FAIRMONT DUBAI INTRODUCES NEW UNIFORM DESIGN FOR HOTEL FRONT OF HOUSE STAFF AND RETIRES HEELS FOR FEMALE EMPLOYEES

FAIRMONT DUBAI INTRODUCES NEW UNIFORM DESIGN FOR HOTEL FRONT OF HOUSE STAFF AND RETIRES HEELS FOR FEMALE EMPLOYEES

No High heels policy; setting new standards of style and comfort

DUBAI, April 2022 - The Fairmont Dubai renewed the uniforms of their front of house staff; the reception desk, bell service staff, concierges, housekeeping and F&B. The hotel commissioned Dress Best Uniform and Corporate Wear, conceptualized by fashion designer, to redesign and create new stylish uniforms that would allow guests to experience the hotel’s concept of bringing lifestyle approach throughout the space. With input from the hotel, the design concept translated into the trendy, vibrant and yet functional uniforms that guests now see on the associates, from the doormen to the guest relations.

Fashion has made a glorious entry into the hotel with the collection being designed with a modern spin. Drawing on the lifestyle modern feel and theme, the new uniforms highlights a neutral color palette, with warm tone shades. For the female staff, the uniform designs feature trendy white sneakers that adapts to the new policy of no more high heels for maximum comfort all day long as part of the new look.

“Having the honor of designing the entire uniforms for this renowned brand has been a dream,” said Koray Duman Sales Director Mena of Dress Best Uniform and Corporate Wear. “My team and I have been working with Fairmont Dubai for months to truly understand the voice and culture of the brand to best create unforms for the property’s diverse team, ensuring they are as comfortable and at ease at work, allowing them to move effortlessly, while still looking chic and stylish. 

Throughout the property, uniforms will reflect modern fashion for both men and women with well-tailored pieces. “People are at the heart of all of at Fairmont Dubai and when our people feel their best, they help make guest experiences the best they can be. So, we made it a priority to design uniforms that did just that for our team members; we always care about their comfort and convenience,” explained Kosta Kourotsidis, General Manager of Fairmont Dubai. “We are proud to partner with Dress Best Uniforms and Corporate Wear to outfit the team in comfortable, stylish, and elevated look design, true to the Fairmont spirit and that are an extension of the property’s overall brand story of “The New Fairmont Feeling”.

About Fairmont Dubai

Fairmont Dubai is an icon in Dubai, located in the heart of the shopping capital of the Middle East and on the land of perennial sunshine and pristine beaches. Conveniently located, Fairmont Dubai is just 10 minutes away from the world’s largest shopping centre – The Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, the tallest man-made structure in the world, and the Dubai Fountains, which shoots water as high as a 50-storey building. The hotel is also directly connected to the metro system and is linked to the convention and exhibition areas of the Dubai World Trade Centre by a covered, air-conditioned bridge.

Modeled after an Arabic wind tower (barajeel), this 34 story property features 394 guestrooms and suites, in addition to thirteen contemporary dining and entertainment venues, offering guests an array of gastronomic delights to amuse the palate.

For the business or leisure traveller seeking tranquility and relaxation, Fairmont Dubai features a Health Club and two rooftop swimming pools, providing breathtaking views of sunrise and sunset over an ever-changing Dubai skyline.

ITC Grand Chola, World’s Largest Hotel and Commercial building to achieve USGBC LEED Zero Carbon status

ITC Grand Chola,  World’s Largest Hotel and Commercial building to achieve USGBC LEED Zero Carbon status

ITC Hotels, the world’s largest chain of hotels with the maximum number of LEED Platinum Certified Properties has been accorded yet another distinction by the USGBC (United States Green Building Council), making ITC Grand Chola, Chennai the largest hotel in the world and commercial building to achieve the LEED Zero Carbon Certification.

Earlier, in March 2021, ITC Windsor, Bengaluru became the first hotel in the world to achieve the LEED Zero Carbon Certification.

LEED Zero encourages a holistic approach for buildings and places, which will contribute to a regenerative future. Sharing the same vision, ITC Hotels decade strong ‘Responsible Luxury’ initiative seeks to adopt the highest standards of planet positive experiences in its operations. 

