Radisson Hotel Group begins roll-out of its new global Responsible Business training program

04 September 2019

Radisson Hotel Group has announced the introduction of its new global Responsible Business training program, Living and Leading Responsible Business.

Set to be rolled out worldwide over the next 16 months, the company said the new program will cement Radisson Hotel Group’s position as a Responsible Business leader and will give team members the tools they need to drive standards and best practices.

Taking responsibility for the environment and local community has long been important to Radisson Hotel Group. It has been a vital part of the group’s broader commitment to sustainable development since the group launched its first environmental policy in 1989.

To step up the group’s efforts in this area as part of its five-year strategic plan, a global and cross-departmental team has revamped the existing Responsible Business training program, which was first launched in 2001. It is the first time that the training program has had global alignment across the group’s 1,100+ hotels in operation, delivering consistent knowledge levels and action on topics such as carbon footprint reduction, water savings, meaningful community engagement and tackling modern slavery.

To collect relevant feedback and ensure that the content is relevant in the near 100 countries where the group operates, the project team has completed training pilots from Sydney to St Petersburg and from Brussels to Cartagena. These pilots have also helped to identify how the program can achieve a key aim – to drive Responsible Business in every hotel and corporate office.

Sven Wiltink, Director Responsible Business EMEA and Training Project Lead, said: “Our responsibility for People, Community and Planet is borderless, so global alignment on our Responsible Business program is a key driver for Radisson Hotel Group. The new Responsible Business training program aims to engage and align all our team members – helping them to have a stronger impact on our group targets, as well as global efforts to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development goals.”

Living & Leading Responsible Business
The new Responsible Business training program consists of two pillars: Living Responsible Business and Leading Responsible Business:
• Living Responsible Business is a classroom training. All hotel team members will be invited to follow and complete the training. The interactive training covers topics such as ethics, diversity, inclusion, community support, eco-footprint reduction, and sorting waste – as well as more sensitive topics like tackling sex trafficking and forced labor.

The training is available in 21 languages and gives participants the required know-how to truly put Responsible Business into practice, both at home and at work.

• Leading Responsible Business is a comprehensive and engaging e-learning tool with a target-driven and interactive approach. The e-learning explores how Responsible Business can be practised by group and hotel leaders, integrating it into all company departments and operational activities.

The e-learning covers topics such as eco-footprint reduction, youth employability, responsible recruitment and sourcing, promoting human rights, and Radisson Hotel Group’s partnership with SOS Children’s Villages – as well as the involvement of external stakeholders such as guests, suppliers and owners.

The new Responsible Business training program is launched and gradually being rolled across all hotels and brands of Radisson Hotel Group. By end of 2020, Radisson Hotel Group aims to have trained all hotels.