We asked AccorHotels, the owner of the historic Fairmont Palliser hotel, Calgary’s oldest and most luxurious hotel, to share what they have been doing over the past year to promote sustainability. Read on to find out more about how they have been advocating for change in the accommodation industry.
Why is sustainability important to your business?
AccorHotels has been a committed group for many years, and has constantly worked to redefine boundaries. The Planet 21 program demonstrates the Group’s ambitious goals for 2020, based around four strategic priorities: work with its employees, involve its customers, innovate with its partners and work with local communities.
Why did Fairmont Palliser/AccorHotels join Green Tourism/Sustainable Canada?
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts embraces environmentally sustainable business practices and continues to seek new ways to proactively green our operations. Fairmont has always been at the forefront of environmental activism within the hospitality sector and is known for taking a leadership stance on issues affecting our planet. As we continue to monitor, record, benchmark and set targets for our environmental performance, Green Tourism’s program fit our platform of measuring and sharing our success to inspire our guests, colleagues and the community.
What sustainability related projects, policies or initiatives do you most want travellers and other members to know about?
Plant for the Planet program
One of our key program objectives is to plant 10 million trees by 2021, as part of an on-going agro-forestry tree planting program. Our Plant for the Planet program is a tangible expression of our vision of positive hospitality and engagement to reduce our environmental footprint and it speaks to all stakeholders. AccorHotels partners with PUR Project, a climate-protection non-profit that supports reforestation, agro-forestry and forest conservation initiatives, to develop its program.
The Canadian portion of this project happened in Alberta this June 2018. Thanks to Fairmont Palliser and Fairmont Hotel Macdonald volunteer hotel colleagues, we planted 4,000 trees in just two days and we will be planting thousands over the next two years. This project aims to improve the northern portion of the Red Deer River watershed and mitigate the impacts of agricultural runoff and industrial activities on wildlife, livestock & vegetation and increase of flooding and drought risks.
WATCH – “We act together for children”
At AccorHotels, we respect host communities, we care for the most vulnerable and we protect local ecosystems. The group fosters sustainable social and economic development and supports its local communities. AccorHotels was the first hospitality group in 2001 to partner with ECPAT to end commercial sexual exploitation of children. In 2002, a training program was set up and is still based on the Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism. It was refined in 2014 and named WATCH “We act together for children”. All Fairmont Palliser colleagues went through this training in 2018.
Food Charter
We are working actively on reducing our food waste by 30% by 2020 through prevention & reduction action plans, such as re-engineered menus and food donation programs. On our continued fight to eliminate waste and plastic in particular, in 2018 Fairmont Palliser discontinued use of plastic straws throughout the hotel. We continue working on sourcing more sustainable options for our hotels (stir sticks, to go cups, containers and cutleries, filtered water solutions, for example).
Waste Management
While effective waste management comes with challenges, such as operating in communities without recycling facilities, we continue to reduce and divert waste and identify other eco-friendly opportunities. In 2018, in addition to recycling bins, compost bins were installed in all kitchen areas at Fairmont Palliser.
Who do you partner with in the community to help achieve your sustainability goals?
Fairmont Palliser’s partners include:
At AccorHotels, we respect host communities, we care for the most vulnerable and we protect local ecosystems. The group fosters sustainable social and economic development and supports its local communities. AccorHotels was the first hospitality group in 2001 to partner with ECPAT to end commercial sexual exploitation of children. In 2002, a training program was set up and is still based on the Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism. It was refined in 2014 and named WATCH “We act together for children”. All Fairmont Palliser colleagues went through this training in 2018.
Food Charter
We are working actively on reducing our food waste by 30% by 2020 through prevention & reduction action plans, such as re-engineered menus and food donation programs. On our continued fight to eliminate waste and plastic in particular, in 2018 Fairmont Palliser discontinued use of plastic straws throughout the hotel. We continue working on sourcing more sustainable options for our hotels (stir sticks, to go cups, containers and cutleries, filtered water solutions, for example).
Waste Management
While effective waste management comes with challenges, such as operating in communities without recycling facilities, we continue to reduce and divert waste and identify other eco-friendly opportunities. In 2018, in addition to recycling bins, compost bins were installed in all kitchen areas at Fairmont Palliser.
Who do you partner with in the community to help achieve your sustainability goals?
Fairmont Palliser’s partners include:
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- The Mustard Seed: Donations to The Mustard Seed homeless shelter, resulting in reduction in waste and decreased contribution to landfill. In 2018, Fairmont Palliser cooked dinner for over 300 people at their Calgary shelter.
- The Mustard Seed: Donations to The Mustard Seed homeless shelter, resulting in reduction in waste and decreased contribution to landfill. In 2018, Fairmont Palliser cooked dinner for over 300 people at their Calgary shelter.
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- Adopt-A-Highway Program: local Highway clean-ups throughout the area, with hotel colleagues and staff volunteering. A large highway clean-up was done in September 2018.
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- ABC Bees: Honey bee program: hives in Calgary produce honey for us to use in the hotel.
- Drop In Centre: All hotel toiletries (soap, shampoo, conditioner, etc) are donated to the Drop In Centre here in Calgary.