Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road Kowloon Receives Caring Company Award for Five Consecutive Years

KOWLOON, Hong Kong - Feb. 28, 2014 - PRLog -- Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road Kowloon has been honored the Caring Company Award by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service for five consecutive years, nominated by The YMCA of Hong Kong, in recognition of its strong commitment in caring for the community, the environment and its employees.

Mr Olivier Moies-Delval, General Manager said, “As a caring corporate citizen, we have always capitalized on our strengths and resources to benefit the community by working with non-profit making organizations. We always encourage our staff to participate in social and community services. Through the voluntary services, our staff demonstrate their care for those in need and at the same time, enhance the relationship amongst one another. Over the past few years, we have been committed to reduce the impact to the environment by rolling out 53 actions. We hope the application of these measures will help us achieve the prestigious ISO 14001 environmental certification under Accor’s Plant 21 sustainable development program”.

Committed to caring for the community
In response to the needs of the society, Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road Kowloon has been partnering with The YMCA of Hong Kong since 2009 and has organized and participated in various social services. The hotel expressed theircare for the underpriviledged children in Tung Chung district by hosting a birthday party and donating gifts to them.  It also took part in the “Ngong Ping Charity Walk 2014”  to raise funds for “The Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association”. The money raised was to go towards the development of youth activities to explore nature and to enable cultural exchange. The hotel staff also reached out to the elderly through home visits. What is more, Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road Kowloon cares not only to the needy in Hong Kong, but also those from China.The hotel joined fund raising event “Barefoot Walkathon” by YMCA of Hong Kong to help improve the quality of life of the underprivileged children in mainland.

Demonstrating our commitment by minimising the impact on the environment
Environmental awareness and engagement is an integral part of Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road Kowloon’s operations. Over the years, the hotel’s Green Team has worked tirelessly to implement various green initiatives to help conserve the environment. It has made significant contributions in reforestation through Accor’s Plant for the Planet. The project involves guests to reuse their bath towels rather than sending them back to housekeeping to be washed. With every 5 unwashed towels, the hotel pledges to plant 1 tree. In 2013, 383 trees have been financed by the hotel which will help improve the income and living conditions of the local and disadvantaged people of Liming, Yunnan and Qinglong, Heibei province of China where the two planting sites are located. The progress of the program is monitored monthy by the the team, to ensure the goals are reached. Besides, the hotel has demonstrated its environmental commitment by sponsoring its staff to participate in Tree Planting Challenge organized by Friends of the Earth Hong Kong since 2009. Also, the hotel has always been a keen supporteron the annual Earth Hourglobal event by turning off the lights of the hotel’s exterior, driveway and guest floors’ corridors for one hour. In collaboration with a number of non-profit making organizations. Soap Cycling, the hotel launched a soap cycling training, teaching the housekeeping staff the proper ways of collecting and recycling slightly used soap. While another non-profit organisation Giving Bread, receives regular donations of leftover bread from the hotel which are repackage and donated to the needy and elderly.Meanwhile, regular beach cleanings are organized to helpmaintaina clean and fun place for all Hong Kong citizens and tourists. Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road Kowloon is also actively improving waste recycling, implementing various means to reduce waste going to landfils by partnering with local organizations. Plastic bottles, glass are sent for recycling while food waste is properly managed and sent to food waste management organizations.

Caring for its employees and guests
As a caring and responsible employer, the wellbeingof its staff and guests are equally important. Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road Kowloon therefore places special emphasis on the staff’s wellness and communication to create a pleasant working environment. Special activities such as the Open Table meetings with General Manager is held regularly to encourage open communication. The hotel also organizes activities for its employees in order to promote a balanced work-life, including birthday parties, barbeques, football matches and so on. Seminars and visual communication on the care for the environment are held and posted in the hotel and staff areas to raise awareness among its staff and guests on best environmental practices. Moreover, seminars on occupational health and safety hazards are held to educate staff on accidents prevention within the workplace. For the past three years, the hotel has been awarded with Indoor Quality Air Certification, provided under the Hong Kong Indoor Air Quality Certification Scheme managed by the Environmental Protection Department and Indoor Quality Information Centre. The certification recognizes the hotel’s strong commitment in controlling the air quality to provide a clean and safe living spacefor its customers and employees in thehotel premises.

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About Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road Kowloon
Novotel Hong Kong Nathan Road Kowloon is conveniently located on Nathan Road, in the heart of Kowloon's famous shopping and commercial district. Just 2 minutes walk from Jordan MTR Station and a short distance from some of the city’s main attractions, such as the Temple Street Night Market, Ladies Market, and Jade Market, makes shopping and exploring the city's sights enjoyable and convenient. The 15 storey hotel offers 389 contemporary rooms and suites, a bar and restaurant, gymnasium and an executive lounge. For more information, visit us at http://www.novotel-hongkong-nathanroad.com or http://www.accorhotels.com/6771

Novotel is the midscale hotel brand of Accor, the world’s leading hotel operator, present in 92 countries with more than 3,600 hotels and 160,000 employees. Novotel’s consistently high standard of service contributes to the wellbeing of both business and leisure travelers: think spacious, modular-design guestrooms, balanced cuisine available 24/7, excellent meeting facilities, attentive staff, dedicated children’s areas and rejuvenating wellness facilities. With PLANET 21, Accor’s sustainable development program, Novotel commits itself to the planet! To meet today’s challenging environmental and social issues, the brand has chosen to rely on a world renowned environmental certification, ISO 14001.