Good, but there is room for improvement in terms of CSR. Accor reports that almost all of its hotels are already using an environmental measurement tool, and four-fifths have phased out at least 57 single-use plastic items, whilst food waste has been reduced to 149 g per guest, below the initial target of 235 g. Meanwhile, more than half of its hotels worldwide will be eco-certified (57%) by the end of 2025, whilst women will account for more than 40% of executive committee members.
Despite the progress outlined in the pages of its integrated report, the figures still fall short. Last year, Accor failed to meet the targets set as part of the issue, at the end of 2021, of its bond linked to sustainable development goals. This represents an expected but unachieved reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 25.2 % for Scopes 1 and 2 and 15.0 % for Scope 3 by 2025 compared to 2019. Hence the need for the French group to increase the coupons from 2.375% to 2.625%, with an estimated impact of €1.75 million in 2027 and €1.75 million in 2028.
The additional cost is undoubtedly bearable in light of the €5.6 billion in turnover achieved by the French group last year, but it does not rule out the ambition to go further. As part of its new sustainable development roadmap for 2026-2030, entitled Hosting Change, Accor has just launched a new five-year sustainable innovation programme aimed at deploying solutions across its international network to optimise resource use.
Through a four-step methodology (scoping, sourcing, validation, and deployment), this programme will promote the identification, testing, and implementation of concrete solutions across the Accor network. With the aim of deploying over 100 high-performing resource-saving solutions by 2030, the most effective ones are expected to be rolled out across the entire hotel portfolio, or even shared with other industry stakeholders.
Innovations on the go
To begin with, during its first year, the programme will focus on identifying innovative ways to reduce water consumption, a resource that is essential for both hotels and the surrounding communities. By 2025, Accor will have reduced its water consumption intensity by 5.2 % compared to 2024, notably through the installation, by the end of 2025, of low-flow showerheads in more than 1,100 hotels. Building on this momentum, the launch of the sustainable innovation programme will enable the identification and large-scale deployment of more sustainable water management solutions.
Within this framework, a first partnership, concluded between Accor and Water Unite, will allow large-scale testing of water reduction and reuse solutions. This British NGO, specialising in water management innovation, will provide its network of innovators, investors, and large companies such as Elior, Nestlé Waters, Suntory, and Britvic to identify proven solutions in real-world conditions. Thus, Accor and Water Unite will jointly test solutions for good water management, optimisation, and reuse in luxury hotels.
" Through the sustainable innovation programme, we're adopting a more structured approach to deliver on this ambition. By prioritising water in collaboration with Water Unite, we aim to demonstrate that this new approach is capable of generating tangible operational impact, while creating network-wide value and preserving the planet's most precious resource. », said Coline Pont, Director of Sustainable Development for the Accor group.
