Sustainability, Pacific:
David Young – Accor Director of Sustainability, Pacific – Image: Accor Pacific
What is your sustainability timeline for the Accor-Hotels in the Australia-Pacific region?
Around 400 hotels in total are in scope across the Pacific region. We plan to certify approximately 250 hotels by the end of 2024, with the remainder by the end of 2025.
Where are the certified Accor properties in NZ and the Pacific Islands?
In New Zealand, Accor has partnered with Qualmark for our hotels to reach the highest level certification (Gold). We currently have 17 Gold certified properties in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. There are four hotels in the scope in Fiji. These hotels are scheduled to be certified with Earthcheck (Australian Certification Organisation) in 2025.
How does the certification process work?
Accor Pacific works with three certification partners – Ecotourism Australia (Australian hotels), Qualmark (New Zealand hotels) and Earth Check (Fiji hotels). All three certifiers are globally recognised and accredited to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) standards.
Each hotel seeking Sustainable Tourism Certification is required to demonstrate in its practices, policies and procedures compliance with these GSTC standards with a particular emphasis on environmental plans and actions and engagement with local communities and conservation efforts.
How can travelers recognize an Accor sustainability-certified hotel?
On Accor’s booking website (ALL.com) and other accommodation booking websites (e.g. certified Booking.com) hotels are tagged as Eco Certified making it easy for travelers to filter and choose hotels based on Eco Certification criteria).
(NN/Accor 05-09-24)
