Kempinski plans to eliminate the use of all plastic room keys by 2026, as the ultra-luxury hospitality brand progresses its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy. The move to scrap the plastic room keys was detailed in Kempinski’s just released its 2023 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, the third successive year of the study.
Since the inception of Kempinski’s Sustainability Committee in 2021, the company’s goal has been to implement a comprehensive sustainability policy across all subsidiaries of the group by mapping internal and external stakeholders, defining metrics used to evaluate internal ESG performance over time, strengthening existing data collection processes, and implementing new processes as necessary to report on material ESG impacts.
Kempinski’s latest ESG Report reflects the progress that has been made over the past three years and outlines additional opportunities for the future. It also follows the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and is aligned with the UN Global Impact Ten principles for human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.
Key highlights from Kempinski’s 2023 ESG Report include:
Kempinski actively promotes a culture of integrity and zero tolerance for corruption. Clear standards of conduct are defined in an anti corruption policy designed to ensure internal and external stakeholders adhere to ethical business practices. Zero incidents of corruption or bribery were reported in 2023, and twenty-eight operations were
assessed for corruption risk. Awareness and compliance were promoted through anti-corruption training for all new employees in 2023.
A companywide child and forced labour policy was issued in 2023 to formalise Kempinski’s continued commitment to eradicating child and forced labour. Thirty-seven whistleblowing cases were reported from diverse origin, with all successfully resolved.
Kempinski welcomes employees from diverse backgrounds including 124 nationalities, with 84.3% of employees local-nationals. Of the 19,200 Kempinski employees in 2023, 38.7% were female, and this ratio was consistent across aggregated job levels.
Training company wide: Over 175,000 hours of training were delivered in 2023, averaging 9.2 hours per employee per month.
Kempinski’s approach to climate change focuses on the holistic reduction of energy use and carbon emissions through sustainable buildings, energy efficiency and reductions, and the awareness, engagement and behaviour of stakeholders with seventy-seven hotels and residences (94%) reported energy and emission data, up from 82% in 2022. Energy use per guest night (GN) was 25.1% lower than 2022 and emission intensity was reduced by 19% to 43.1 kg CO2-e per guest night in 2023.
Kempinski’s approach to waste focuses on efficient and sustainable resource use to minimise waste and impact on climate and the environment. This is achieved by use optimisation to prevent waste with the principles of reuse and recycle to divert waste from landfill. Total waste and waste intensity per guest night declined by 20% and 19% respectively in 2023. Elimination of plastic key cards at all hotels by 2026 is expected to save three tonnes of plastic. As of 2023, just over half of Kempinski’s hotels have switched to wooden key cards, and a central policy will be issued in 2024 to formalise and drive this mandatory transition.
Kempinski recognises the essential value of water to all stakeholders and the environment. A proactive approach implements water-efficient technologies and practices to reduce consumption and waste, resulting in water use intensity declining by 17%, the second consecutive annual decline in use intensity.
Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth and Kempinski acknowledges each hotel is part of a larger interconnected ecosystem, and it is a shared responsibility to care for destinations and be stewards of their ecosystems. To this end, Kempinski has implemented initiatives around protected areas and habitats with high biodiversity, such as coral reefs, mangroves or seagrass and turtle nesting beaches in Seychelles and Mexico.
“As a global luxury hotel operator, Kempinski places sustainability at its heart, carefully considering our impact on the communities in which we operate,” said Barbara Muckermann, CEO, Kempinski Group.
“While there is a guest expectation and a business responsibility to report our findings through our latest ESG Report, we are also driven by moral and ethical imperatives to look after our people and our planet,” she said.
“The progress made over the last three years since the inception of Kempinski’s Sustainability Committee is tremendous, however we recognise there is still much work to be done. We will continue to embed sustainability into every area of our company and drive positive change for all properties across the globe and throughout the hospitality industry at large.”
View Kempinski’s 53-page 2024 ESG Report here.