ITC Grand Chola has demonstrated extraordinary sustainability leadership over a decade by consistently enhancing its energy efficiency with world class energy efficient and climate friendly technologies. It has further invested in building the renewable energy footprint through self-owned wind farm and solar energy.

The LEED Zero carbon certification demonstrates a deep commitment to implementing building and design strategies that assure an enhanced quality of life. It includes creating an environment where any human-produced carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere through technological or natural means. 

Zubin Songadwala, Area Manager – South, ITC Hotels & General Manager, ITC Grand Chola, affirmed, “ITC Hotels has been at the helm of exemplary sustainability leadership with its innovative energy efficiency, renewable energy and mitigation of greenhouse gases emission initiatives. The LEED Zero carbon certification for ITC Grand Chola and ITC Windsor is one step closer to creating a better world for all of us where buildings are actually generating more energy than they consume and removing more carbon than they create.”

ITC Hotels has pioneered several ground-breaking initiatives on environment, hotel ecosystem, health, and well-being. These include achieving LEED platinum rating, being one of the first chains to eliminate single use plastic free products, deployment of radiation harmonisers across the chain, farm to fork low carbon footprint cuisine, clean air among others.

For more than two decades, LEED has provided a framework for creating high

performance green buildings and spaces and is an internationally recognized symbol of excellence. Supplementing this framework, the U.S. Green Building Council has developed LEED Zero, a complement to LEED that verifies the achievement of net zero goals. LEED Zero represents a new level of achievement in green building that is the goal of LEED certified projects around the world.

(*LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)

The Thinnai Organic Farm Hotel wins the the sustainability award 2021

The Thinnai Organic Farm Hotel Small and Medium Enterprise category from the Sustainable Supply Chains initiative at “Sustainability Awards 2021” held during the ‘Top German Brands in Sri Lanka’ event organized by Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka - AHK Sri Lanka

The award winners were selected after evaluating the participants of the Sustainable Supply Chains and Sustainable Tourism Initiatives. The evaluation criteria included

1. Holistic approach to sustainability

2. Visionary leadership

3. Innovative capability and

4. Resistance to external factors (ie. Pandemic) when implementing sustainability practices.

“Our industry was hit very hard in 2020. Financial commitments for social engagement were not possible, therefore, we challenged ourselves differently”, Said Janitha C. Madawala, The Cluster General Manager, The Thinnai Group of Hotels

D&I Champion & Company of the Year - Kannan Aiyer & Soho House Mumbai

What an amazing journey it has been this year for Soho House. The year is certainly closing on a high note for them. Soho House always had creativity as it's soul. Started in 1995 as a private members club for the creative fraternity, diversity & inclusion was always at the core.

Soho House Mumbai decided to take this up a notch higher this year, introducing the following policies:

1. House to Home – 2 days no questions asked Menstrual Leave

2. Parental Leave – 90 days paid holiday for all single/same sex parents if they choose to

adopt or go through assisted reproduction.

3. Paternity Leave – Increase from 10 days to 30 days for all male employees

4. Same sex partners covered in our health insurance

5. Transgender covered as a specific gender in our health insurance

6. Gender Re-assignment surgery is now a part of our health insurance program

Apart from this they dedicatedly started focussing on diverse group hiring;

• Yash Charitable Trust (YCT): They are our Neuro Diverse community partners. Saurabh Kambli who joined us as an in intern just before the 1 st lockdown completed his training through both the lockdowns and has now gained a full time employment with us.

• Samavesha Chamber of Commerce: They are our partners for LGBTQIA+ hiring.

• Faujnet: Our partners for Military Veterans hirings

• Zetta Women: Our partners for hiring of women with career breaks/loss of jobs etc.

Noteworthy initiatives:

• Rev it up with Reuben: A monthly chat show run by Pastry Chef – Reuben Moraes. With this the aim is to make learning about D&I a fun experience.

• Sustainability and D&aI: Partnering with Dr. Binish Desai, also known as India’s Recycle Man to take up the sustainability initiatives a notch higher. The Coffee waste (on an avg amounts to 60 kgs per week) is being recycled into crockery, jewellery, decorative products etc. and the single use discarded masks are being converted into bricks which are used to build toilets and homes in rural areas.

