InterContinental Genève Takes a Sustainable Journey to Tomorrow
First certified by Green Globe in 2014, InterContinental Genève has achieved GOLD status and heads towards a decade of continuous improvement in sustainable operations and management. A hospitality leader in environmental and social responsibility in Switzerland, InterContinental Genève now aligns its business planning with IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Journey to Tomorrow.
InterContinental Genève General Manager, Hans Heijligers says, "Travelers have an increasing desire to discover places, people and cultures. We need to make sure we do our fair share in assuring we can make travel sustainable for generations to come. As a globally conscious company, we decided to base our business plan on a responsible framework: Journey to Tomorrow. It is based on the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and pushes us to think for a better future of the travel industry.
“Now more than ever, we need to think globally but act locally for the environment and our local communities. That's why 2023 is a turning point for InterContinental Genève, with numerous initiatives in favor of the climate," added General Manager, Hans Heijligers
Journey to Tomorrow is the ambitious 10-year plan set out by IHG Hotels & Resorts to drive meaningful change from within the hospitality industry, and to leave a lasting, positive impact that improves social equity and combats climate change. The plan sets quantifiable, sustainability goals that include: 15% absolute carbon and energy reductions in direct operations and a 46% per m2 reduction in franchise operations; 100% new build hotels to operate at very low/zero carbon emissions; and eliminate single use items, or move to reusable or recyclable alternatives across the guest stay.
To support Journey to Tomorrow, InterContinental Genève recently conducted training with their Green Committee. The objective was to provide tools and resources to influence guests’ and people’s behavior and change habits around recycling and energy consumption, along with other sustainable lifestyle choices.
Recent environmental initiatives include the relamping of the hotel’s lobby with LED technology leading to 10% energy saving and introduction of a zero-plastic policy, which sees the removal of all plastic and single use items in the hotel (cups, sugar sachet, etc.) and extends to all hotel suppliers.
Additionally, InterContinental Genève uses 100% renewable energy to cool the establishment (water from Lake Geneva), which results in significant savings in electricity and reduces CO2 gas emissions.
For more information: Intercontinental Genève Eco-Responsible Approach
Contact:
Camille Montagne
Training & Sustainability Manager
IHG Hotels & Resorts®
InterContinental Genève
7-9 Chemin du Petit Saconnex, 1209,
Genève, Suisse
Phone: +41 (0) 22 919 37 09
camille.montagne@ihg.com
IHG
Bradley Cox
Director Communications
Green Globe Certification
|1223 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 925
Santa Monica, CA 90403 / U.S.A.
Phone: +1-310-337-3000 ext. 105
Skype Direct +1 760 536 6581
Mobile +61 400 848 746
bcox@greenglobe.com
www.greenglobe.com
About Green Globe Certification
Green Globe is the worldwide sustainability system based on internationally accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. Operating under a worldwide license, Green Globe is based in California, USA and is represented in over 83 countries. Green Globe is an Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). For information, please visit www.greenglobe.com
