Radisson Hotel Group is the first hotel group to make all meetings and events across over 400 hotels in its EMEA portfolio carbon negative. For every event taking place at its participating hotels, Radisson Hotel Group will offset double the carbon footprint to make every meeting have a positive impact on the environment through a program titled ‘Carbon Negative. Planet Positive.’
For meetings booked between October 18, 2021, and January 31, 2022, and taking place before March 31, 2022, ‘Carbon Negative. Planet Positive’ will set a sustainability standard in the global hospitality industry. The program allows clients to host meetings in a sustainable way by offsetting double the CO2 emissions from meetings and events free of charge to the client, making meetings that take place during this period at participating hotels carbon negative.
‘Carbon Negative. Planet Positive’ reinforces the group’s 100 percent carbon neutral meetings offering, in place across the group’s 1,600 hotels worldwide since 2019. The initiative forms part of the group’s wider responsible business program that targets reducing the group’s carbon footprint by 30 percent and aims to set science-based targets. Since the launch of the 100 percent carbon neutral meetings program, the group has offset over 30,300 tons of CO2 at no cost to its clients, which is the equivalent to removing more than 6,500 fuel-driven cars off the road.
‘Carbon Negative. Planet Positive’ meetings complement the group’s hybrid meetings solutions, which launched in 2020 and offer owners and guests the flexibility and space optimization they require to meet the lifestyle changes of today’s travelers. Hybrid meetings are available across more than 100 hotels in the EMEA region and contribute to a lighter scope footprint for the client.
“The upcoming COP26 conference will see world leaders come together to discuss climate change which needs all our attention. At Radisson Hotel Group, we are constantly reviewing how we as a global business can influence positive climate action, and how we can encourage the hospitality industry to push the boundaries on green meetings and events. We are proud to be pioneering this initiative and trust that meeting organizers around the globe recognize the positive impact they can have on the environment as face-to-face meetings increase,” says Eric de Neef, executive vice president, global chief branding, and commercial officer.
“’Carbon Negative. Planet Positive’ allows you to make your meetings carbon negative and your impact planet positive. With the return of business travel, now is the time to have a positive impact. For Radisson Hotel Group, it is important that we offset carbon emissions according to the highest quality standards and in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is why we select offsetting projects that are not only good for the environment, but also socially relevant. This initiative plays a key role in helping us achieve our responsible business targets to protect people, planet, and community,” says Inge Huijbrechts, global senior vice president, sustainability, security, and corporate communications.
For each meeting, the carbon footprint is calculated using the HCMI methodology and then offset through projects which are Gold Standard or Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) recognized. These projects combat climate change and contribute to sustainable development in line with the UN’s SDGs and include a clean cooking and safe water program in Kenya; wind farm projects in Turkey, India; and the United States to generate green electricity, a forest protection program in Peru to reduce deforestation sustainably, and a biogas project in rural China. In addition, members of Radisson’s Radisson Rewards loyalty program can also choose to redeem their loyalty points to offset their stay.