Soho House Mumbai is a truly diverse, inclusive, safe & equitable space for every employee, member & guest. Transformance Group awarded the following to SOHO House Mumbai:

Individual Awards:

1. D&I Champion of the Year – Kannan Aiyer

2. HR Policy of the Year – Kannan Aiyer

Organizational Awards:

1. D&I Company of Year

2. HR Team of the Year

Maldives News | Dusit Thani Maldives Opens Sustainable Chef’s Garden Emphasizing Locally Grown, Fresh Produce

Dusit Thani Maldives, a luxury resort on Mudhdhoo Island in Baa Atoll, has further committed to its CSR and sustainable pledges by opening a carefully constructed Chef’s Garden growing a bounty of fresh ingredients for its award-winning restaurants.  

Designed and built by gardener Mr Ramesh Khadka alongside Executive Chef Richard Thompson, the raised-bed construction was selected for its many advantages over a ground- based garden, including the need for approximately 50% less soil.  

Gardner, Mr Ramesh Khadka

The beds are built from styrofoam boxes, which retain moisture and enable gardeners to reduce watering by up to 60%. The elevated height of the beds prevents local trees from inserting feeler shoots and hijacking nutrients from the budding produce, the variety of which can be expanded with a quick turnaround after each harvest.  

The garden ensures Chef Thompson will have direct access to nutritious fresh ingredients such as tomatoes, corn, peppers, Chinese cabbage, aubergine, pak choi and cucumber; a plethora of herbs like rosemary, Greek oregano, coriander and mint; and flavourful additions including Thai chillies, local chillies and lemongrass, which will take a starring role in the Royal Thai cuisine at Benjarong restaurant.  

Besides the garden, a high production hydroponics system features 218 cups for growing leafy vegetables and requires only 500 litres of water every eight weeks. Chef Thompson was inspired to work with the engineering team to build the beds and even craft the hydroponic cups.  

“I’m so excited for all our guests to have the chance to visit and personally see our beautiful garden,” he said. “We’re also in the process of setting up a deep culture system to maximise our limited space and grow even larger varieties of vegetables.”  

On October 16, guests and visitors will have the opportunity to explore the garden when the resort celebrates World Food Day. Participants will be invited to learn more about the produce, the hydroponic structure, how it functions, and the reasons behind its construction. With guidance from Chef Thomspon, they will also be able to harvest fresh leaves and vegetables and take part in a tasting of homemade bruschetta.  

General Manager Thomas Weber expressed his excitement about the project: “I’m thrilled to see the success of the garden and can’t wait for our guests to enjoy this experience and the many other CSR activities we offer.”  

Source

Hilton News | Hilton Introduces Industry-Leading Tech Enhancements

Hilton Introduces Industry-Leading Tech Enhancements, Improving Guest Experience with Shareable Digital Room Keys, Automated Complimentary Room Upgrades and Confirmed Connecting Rooms

MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton today announced the latest in a series of technology innovations that enhance the guest experience across the company’s 18 world-class hotel brands.  In a first for a major hospitality company, Digital Key Share will allow more than one guest to have access to their room’s Digital Key, which turns the free Hilton Honors app on their smartphones into a room key.

Hilton also announced an enhancement to a highly valued Hilton Honors benefit, providing members with early confirmation of a favorite perk – complimentary room upgrades.  Eligible Gold and Diamond Hilton Honors members will be notified of their space-available upgrade 72 hours prior to arrival, enabling the member to choose their upgraded room directly when they check-in via the Hilton Honors app. 

These two enhancements join the recently launched Confirmed Connecting Rooms, another industry first that allows individuals to easily and instantly confirm at least two connecting rooms at the time of booking. 

“We’ve always had our guests at the heart of everything we do, and we continue to listen, evolve and innovate to give them more choice and control over their hotel stay,” said Chris Silcock, executive vice president, and chief commercial officer, Hilton. “Our approach to technology always starts with the guest experience, and as travel returns, we are pleased to provide Hilton guests with enhancements to their stay that are seamless, flexible, and allow them to focus on what matters most – creating new memories.”

