Hotel giant Accor’s bold move to eliminate single-use plastics gains momentum

Accor boss Sarah Derry has declared war on plastic, signalling the end of those complimentary shampoo bottled loved by guests at fancy hotels.

Accor boss Sarah Derry has declared war on plastic. The former Townsville girl told City Beat over a lunch at Novotel Southbank this week that the hotel giant’s new sustainability push includes a drastic reduction in plastic use across its properties in Australia including the Sofitel, Novotel, Ibis and Mercure brands.

Derry says that includes getting rid of the little plastic bottles of shampoo and body lotion offered in hotel rooms, plastic water bottles and numerous other single use plastic items. Derry concedes some guests may like slipping those complimentary bottles of lotion in their bags before they check out, but something had to be done to reduce the mountains of plastic waste produced each year by the chain.

“We have removed some 43 single use plastic items such as individual toiletries from guest facing areas in over 80 per cent of our hotels,” says Derry. The company estimates between 6 and 8 million items were removed from rooms and replaced with sustainable alternatives.

Sarah Derry. Source: Supplied,

“In 2023 and beyond, we are committed to taking these actions further into the removal of single use plastics from back of house operations, micro plastics in laundries and by finding an appropriate long term solution to replace plastic water bottles.”

Derry reveals Accor has entered into a partnership with Ecotourism Australia for the certification of all its hotels, apartments and resorts across Australia and the Pacific.

Over lunch of wagyu beef, prawns and crepes suzettes, Derry said she was in her old stomping ground of Townsville during the week scouting out possible growth opportunities for the firm. She also revealed to the lunch guests that while working in hotels as a young woman, she used to help out the chef on the dessert station, including flambéing the crepe suzettes.

Pikos hires

Property developer Pikos Group is topping up its talent pool with the appointment of two executives to its senior leadership team. Michelle Wooldridge has been hired as chief executive while Claire O’Rourke joins as development director. Pikos Group managing director Pedro Pikos says the leadership team now comprises three female industry leaders following the recent announcement experienced international commercial finance executive Rebecca Slingsby to the position of chief financial and operating officer. Wooldridge has worked on large scale projects including the Brisbane Showgrounds, Herston Quarter, Cross River Rail and the 15,000-lot masterplanned community, Yarrabilba. She also is also the current vice president of the Property Council of Australia (Queensland).

O’Rourke, as the development director, brings a wealth of development management experience to the role, previously working for leading local property advisory consultancy Bluebird, where she was co-founder and partner.

Michelle Wooldridge

Shark tank

An rare opportunity to purchase a business that includes sharks, turtles, snakes and crocodiles, is being offered in the Far North with an investor sought for the Cairns Aquarium.

Colliers managing director in Cairns Stacey Quaid says the property agency has been appointed by the directors of the aquarium to seek expressions of interest for investment in the freehold land, business assets and business enterprise of the facility.

Completed in 2017, the three-storey purpose built complex features more than 70 displays showcasing the species, habitats, and ecosystems of tropical north Queensland.

Industry sources say the freehold/going concern opportunity is expected to fetch more than $60m.

“This is a real opportunity to purchase into not only an iconic site in the tourism hotspot of Cairns City, but the business as well,” Quaid says. Quaid along with agents Matthew Meynell, Karen Wales and Jason Lynch are handling the sale campaign.

Cairns Aquarium seeking new investors.