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Interview with a Corporate Client, Tetra Laval
Ulrika Rosen, Travel manager
“Tetra Laval Group Transport &Travel, a purchasing department within Tetra Laval, has put a lot of effort
into helping suppliers in their environmental performance through training and information, but also by
encouraging and enticing them to continuous improvements.
We can now see how suppliers consider the environment to be a natural part of their business; they are taking
initiatives and making great progress. There is no doubt that environmental performance yields savings.
The hotel market, especially the global hotel chains, are very active in protecting the environment, using
internal measurement management systems for energy consumption, water, waste disposal and so on.
Accor has achieved our best ‘green rating’ for its environmental actions.
To drive further improvement, suppliers can benchmark against other global players and then use their combined
clout to demand more of their own suppliers. In turn, these suppliers can make reciprocal demands that must be taken into account,
out of good business sense and a commitment to meeting customer demands.”
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Interview with a Trade Union General Secretary Ron Oswald,
Secretary General of the IUF
“Accor has for some ten years recognized the IUF as the international trade union body representative of unionized Accor workers around the world.
This recognition has allowed a standing relationship to develop that ranges from formal annual meetings with representatives from Accor hotels in
Europe to regular exchanges between the IUF and Accor throughout the year.
The IUF has always recognized and welcomed Accor’s willingness to discuss openly, frankly and constructively issues of concern to IUF members and
workers in the Accor network globally. This mechanism has often allowed us to resolve through agreements potentially serious labor relations
situations in countries as far apart as the United States, Egypt and Australia. The IUF believes that negotiated solutions to such problems have
ultimately been to the mutual benefit of IUF members and workers in those countries and Accor itself.
Accor’s formal recognition of its employees’ rights to join and form trade unions as expressed in the IUF/Accor Agreement on
Trade Union Rights (1995) is the cornerstone of this relation.
We look forward to continuing our relationship in a constructive way to the benefit of the Accor workers our affiliates represent and in line
with the company’s expressed desire to be a global employer that guarantees that its employees rights will be fully respected throughout the corporate management structure.”
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Interview with a fairtrade coffee supplier
Jean-Pierre Blanc, General Manager CMC Malongo
We’ve supported Accor’s pioneering role in promoting fair trade since its first commitment with Sofitel and
the results speak for themselves. In 2004, some 21 metric tons of Malongo fair trade coffee were sold in the chain’s hotels.
If sales of Malongo have been so strong in Accor bars and restaurants Accor, it’s because of the coffee’s ethical values, as well as its taste and aroma,
which are much appreciated by customers.
Accor teams benefit from our technical expertise and training in fair trade issues, while we’re able to
capitalize on Accor’s in-depth understanding of its network and skills in all aspects of the hotel business.”
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Interview with a French association on sea preservation
Philippe Valette, for Nausicaà, the French National Sea Experience Centre
Since its opening in 1991, Nausicaà, the French National Sea Experience Centre, has focused on raising public
awareness of the need to effectively manage the world’s oceans.
The partnership with Accor has enabled us to broaden our mission.
The excursions and other activities organized for customers at the Sofitel Hurghada, as well as staff training programs
on this pilot site, are helping to get everyone fully involved in environmental protection.
In addition, the partnership strengthens Accor’s sustainable development policy by helping to preserve
the natural surroundings of its seaside hotels for leisure customers.
Beginning in 2005, the Novotel and Sofitel Sharm el-Sheikh, the Sofitel Taba and the Sofitel Dahab on the Red Sea,
as well as the Sofitel Ia Ora Moorea in Polynesia, will offer these types of activities for their customers.
This ambitious project is crucial for our future and thus a top priority for Nausicaà.
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Interview with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)
Monique Barbut, Director of the Division of Technology, Industry and Economics
Accor’s global commitment to sustainability, and in particular to the UN Global Compact’s principles, is a terrific way
to ensure a global spread of environmental and social good practices.
However, the path towards sustainability goes also through local partnerships, and in tourism in particular,
business operators should establish ‘good neighbor’ relationships with local communities.
In this context, Accor can play a major role in improving standards of living in ‘emerging’ destinations, by sharing environmental technologies,
contributing to awareness raising and the education of local people and participating in the local economic development.
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Interview with Norma Johnston, Plan Communication and Marketing Manager, an international, childcentred
development organization
“This partnership allows Plan to access a global network of people who are motivated to act on behalf of
children.
The partnership has enabled Plan to educate staff and Accor customers about the role both Plan and Accor play
in communities around the world. As the partnership expands to include more countries, we foresee the impacts
and benefits increasing accordingly for Accor and Plan and the children and their communities in which Plan
works worldwide” |
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Interview with Luc Ferran, ECPAT* Tourism coordinator
“Overall, Accor has demonstrated a strong commitment to the Code and we are very happy with the way that
Accor has not only implemented the Code but also been honest and open in evaluating themselves.
The annual report on the implementation of the Code (completing this is one of the six criteria of the Code),
for example, was very thorough in 2004 and such monitoring and evaluation is very important to an honest and
efficient child protection program of any kind.
The sheer number of Accor staff trained is high and we are proud of this. Of course, there is never enough
hotel staff trained on the issue of commercial sexual exploitation of children, but this is a number that Accor,
ECPAT and other child protection stakeholders can be proud of. The greater the number of staff trained to spot and repudiate child sex tourism,
the greater the impact the Code is having in terms of fighting sexual exploitation of children.”
*ECPAT : End Children Prostitution Pornography And Trafficking of Children For Sexual Purposes
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Interview with a Manager on Corporate Social Responsibility Investments on European Equities
Stéphane Prevost, Ixis Asset Management
“Over the past two years, we feel that Accor has been one of the most committed European hotel and leisure industry companies in the area of sustainable development.
With a highly decentralized organization spanning the globe, Accor has successfully defined and introduced meaningful actions that respond to the major challenges facing the industry.
These range from employee-related concerns, like turnover and gender parity, to environmental and human rights issues. Accor has been especially innovative in training employees,
respecting their rights, combating sexual tourism and minimizing the environmental impact of its operations through programs to reduce consumption and raise customer awareness.
After the 2003 Report, which showed a true concern for accuracy, we’re now waiting for Accor to publish its indicators and results using a broader geographic base.
Lastly, its policy of obtaining commitments from suppliers and subcontractors should be expanded from the experimental stage in France and gradually applied worldwide.”
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