Sharing Your Digital Key with Travel Companions

Since its 2015 launch, Hilton’s Digital Key has expanded rapidly.  The technology is now available at more than 80% of Hilton’s portfolio, or close to 5,400 of Hilton’s more than 6,600 properties worldwide.  It has been used to open more than 135 million guestroom doors, and has reduced plastic waste by 125 tons, furthering Hilton’s Travel with Purpose commitment to cut its environmental footprint in half by 2030.  In the coming months, Digital Key Share will roll out globally to all hotels currently offering Digital Key technology.

How it Works: The primary guest can share their active Digital Key with up to four additional people or devices from the Hilton Honors app.  For the secondary guest to gain access to the Digital Key, they must receive an invitation from the primary guest, be logged into the Hilton Honors app and pass a security check that happens instantly in the background.  Guests who accept a share will have access to the room throughout the duration of the stay and, for security purposes, cannot further share the Digital Key. 

Enhancing the Complimentary Room Upgrade Benefit for Elite Members

Celebrating elite Gold and Diamond Hilton Honors members with complementary, space-available upgrades at the time of check-in is one of the program’s most important perks, and now, Hilton Honors is enhancing this valued benefit even further.  When possible, Hilton will notify Gold and Diamond members of their complimentary upgrade 72 hours prior to arrival.  This will enable the member to choose their upgraded room directly via the Hilton Honors app.  

How it Works: Eligible members will receive an email and a Hilton Honors app push notification alerting them of their complimentary upgraded room.  Once received, if the hotel offers Digital Check-In, the member can easily choose the location of their upgraded room through the app 36 hours prior to arrival.  All stays under seven nights are eligible for this confirmation, and it will be available in the coming months at all Hilton brands globally where space-available upgrades are currently offered, including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Curio Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Signia by Hilton and Tapestry Collection by Hilton. 

Easily Book and Instantly Confirm Connecting Rooms 

Earlier this year, Hilton launched a solution for a long-time travel planning frustration and was the first major hotel company to introduce a booking experience that allows individuals to easily book and instantly confirm at least two connecting rooms.  This innovative technology, Confirmed Connecting Rooms by Hilton, is rolling out globally and is available when booking on Hilton.com or through the Hilton Honors app at participating hotels within any of the portfolio’s 18 brands. 

How it Works: Individuals can book and instantly confirm connecting rooms in three easy steps. First, the guest selects the number of desired rooms, along with the destination and dates.  Then, when selecting a room, the guest checks the box to indicate “connecting rooms.”  Finally, the guest selects their desired connecting rooms and books their stay with instant confirmation. 

These innovations are a continuation of Hilton’s mission to further the digital welcome experience for valued guests and Hilton Honors members.  These enhancements increase flexibility for travelers so they can relax and enjoy their destination, whether traveling for business or leisure, with family or friends. Learn more at HiltonHonors.com.

BEST PRACTICE | Mercure Hyderabad KCP celebrates “Employee Gratitude Week”

Mercure Hyderabad KCP celebrates “Employee Gratitude Week”

Hyderabad, 12 th October 2021: Mercure Hyderabad KCP celebrates “Employee Gratitude Week” with an aim to acknowledge and recognize the employee’s relentless efforts in delivering the highest standards of services, contributing towards the success of the hotel. The theme of this event this year is #Care Limitless. The name of this event this year is being changed from “Celebration” to “Gratitude” with a sole intention to recognize and appreciate Heartists who have served selflessly and supported and provided their service during this pandemic. The celebration was done for three long days at Mercure Hyderabad KCP from October 4th to October 6th, 2021. 

For its staff, Mercure Hyderabad KCP organized many entertainment activities such as Tambola, Burger Challenge, Badminton competition, Zumba dance, and Tug of War as part of the countrywide celebrations at all Accor Hotels. As part of its CSR initiatives, Mercure partnered with Goonj, a non-profit organization that helps the underprivileged in society, and spent time with them, as well as celebrating the "Daan Utsav" by collecting all types of clothing from employees to give back to society and make a difference in the lives of these people.

At the cafeteria, they had put up a Punjabi-themed food festival. A modest chat show was prepared for the personnel to address the epidemic in light of it. All of the employees were entertained to a screening of the film "Bell Bottom," and the event concluded with an award ceremony and a cultural evening, followed by a gala dinner.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Soumitra Pahari, General Manager, Mercure Hyderabad KCP, said, “We are amazed by the overwhelming response from the team during the ‘Employee Gratitude Week’. The three days event is our way to show our gratitude towards our most valuable assets - our Team and the efforts that they put in to make our guests feel welcome. We have received outstanding service and support from our employees even during this pandemic. We are constantly looking for activities to bring our employees together and create a synergy within the team."

