AccorHotels sustains 6,350 local jobs in the UAE and KSA and contributes over €425m to the GDP of both nations
AccorHotels (the 'Group'), the world's leading hotel operator, has published findings from its first global socio-economic footprint study. The research demonstrates the Group's corporate social responsibility drive and its goal to quantify and analyze the economic ripple effect of its operations throughout the world as well as in its local economies. The findings of this study enable AccorHotels to identify and strengthen the positive impacts its business and hotels have in their communities as well as limit any negative impacts that may arise from development and growth of the Group.
The study also showcases specific data on AccorHotels' operations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, two key target markets for the Group in the Middle East.
Key FindingsTwo key findings from the data highlight AccorHotels' impact in terms of both jobs and wealth created by its operations, both on a global scale and as well as regionally in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The study has determined that AccorHotels sustains around 880,000 jobs globally and close to 6,350 jobs between the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In the UAE, AccorHotels' operations have directly created over 3,000 jobs while supporting over 4,000 jobs locally in total. In Saudi Arabia, the Group's activity has directly created over 1,400 jobs while it also supports nearly 2,350 jobs in the Kingdom.
Globally, the Group has created or supports jobs in three main sectors: corporate services (laundry, cleaning, security), agriculture (as a result of its food and beverage activity) and public services (education, healthcare and transportation).
The Group contributes €22 billion to the global GDP, which is the equivalent of a country like Cyprus. This contribution encompasses the value added directly by the Group, plus the value generated by the activities of its suppliers, by household consumption and by public spending.
The positive economic impacts from the Group's global activities also correlate with its local presence. The study shows that in the United Arab Emirates, AccorHotels managed to contribute close to €260 million to the country's GDP. In Saudi Arabia, the Group contributes over €165 million to the nation's GDP.
OutlookThis study underscores the fact that the Group's value creation drive is firmly rooted in local communities, and that it thus needs to continuously step up its economic and social responsibility in its host countries. To that end, AccorHotels, in 2014, updated its Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility Charter and appointed a Committee to supervise the observance of principles and increase overall responsibility in the areas of management ethics, integrity, legal compliance and corporate and social responsibility.
This study also sheds light on deep ties between the Group, its stakeholders and host nations. AccorHotels' role as a business partner and customer entails substantial responsibility. This has led the Group to set up monitoring mechanisms throughout its value chain and, in particular, to develop joint innovation initiatives with its key partners in order to improve the sector's practices. AccorHotels will use these findings to fine-tune a new chapter for PLANET 21, its global sustainable development program. The Group will be presenting this in Spring, 2016.
MethodologyUtopies, a consulting firm that specializes in this field and has previously developed the LOCAL FOOTPRINT® modelling tool to estimate indirect and induced impacts in 186 countries and 25 business sectors, produced this report. EY, an independent expert, audited and certified it. This report encompasses data for the Group's 3,600 hotels (all management systems combined), and is based on its 2013 financial statements while looking at three main financial flows from the Group into the economy, namely:
- Hotel expenditure (primarily purchases from suppliers); - The wages that AccorHotels brand hotels pay their employees; - The taxes resulting from the Group's activities.
The methodology utilized does not include the local expenditure of guests staying in the hotels.
Based on these flows, the results quantify three types of impacts:
- Direct: the value added by the Group and the presence of AccorHotels employees around the world
- Indirect: the economic ripple effect of its purchases, expenditure or investments;
- Induced: the activities supported by the wages and taxes paid by AccorHotels or its suppliers (household consumption and public spending).
The study is available for both the industry and the general public on Planet 21 Research, a shared knowledge platform on sustainable development.
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ABOUT ACCORHOTELS MIDDLE EAST
AccorHotels Middle East is one of the fastest growing hospitality groups in the Middle East. Currently, the Group's regional portfolio includes over 70 operational hotels representing close to 19,500 rooms in ten countries. Among the existing global brands ranging from Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel, Mercure and ibis, new brands such as Adagio and ibis Styles are emerging as strong players in the region. With over 25 years of regional experience, AccorHotels Middle East was the first to establish a training academy. Dubbed as Tamheed - AccorHotels Académie Middle East, the training facility is dedicated to educating and preparing associates at all levels and ensuring optimal career development.
ABOUT ACCORHOTELS
AccorHotels is a Group united by a shared passion for hospitality and driven by a shared promise to make everyone Feel Welcome.
Over 180,000 women and men in 3,900 AccorHotels establishments look after thousands of guests every day in 92 countries.
AccorHotels is the world's leading hotel operator and offers its customers, partners and employees:
- Its dual expertise as a hotel operator and franchisor (HotelServices) and a hotel owner and investor (HotelInvest);
- A large portfolio of internationally renowned brands covering the full spectrum, with luxury (Sofitel, Pullman,
MGallery by Sofitel, Grand Mercure, The Sebel), midscale (Novotel, Mercure, Mama Shelter, Adagio) economy (ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget, adagio access and hotelF1) establishments;
- A powerful marketplace and loyalty program: Le Club AccorHotels
- Almost half a century of commitment to corporate citizenship and solidarity with the PLANET 21 program.
Accor SA shares are listed on the Euronext Paris exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and traded in the USA on the OTC marketplace (Code: ACRFY)
Press contact:
Aditi Mane
Finsbury +971 50 738 4146 aditi.mane@finsbury.com
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© Press Release 2016
