Radisson Hotels to reduce single-use plastics globally

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In addition, the group has a global commitment to #refusethestraw, ensuring plastic straws and plastic stirrers are no longer used in its hotels by 2021 and eco-friendly alternatives will be offered to guests upon request.

Federico J. GonzálezTejera, President and CEO, Radisson Hospitality AB and Chairman, Global Steering Committee, Radisson Hotel Group, said: "Plastic pollution is one of the current major global issues and our Group is proud to play a leading role in driving plastic reduction across the travel and tourism industry. We are a signatory to the International Tourism Plastic Pledge – further demonstrating our commitment to sustainability and Responsible Business, in line with the targets laid out in our five-year strategic plan. Responsible Business is a key element in our approach to growth and is vital to our ambition to become one of the leading hotel companies in the world."

The group is also running a series of innovative pilot projects in various locations, with the aim of finding new ways to drive plastic reduction globally. These include:

• In all the group’s properties in India, a roll out of commercial reverse osmosis water filtration systems to provide in-house bottled water and avoid the use of PET water bottles.

• In Bangladesh, Radisson Blu Chattogram Bay View is piloting a similar installation and is replacing PET water bottles by in-house filtered and bottled quality water.

• Since 2011, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson offers classic diningware and silverware. The introduction of classic diningware represented an industry first among major brands within the midscale hotel segment.

• A first in Africa, making the Radisson Blu Hotel, Abidjan Airport in Ivory Coast plastic neutral.

The hotel is currently offsetting its footprint of PET water bottles together with social enterprise Coliba. Through Coliba’s community collection system for plastics, Radisson Blu ensures that its PET bottles are recycled correctly and the same number of PET bottles as used annually by the hotel, are removed from the local neighbourhood and included in the recycling process.

• To cut down on the use of 39,000 plastic water bottles in the average hotel each year the Group offers unlimited filtered water to guests. This is already in place in selected hotels such at the Radisson Blu Hotel Manchester Airport, UK, and the Radisson RED hotel Brussels and Belgium, additionally, guests are offered reusable Radisson Rewards water bottles.

• The upcoming roll-out of a waste collection and recycling program of the new bulk amenity dispenser containers and soaps in North America. Beyond diverting waste from polluting our lands and oceans, this will benefit our communities: soap and bulk amenities will be sorted, processed and distributed to people in need.

• In addition to making Radisson Meetings 100% carbon neutral, the group is constantly striving to phase out single-use plastics in meetings and events across its portfolio and has already achieved this in over 200 of its hotels, with the aim to roll-out this initiative to other properties.

The group's initiatives demonstrate the commitment and solidify its participation in the International Tourism Plastic Pledge.

Additionally, as an advisory committee member of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, the group is committing to work towards a single-use plastic-free future for the hotel industry. Together with other members, the company will continue collaborating with UN Environment, UNWTO and Ellen MacArthur Foundation to catalyse further industry-wide action on plastic waste.