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SPECIAL REPORT : CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
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The unique location of Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa , on 160 acres ( 65 hectares ) of native forest and bamboo groves along the Mekong River on Thailand ’ s border with Myanmar and Laos , promises more than just an idyllic setting for guests . It also provides the perfect place for the resort ’ s
Planet Lab , an online CSR role-play game that players win by ensuring a virtual hotel meets sustainable development criteria . “ CSR is an ongoing mission , and getting everyone on board takes time , but it is worth it ,” says Francoise Houdebine , vice president of sales and marketing for Concorde .
Fostering a hands-on approach to CSR is central to the entire Home2 Suites by Hilton brand . Through the Your2 Hands community relations initiative , each hotel chooses a CSR partner it feels will make the biggest
Elephant Camp , which is currently home to more than 30 elephants rescued from life on the streets of Thailand ’ s major cities .
Anantara has worked with the Thai Elephant Conservation Center to ensure the elephants ’ treatment exceeds international standards , notes Mark Thomson , spokesman for Bangkok-based Anantara Hotels , Resorts & Spas . The resort also is committed to improving life for mahouts — elephant owners — and their families . Currently Anantara Golden Triangle
The Elephant Camp at Thailand ’ s Anantara Golden Triangle Resort currently is home to more than 30 elephants rescued from the streets of the country ’ s major cities .
supports 64 individuals , Thomson says , and has started a cottage industry for mahout wives . The women weave textiles sold at the property ’ s gift shop .
Projects like the Elephant Camp led Anantara to launch “ 365 Days of Good Deeds ” during 2012 to celebrate at least one sustainability initiative each day of the year . “ The campaign shows that Anantara is 100 % committed to supporting local communities no matter how big or small the gesture is ,” Thomson says .
local impact , with projects including an effort with Fort Bragg Fisher House in Fayetteville , North Carolina , a nonprofit organization that provides a “ home away from home ” for military families . Home2 Suites donated approximately US $ 20,000 to update Fisher House ’ s guestrooms with new bed frames , box springs , mattresses and other amenities , and the local hotel team plans to volunteer there approximately 40 hours annually .
Bill Duncan , global head of brand management for Home2 Suites , adds that future plans call for involving guests in choosing charities and even volunteering . “ Many of our guests are with us for five-plus nights , and these communities truly do become a second home to them ,” Duncan says . “ Giving them the chance to volunteer and donate will be an added bonus to staying at a Home2 Suites .”
The reporting question Home2 Suites also is proactive in terms of marketing Your2 Hands , announcing a hotel ’ s partner organization at its grand opening celebration , displaying artwork spotlighting the chosen community partner at the hotel and providing properties with access to landing page templates they can use to further promote the program .
In contrast , Chan notes that Peninsula generally doesn ’ t market its CSR initiatives unless it wants to encourage guests to participate — as in the Peninsula in Pink program to raise funds for breast cancer research — or if decisions directly affect guests , as in the ban on shark fin at all the group ’ s owned food outlets .
When it comes to more formal CSR reporting , Knop recommends frameworks such as ISO26000 , which covers seven core social responsibility subjects , and Global Reporting Initiative guidelines . He also highlights a movement toward integrated CSR reporting , rather than issuing often flowery standalone reports . “ Integrated reporting sees only those most salient or material CSR metrics included as part of financial and annual reports ,” Knop explains . “ This displays the best-inclass practice of fully integrating CSR into the business and financials of a company .”
Perhaps the most important bestin-class lesson is to take a disciplined CSR approach — something that isn ’ t always easy in this space . “ You can ’ t be all things to all people ,” Plutzik notes . “ Your heart ’ s in the right place , but you can ’ t do everything well . In the CSR space , you ’ re much better off to choose spots you care deeply about . To be good at this doesn ’ t mean you ’ ve got to do it all .”
26 HOTELS May 2012 www . hotelsmag . com