Joburg hotel wins Responsible Business Week

InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, in partnership with the National Geographic's Centre for Sustainable Destinations annually celebrate the work that its hotels around the world are doing to sustain and enhance their local destinations with the Responsible Business Week initiative. In October 2011, all InterContinental Hotels globally implemented activities, as part of the Responsible Business Week, to ensure that their location remains an appealing place to visit for future generations.

Commitment to geotourism

Judged as one of the best examples of commitment to geotourism by National Geographic, the InterContinental Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport Hotel celebrated the cause through a variety of activities. The staff assisted with the rehabilitation of the Korsman Bird Sanctuary Conservancy in Benoni: For the entire week they removed trees that endangered the ecosystem, repaired benches, cleared litter and installed new bins. They also planted fruit trees at Oliver's Village. This unique village aims to create a sustainable way of life for AIDS orphans. The aim is to grow enough food on the farmland to support the villagers and, eventually, sell some of the produce to sustain the community. "The staff at the hotel worked tirelessly and relentlessly to make a difference to their environment and the lives of other people. I am proud to be part of such a winning team!" said Pierre Delfau, GM of InterContinental Johannesburg O R Tambo Airport Hotel.

African menu

As part of the Responsible Business Week initiative the menu at the hotel focussed purely on African dishes. Local and international guests were able to sample indigenous African offerings, typical of the food you would encounter at roadside vendors. Fifty percent of the proceeds for this week went to support the local Korsman Bird Sanctuary. Additionally, the hotel hosted an exhibition showcasing Kwa-Ndebele crafts, in which women from a South African children's home displayed their intricate beadwork to guests.