Ecotourism Australia and Accor Pacific have entered into a strategic partnership to see the independent certification of all Accor hotels, apartments and resorts across Australia and the Pacific as Sustainable Tourism certified through Ecotourism Australia’s new Sustainable Tourism Certification program.
The Sustainable Tourism Certification program, launched in late 2022, meets international best practice for sustainability, and the standard is recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and is part of Ecotourism Australia’s priority to make starting a journey to sustainability more accessible across the entire industry.
Sarah Derry, CEO of Accor Pacific, said “Sustainability is redefining our business model and we are proud to lead the industry forward by investing in our sustainability actions and activities in the region. Our next phase of growth is built on our powerful sense of social, environmental and economic responsibility.”
“In 2022 Accor Pacific removed some 43 single use plastic items such as individual toiletries from guest facing areas in over 80% of hotels. In 2023 and beyond we are committed to taking these actions further into the removal of single use plastics from back of house operations, micro plastics in laundries and by finding an appropriate long term solution to replace plastic water bottles. We know there is a lot more to do and our teams will continue to focus on driving sustainability actions. There are no limits to our ambition.”
Ecotourism Australia CEO, Ms Elissa Keenan, said, “Accor’s shift from internal sustainability measurement to seeking sustainability certification from a third party, and through the peak body of eco and sustainable tourism in Australia, is both commendable and a clear demonstration of their significant commitment to global best practice.
“Accor has a significant presence across regions including Ecotourism Australia’s certified ECO Destinations Port Douglas Daintree, Coffs Coast, Central Coast, Augusta Margaret River and Bundaberg, and 17 other regions working toward certification; and across the entire Australia Pacific region.
“Accor is a leader in tourism in this region. This is a key partnership for our organisations and we look forward to working with Accor properties across their myriad of brands on sustainable and responsible tourism practices across Australia and the Pacific.”
Accor hotels will be assessed across the four pillars of sustainability: sustainable management, environmental impacts, cultural impacts and socio-economic impacts for which each business is independently audited. The Sustainable Tourism Certification is an extension to the legacy ECO Certification program that has been in Australia for more than two decades.
About Accor
Accor is a world leading hospitality group consisting of more than 5,300 properties and 10,000 food and beverage venues throughout 110 countries. The group has one of the industry’s most diverse and fully-integrated hospitality ecosystems encompassing more than 40 luxury, premium, midscale and economy hotel brands, entertainment and nightlife venues, restaurants and bars, branded private residences, shared accommodation properties, concierge services, co-working spaces and more. Accor’s unmatched position in lifestyle hospitality – one of the fastest growing categories in the industry – is led by Ennismore, a joint venture, which Accor holds a majority shareholding. Ennismore is a creative hospitality company with a global collective of entrepreneurial and founder-built brands with purpose at their heart. Accor boasts an unrivalled portfolio of distinctive brands and approximately 260,000 team members worldwide. Members benefit from the company’s comprehensive loyalty program – ALL – Accor Live Limitless – a daily lifestyle companion that provides access to a wide variety of rewards, services and experiences. Through its Planet 21 – Acting Here, Accor Solidarity, RiiSE and ALL Heartist Fund initiatives, the Group is focused on driving positive action through business ethics, responsible tourism, environmental sustainability, community engagement, diversity and inclusivity. Founded in 1967, Accor SA is headquartered in France and publicly listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and on the OTC Market (Ticker: ACCYY) in the United States.