Hotel giant Accor has committed to remove single-use plastics from all guest experiences and meeting areas.
Aiming to make the cuts by 2022, Accor has joined the United Nations’ Global Tourism Plastics Initiative marking a significant step forward for the global hospitality industry and for the group.
Accor welcomes more than 120 million guests globally and serves some 200 million meals each year.
In addition to its previous commitment to eliminate all plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds, the new commitment includes the removal of individual plastic toiletry amenities and cups by the end of 2020.
As well as the elimination of all remaining single-use plastic items in guestrooms, meeting areas, restaurants, and all leisure activities areas, including spas and fitness centres, by the end of 2022.
“Plastic pollution is one of the major environmental challenges of our time, and tourism has an important role to play in contributing to the solution,” UN Environment Programme economy division director Ligia Noronha said.
“Through the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, tourism companies and destinations are supported to innovate, eliminate and circulate the way they use plastics to advance circularity in our economies and reduce plastics pollution globally.”
Led by the UN Environment Programme and the World Tourism Organisation, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the initiative draws a line in the sand in the fight against plastic waste and pollution.
As part of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, governments and businesses such as Accor commit to a set of ambitious targets.
“We will work to eliminate the plastic items we don’t need,” Accor said in a statement.
“Innovate so all plastics we do need are designed to be safely reused, recycled, or composted; and circulate everything we use to keep it in the economy and out of the environment.”
Featured image: iStock.com/ TShum
