Photo Credit: ACCOR
Like so many other sectors of the economy, the hotel industry has been deeply affected by the coronavirus pandemic. But Accor, a world-leading, Paris-based hotel group with 4900 hotels across 110 countries have pivoted it’s business and launched a massive global response to the crisis, creating numerous initiatives and programs to give back to its employees, support humanitarian efforts in several different regions, and take care of the many communities it serves.
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Accor’s Worldwide Initiatives
The cornerstone of Accor’s response is the ALL Heartist Fund, a €70 million special purpose vehicle created to aid three groups: employees with uncovered medical expenses, staff facing significant financial hardship, and frontline healthcare staff and nonprofit organizations.
Additionally, Accor has launched several solidarity initiatives to show their support for frontline healthcare workers and first responders, nonprofits, and vulnerable groups:
- The company has set up dedicated Coronavirus Response Desks to receive requests and coordinate adequate responses.
- Various Accor hotels have made rooms available to healthcare staff and provided emergency overnight shelter to the homeless.
- Several locations have also supplied food and other perishable items to local shelters and foodbanks.
- Accor has donated essential medical supplies to local hospitals.
- At the hotel group’s Paris headquarters and countless locations around the world, Accor has been lighting up building facades in the shape of a heart, as a visual demonstration of hope and inspiration.
Furthermore, Accor’s lifestyle loyalty program ALL (Accor Live Limitless) has collaborated with Paris Saint-Germain to launch the “Tous Unis” (All Together) jersey. The jersey bears the logo of Assistance Publique – Paris Hospitals (AP-HP), which supports the Greater Paris University Hospitals and 100,000 healthcare staff. There are 1500 limited edition shirts available at €175 each, and the proceeds will support frontline healthcare workers.
And for customers, Accor has instituted generous policies for cancellations and rebookings.
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Accor Offers Robust Support To Hard-Hit UK
The UK has remained one of the hardest-hit nations, with 16,509 coronavirus-related deaths as of April 19. As a result, Accor’s local UK response is among its most robust efforts compared to other countries it serves.
Accor has supported the local government, National Health Service (NHS), and local charities by opening its doors to frontline NHS and government-designated essential workers, the homeless, and endangered residents who need a safe space. This eases the pressure on local hospitals and communities while also stemming the spread of the virus.
The UK Accor Response Desk centralizes local needs and enables Accor to respond quickly with accommodation solutions for NHS and healthcare providers, essential workers, local authorities, and charities.
Additionally, several individual Accor hotel sites have offered localized responses for their immediate communities:
- The Novotel London Excel is housing NHS workers from NHS Nightingale, a new field hospital built specifically to treat people infected with COVID-19.
- Other Accor ibis and Novotel hotels in the Excel area have pledged support for NHS staff as their needs grow.
- In Liverpool, The Pullman has set up a partnership with the local hospital to host elderly patients that have been discharged and are recovering from the virus.
- A number of Mercure hotels have opened up rooms for the homeless and asylum seekers.
Accor Helps France’s Most Vulnerable
In France, Accor has made its services available to frontline medical staff, all French people who are fighting the virus’ spread, and the most vulnerable populations. The Coronavirus Emergency Desk Accor (CEDA) is also helping to centralize needs. More than 40 of the company’s hotels in France have the capacity to provide 1,000 to 2,000 beds for vulnerable populations. Thus, Accor is working in tandem with local authorities to identify and respond to the most urgent needs. The company has also partnered with AP-HP to expand CEDA’s reach if needed.
Accor Extends Helping Hand to North America
Accor has launched a multi-pronged response in various parts of North America. In Toronto, the Fairmont Royal York is providing accommodations for frontline healthcare workers and is donating up to 500 rooms per night to three local hospital foundations.
In Boston, the Fairmont Copley Plaza culinary team is donating perishable items to the Boston Rescue Mission, an emergency overnight shelter for the homeless that serves healthy and hearty meals. The hotel’s first donation in March included 200 pounds of food and drink.
On Hawaii’s Big Island, the Fairmont Orchid donated 580 masks to local hospitals. And throughout the North and Central American regions, a relief fund was created to provide charitable grants for employees with unmet financial needs.
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Responses Across Other Nations
In addition to its generous humanitarian efforts in the UK, France, and North and Central America, Accor has also spearheaded relief initiatives in other countries.
In South America, the hotel group has introduced a solidarity rate in its hotels, which serves the elderly and other at-risk groups to help them isolate and stay safe. Brazil’s ibis & ibis budget São Paulo Morumbi and Argentina’s Mercure Iguazu have donated perishable food and beverages to local associations and institutions. And, Novotel Morumbi São Paulo has partnered with a private hospital to house doctors and administrative staff.
At India’s ibis New Delhi Aerocity, the hotel staff is providing full support and assistance to the Delhi Government by providing safe accommodations for Indian guests who’ve returned home from abroad. Some of these citizens are housed on dedicated floors with Government-supervised medical oversight and security.
The ibis hotel in Aalst, Belgium was converted into a care site for discharged patients who can’t return home.
And in the United Arab Emirates, 20 hotels are being used as quarantine or testing centers for travelers who were repatriated from abroad.
Accor has transformed its business in service of the many communities it serves, and I find the company’s philanthropic work inspiring. This moment requires compassion and empathy, and it’s my hope that every company takes similar steps to help give back during this time of crisis.
To find out more about Accor and its various humanitarian efforts around the world, visit group.accor.com.
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