Radisson Hotel Group has become the only hotel group in the world to offset 100% of its meeting and events CO2 emissions globally. This across its network of nine brands and 1,500 hotels worldwide.
Since the launch of its 100% Carbon Neutral Meetings programme in 2019, the group has offset over 30,300 tonnes of CO2 at no cost to its clients, which is the equivalent to taking more than 6,500 cars off the road.
Working in partnership with First Climate, one of the world’s largest carbon offset organisations, Radisson Hotel Group’s 100% Carbon Neutral Meetings Programme automatically offsets the carbon footprint of every meeting and event taking place at its hotels worldwide and reduces scope three GHG emissions for its clients.
For each meeting, the carbon footprint is calculated and then offset through projects which are Gold Standard or Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) recognised.
Sustainable development
These projects combat climate change and contribute to sustainable development in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and include:
• A clean cooking and safe water programme in Kenya,
• Wind farm projects in Turkey, India and the US to generate green electricity,
• A forest protection programme in Peru to reduce deforestation sustainably, and
• A biogas project in rural China which provides over 4,000 households with a reliable system to reduce methane emissions and generate thermal energy.
Inge Huijbrechts, global senior vice president sustainability, security and corporate communications, Radisson Hotel Group, said: "Our 100% Carbon Neutral Meetings Program sets the industry standard for environmental best practices in meetings and events, and aligns with our client's priorities on their path to net-zero.
"Radisson Hotel Group has been the global pioneer, actively offsetting its carbon emissions from every meeting around the world since 2019. As the world continues its recovery and in-person meetings increase in frequency, Radisson Hotel Group’s 100% Carbon Neutral Meetings allow clients to return to meetings in a sustainable way."
The 100% Carbon Neutral Meetings is part of Radisson Hotel Group’s wider Responsible Business programme which targets to reduce the group’s carbon footprint by 30% by 2025 through close cooperation with its property owners, builders, and architects. Moreover, the group aims to set science-based targets in 2021 in line with COP21.