CSR and Sustainability

🌍 Thrust Carbon is the first company globally to align with the ISO 14083 carbon accounting standard for the travel industry, released last year. The standard, which has become the global benchmark, ensures clear and repeatable carbon calculations for travel and transport. The European Commission has adopted it for the CountEmissionsEU initiative. Thrust Carbon's alignment affects $100bn of annual global travel spend and includes multiple methodologies for emissions calculations. LRQA has assured Thrust Carbon's compliance with the standard, validating their carbon calculation methodologies and boosting client confidence.

🍻 BrewDog, the first carbon negative beer company since 2020, decided to let its carbon negative claim lapse due to high carbon credit costs. CEO James Arrow cited the need to focus on reducing emissions within their operations. The market for carbon credits has become unsustainable with low-quality schemes. BrewDog plans to invest instead in its Lost Forest tree planting project. In December 2023, the ASA criticized BrewDog for not substantiating its beers' carbon negative credentials. Earlier, poor weather caused the loss of saplings in their Lost Forest project, despite a £1.2m grant from Scottish Forestry.

🌱 IHG Hotels & Resorts launched the Low Carbon Pioneers program, featuring energy-efficient hotels like Holiday Inn Express Madrid Airport, Iberostar Waves Cristina, and Kimpton BEM Budapest. These properties use sustainable solutions, hold certifications from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, and track energy with IHG’s Green Engage platform. CEO Elie Maalouf emphasizes the importance of reducing carbon emissions and working with governments and industry bodies to support a sustainable future. The program aligns with corporate clients’ net-zero targets and prepares hotels for environmental regulatory changes and green finance.

🏨 Finnish company Bob W partners with OCIM to launch a £120 million equity raise aiming to repurpose hotel and office buildings into 1,500-2,000 serviced apartments across key European markets, including Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Poland, and the U.K. The joint venture targets a gross development value of over £400 million for its initial pipeline, with the first apartments opening in 18 months. Bob W, a climate-neutral hospitality provider, operates in 20 European cities and has pledged to sustainability, with initiatives like sourcing second-hand furniture and using 100% renewable energy. The serviced apartment sector, worth £1.7 billion to the U.K. economy, is expanding due to trends like remote work and the resurgence of business travel.

🏨 Oliver Wyman's 2023 Leisure Travel Survey findings presented at Destination AI's keynote, showing Generative AI's influence on traveler behaviors. Sessions include automating hotel operations using AI (9:45 AM), enhancing guest experience (11:00 AM), AI in revenue management (11:35 AM), marketing innovations (1:30 PM), adoption by large chains (2:05 PM), guest safety/security (3:15 PM), and future AI trends (4:15 PM). Networking from 5:00 PM. The event focuses on AI's role in hospitality's evolution.

🏤 Flight Centre Travel Group and Trainline Partner Solutions extend their partnership to include UK rail content on Corporate Traveller's platform Melon, adding to existing flight, car rental, and hotel services. Melon users can now book rail travel and access post-sales services via TPS' Global API, with further integration of features and international content planned. The enhancement allows customers to compare train options, prices, travel times, and amenities to make informed decisions. This collaboration aims to streamline travel and offer more choices while considering the environmental impact of business travel.

🏖️ Whimstay, a last-minute travel company, partnered with Expedia Group to add 250,000 listings, following earlier 2023 partnerships with Wyndham and Booking.com. This collaboration aims to establish Whimstay as a top marketplace for last-minute holiday rentals, offering more choices and rates. CEO David Weiss highlights the deal as a milestone and recognition of their innovative approach to travel trends.

🛡 Marriott International released its 2024 Serve 360 Report, reflecting 2023 data. Key ESG initiatives include verified emissions reduction targets with SBTi (April 2024), a global Climate Action Program, and the installation of over 7,100 EV chargers at more than 1,800 properties. In 2023, Marriott associates volunteered over 3.1 million hours globally and committed to hiring 3,000 refugees by 2026. The company also blocked websites with child sexual abuse material across nearly 5,000 properties in North America and raised $970,000 in the UAE for children's vitality, among other regional achievements.

🌏 HBX Group, with 3,700+ employees in 170+ countries, presents its ESG strategy in its Sustainability Report. Plan includes over 75 actions, alignment with United Nations Global Compact, and a 3-year goal to comply with the European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) through 4,000+ KPIs. Sustainable Hotels Programme features 40,000+ certified properties, with a 10-fold increase to 5,000 hotels banning single-use plastics in a year. Employee-led initiatives, like the Think Big programme, have planted 12,000+ trees and contributed to 6 years of Carbon Neutral certification.

📊 Roomex partnered with SQUAKE to introduce a carbon reporting feature for travel and accommodation for businesses, driven by client demand. The feature uses SQUAKE’s API and provides insights via monthly statements using the HCMI or DEFRA frameworks. According to Roomex's 2023 YouGov market research, 12% of businesses consider sustainable reporting a top challenge in corporate travel. Roomex CEO Garry Moroney highlighted the move as a step towards sustainable travel practices.