Accor Achieves Environmental A-List Status: Leading the Hospitality Industry in Climate Action

words by Travelworks Team | released on March 22nd, 2024

For the first time, Accor joins the ‘A-list’ of global environmental non-profit CDP, as part of the leading companies regarding transparency, management of environment risks and demonstrating the rigor and ambition with which the climate issue is addressed in the company’s business model.

Accor is one of the 141 European companies that achieved an ‘A’ on climate change out of over 21,000 companies scored. Moreover, Accor has once again demonstrated its leadership on the climate issue by being the only company, among the leading hospitality companies, to be recognized with an ‘A’.

This recognition rewards the work carried out as part of the Accor Group’s sustainability strategy, that places People & Nature at its heart, infusing three strategic pillars: (i) to transform sustainably our operations and hotels to enhance guests experience, (ii) to accelerate the transition to a sustainable food model by offering differentiating culinary experiences to our guests, and finally (iii) to participate in making tangible, at sector level, a new way of traveling.

As part of this strategy, Accor is committed to contributing to carbon neutrality by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement and validated by SBTi. The Group has also undertaken to reduce its carbon emissions by -46% on scope 1&2 and -28% on scope 3 by 2030. To achieve these commitments, Accor is working closely with its owners and plays an active role within the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and the Hospitality Alliance for Responsible Procurement to set new standards for the industry.

Sébastien Bazin, Chairman & CEO of Accor 

Sébastien Bazin, Chairman & CEO of Accor – “Accor is paving the way to transform the hospitality industry into a sector that contributes to the environment and the society. As demonstrated in 2023, the climate change consequences are real, which requires exploring new ways of managing hotels. Thanks to the strong dedication of Accor teams across the world, the group proves that it has the adequate strategy, method, governance, and rigor to pursue its efforts, to support and provide solutions to our owners in their decarbonization journey and accelerate the deployment of our strategy, in coalition with our stakeholders.”

Fully aligned with the Taskforce for Climate-Related Financial Disclosures, CDP holds the largest environmental database in the world, and its scores are widely used to drive investment and procurement decisions towards a sustainable and resilient economy and contribute to global carbon neutrality.

In 2023, over 740 financial institutions with over US$136 trillion in assets requested companies to disclose data on environmental impacts, risks and opportunities through CDP’s platform. A record-breaking 23,000 companies responded.

A detailed and independent methodology is used by CDP to assess these companies, allocating a score of A to D- based on the comprehensiveness of disclosure, awareness and management of environmental risks and demonstration of best practices associated with environmental leadership, such as setting ambitious and meaningful targets. Those that don’t disclose or provide insufficient information are scored an F.

Sherry Madera, CEO of CDP, said: “Congratulations to all the companies on CDP’s A List, and those companies that started or accelerated their journey towards environmental transparency in 2023 – we saw a 24% increase of disclosures last year and that trajectory is to be applauded. It is only by laying the groundwork of disclosure that companies can show they are serious about the vital part they play in securing a net-zero, nature-positive future.”