HONG KONG, 18 October 2022: Ovolo Hotels pledges to plant one tree for every guest stay while committing to cut annual waste by 50% in 2030 and promote vegetarian menus, all part of a campaign to reduce its carbon footprint.
The hotel collection calls it a Do Good, Feel Good initiative that leads off with a new ‘Green Perk’ that promises the group will plant a tree for every room booked directly with Ovolo in association with Eden Reforestation Projects.
Key highlights of Ovolo’s commitment include two key pillars (planet and people) with specific objectives.
Planet
The new Green Perk will plant a tree for every room booked at Ovolo Hotels.
The Plant’d Pledge promotes vegetarian and plant-based cuisine across Ovolo Hotels restaurants and bars.
A commitment to reduce food waste by 50% in 2030.
Designing new hotels responsibly to include sustainable materials and fittings and achieve Green Certification for all Ovolo-owned new-build hotels.
Eliminating single-use plastics by 2023.
Measuring and managing carbon emissions, water, waste, and energy consumption.
Sourcing locally and organically wherever possible.
People
Protecting the mental and physical well-being of employees and increasing development and learning opportunities for all.
Providing education, nutrition, and healthcare for disadvantaged children in Indonesia and Hong Kong.
Ensuring 50/50 women and men in management positions by 2025.
Doubling fundraising efforts by 2025. Promoting local art, culture, and history to supporting local communities.
Veggie menu
Ovolo was the first international hotel group to introduce vegetarian and plant-based cuisine across its Ovolo Hotels. New research confirms that a diet low in meat consumption is one of the best things you can do for the planet. Livestock alone accounts for more than 14% of greenhouse gas emissions, and a vegan diet could cut those emissions by 70%. A recent study found that widespread adoption of a vegan diet could help avoid more than 8 million deaths by 2050 while dramatically reducing the possibility of devastating extreme weather events, which are being seen worldwide in greater frequency.
Tree planting
Planting trees is also one of the greatest things for the environment, so from 1 November, Ovolo is partnering with Eden Reforestation Projects, an NGO that works with local communities to restore their environment and economy by planting sustainable trees that provide food, income, and shelter, while mitigating the impacts of climate change and carbon emissions. Whenever guests book directly with Ovolo, they will receive a message after their stay to show them where their tree has been planted and information on the impact on the environment planting this tree has so that they can continue to feel a connection to the land, long after they have gone home. In the spirit of transparency, Ovolo says it has committed to producing an annual report verified by a third-party auditor.
About Ovolo
The Ovolo Group was founded by entrepreneur Girish Jhunjhnuwala and first entered the real estate market in 2002. It expanded into the hotel industry in 2010. A Hong Kong brand, Ovolo Group, remains a family-owned and privately-operated business operating four hotels and three restaurants in Hong Kong and eight hotels and seven restaurants across Australia in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and Brisbane. Ovolo also has the By Ovolo Collective within its portfolio of hotels. It includes Nishi Apartments in Canberra, Australia, The Sheung Wan by Ovolo and The Aberdeen Harbour in Hong Kong, and Mamaka Kuta Beach in Bali, Indonesia.
