Novotel, Accor’s founding brand, today announcedthe launch of an international partnership with WWF (World Wide Fund forNature)that will see Novotel champion the protection and restoration ofthe ocean through science-based action and conservation projects. WWF is aglobal leader in building a sustainable future for people and the planet.
Under the three-year agreement, from 2024 to 2027,WWFFrance will provide technical expertise to Novotel, helping its 580hotels worldwide to have a positive impact on the ocean, challenging andguiding the brand and its properties throughout many aspects of its operations.The partnership will also see Novotel sponsoring several critical WWFocean-related conservation projects across the world.
Balance has long been at the core of the Novotelbrand, both in its business fundamentals and in its commitments to thework-life experience of its guests. The brand’s focus on the ocean, the world’sbiggest carbon sink and greatest source of planetary balance, which regulatesthe climate and protects habitats and wildlife, is a continuation of thispurposeful commitment to balance.
Novotel will build a three-year science-basedaction plan, rooted in three of the United Nations’ priority ocean-relatedactions, namely: reducing marine pollution and ocean acidification,particularly from land-based activities; fighting overfishing and promotingsustainable fishing models; and increasing scientific knowledge and researchfor ocean health.
Mapped against these priorities, the Novotel actionplan will aim to rebalance its impact on the planet, determining short andlong-term initiatives across four pillars which formNovotel’s PositiveImpact Plan:
1.Reduceplastic, water & carbon footprint impact– empowering Novotel hotelsto deliver positive impact action plans to reduce pressure on naturalresources, with a strong focus on plastic, water & energy usage;
2.Makesustainable food choices– reducing meat, fish and waste within Novotel’sfood and beverage operations, and further development of sustainable seafoodpolicies;
3.Enhanceeducation & ocean awareness– educating guests, hotel teams and localcommunities on the necessity of ocean conservation and how to positivelycontribute;
4.Contributeto research & innovation– partnering with NGOs and investing insustainable innovation.
The partnership with WWF will help Novotel driveoperational change and action for the greater good of the ocean and deliverupon its Positive Impact Plan.
With a specific focus on the ocean, the WWFpartnership has four main objectives:
·Work onsustainable seafood policies and supply chains for Novotel hotels andrestaurants
·Raiseguests’ and employees’ awareness of the importance of the world’s oceans
·Advocatefor ocean preservation to inspire industry and policy makers
·Preserveand restore marine biodiversity through support of five WWF flagship projectsaround the world
To inform Novotel’s work, WWF is conductingextensive site visits to Novotel hotels to understand property-level operationsand practices, assess procurement data and make recommendations. WWF willprovide a dedicated steering committee to assess Novotel’s progress on itscommitments throughout the partnership.
The partnership will see Novotel supportingessential WWFFrance conservation projects around the world,including:
·Theprotection of Posidonia, an endemic flowering plant of the Mediterranean whichplays a key role as a carbon sink – removing carbon from the atmosphere - andprovides benefits to 25 different marine ecosystems.
·Theidentification and removal of “ghost gear”– lost, abandoned and otherwisediscarded fishing gear - the deadliest form of marine plastic waste whichimpacts marine turtles and mammals, elasmobranchs such as sharks, rays andskates, and marine birds.
·Supportingthe WWF France’s Blue Panda boat, which sails across the Mediterranean carryingout work including scientific dives, protecting cetaceans from collisions withmarine vehicles, and protecting endangered species of rays and sharks; as wellas introducing the public to the Mediterranean, its conservation challenges,and the work being done to protect it.
·Trackingand tracing marine turtles in Asia-Pacific, gathering knowledge on theirmovements from nesting beaches to migratory corridors and foraging grounds, andmapping critical populations and conservation areas. Six of seven species ofmarine turtles remained threatened by harvesting, illegal trade, being caughtby commercial fisheries and the loss of nesting beaches.
·Protectingthe sea turtles of the Western Atlantic, strengthening regional cooperation onsustainable fishing techniques and combating illegal fishing. Fighting illegal,unreported and unregulated fishing will help protect leatherback turtlesbreeding on coastal areas of the Guianas, and green and olive ridley turtlesfrom Brazil to Venezuela.
Accor, Novotel’s parent Group, has an establishedtrack record of developing sustainable solutions and innovations in themaritime sector. To name just a few, Accor has supported Energy Observer since2017 and recently partnered with the Fondation de la Mer in 2022 to adopt theOcean Framework, to assess the impact of its business activities on oceanswildlife. The Group banned endangered fish species, promote responsiblefishing, and were the first hospitality group to commit to progressivelyeliminate single-use plastic items from their guest experiences to fightagainst oceans pollution. These Accor’s commitments are aligned and consistentwith the Group’s commitment to contribute to global carbon neutrality by 2050and to remove all single-use plastics from the guest experience.
Created in 1967 in France, Novotel is Accor’sfounding brand. It now boasts over 580 hotels across 65 countries, with 42,000Novotel “Heartists” looking after over 30 million guests a year.
Image Credit: © Novotel Hotels, Suites & Resorts
