InterContinental Hotels & Resorts this week celebrates the work that its hotels around the world are doing to sustain and enhance their local destinations.

In partnership with National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, this week, Responsible Business Week will see InterContinental hotels from around the world take part in activities that ensure their location remains an appealing place to visit for future generations.

Building on the success of last year’s Responsible Business Day, the initiative has been extended to a week. Also new this year is Pip the Emperor penguin, the mascot for the week represents the range of geotourism initiatives that will be undertaken globally, and the need to protect and preserve local environments.

Responsible Business initiatives that have been carried out by InterContinental Hotels & Resorts worldwide include:

InterContinental Boston – The hotel has created a rooftop apiary or bee yard that now contains more than 100,000 honey bees that pollinate the flora of an approximate four file radius of the hotel.
InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa – Located in one of the most remote parts of the world, the hotel is the first in the world to pioneer a salt water air-conditioning system.
Presidente InterContinental Cozumel Resort & Spa - The hotel has a relationship with Cozumel Marine National Park and teaches guests to dive without negative impact on marine life. It offers clean-up dives to protect the reefs and ecosystems and provides rooms and meeting facilities to park scientists.

“Responsible Business activities range from cleaning historical sites to guest experiences around local crafts and wildlife conservation projects, all demonstrating InterContinental Hotels & Resorts’ commitment to protecting the world around us,” says Simon Scoot, Vice President, Global Brand Management, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.

IHG’s Green Engage system helps InterContinental hotels to deliver these initiatives, as well as helping to reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint throughout the rest of the year. The online environment tool helps hotels monitor, reduce and manage energy, water and waste.

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