News | Emirates to offer complimentary hotel stay to transit passengers through renewed Dubai Connect plan

Those who qualify for Dubai Connect but are unable to leave the airport will be given access to the Emirates Dubai Connect airport lounge.

Emirates has relaunched its Dubai Connect offer which gives customers transiting through its hub a complimentary hotel stay in Dubai. The travelers, including those from India, can avail of this service if their transit time exceeds 10 hours and by booking it at least 24 hours before the incoming flight to Dubai. The offer is available to customers booking in all classes (first-class, business, and economy) with a transit time between 10 and 24 hours.

With Dubai Connect, Emirates passengers will receive a complimentary night’s stay in a 4 or 5-star hotel, ground transfers to and from the airport, meals at the hotel as well as a UAE visa on arrival where required (subject to UAE Immigration approval). Those who qualify for Dubai Connect but are unable to leave the airport will be given access to the Emirates Dubai Connect airport lounge.

How to book Dubai connect service

• Complimentary Dubai Connect service can be booked as long as there are no better connection times to choose from for your itinerary.

• To book a Dubai Connect service, the connecting flight on the itinerary must be the best available connection. This means that the stopover time in Dubai between your two flights must be the shortest one available.

• Dubai Connect service can be added to the itinerary during online flight booking. If booked through a travel agent, passengers can check with them if they are entitled to the service.

• Keeping all the entry and regulatory documents required by the destination’s travel guidelines such as valid negative Covid‑19 tests at all stages of the journey is necessary.

Source

News | Rajasthan govt to launch mobile application for tourists on World Tourism Day

The application will initially be available on Google Playstore while its iOS version is also under development and will be launched in a few weeks.

To facilitate tourists visiting Rajasthan, the state government will launch a mobile application on World Tourism Day on September 27, an official said on Wednesday. The application will initially be available on the Google play store while its iOS version is also under development and will be launched in a few weeks.

"All information regarding tourist spots, modes of transport and other services will be available through the application... Users will be able to know if the local service provider is registered with the department," Nishant Jain, Director of Tourism Department said in a statement.

While there are several websites providing information regarding tourism in Rajasthan, the official application will give reliable and real-time information, he said. Schemes and promotional activities of the department will be promoted through the application, Jain said.

Mc Donalds | Sustainable food packaging for the brand from recyclable or compostable materials

McDonald's says nearly all its paper packaging from sustainable fiberMany restaurant chains are working to reduce environmental harm from packaging, including using more recyclable or compostable materials and letting customers reuse cups or bowls.

NEW YORK: McDonald's Corp said on Thursday it has nearly achieved its goal of sourcing all of its paper food packaging in restaurants from the recycled or sustainable fiber. The Chicago-based global burger chain said in its annual sustainability report that in 2020 99.6% of the paper bags, food wrappers, napkins, cup carriers and other fiber-based materials it used to package meals for customers came from recycled or certified sustainable fiber sources, up from 92% in 2019.

Many restaurant chains are working to reduce environmental harm from packaging, including using more recyclable or compostable materials and letting customers reuse cups or bowls.

An Adweek-Harris Poll survey of U.S. adults in April about single-use fast-food packaging found that 62% of respondents said they would think more highly of a brand that switched to recyclable packaging, and 81% were concerned about litter and pollution from fast-food restaurants.

Because McDonald's has more than 39,000 restaurants globally, small changes can ripple into other companies and industries.

McDonald's has set a larger goal for all of its customer packagings to come from renewable, recycled, or certified sources by 2025. Currently, 80% of its packaging comes from such sources. It is also using paper straws and wooden cutlery in multiple markets, it said, and is exploring fiber lids and reusable cups.

Source

The Employee Experience

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BEST PRACTICES | Avani Hotels in Thailand Unveil Hybrid Meetings Solutions

Avani Hotels in Thailand Unveil Hybrid Meetings Solutions

As the world is constantly evolving and facing a new normal, we have upgraded our Meetings and Events services at our hotels in Thailand with enhanced Hybrid Meetings solutions.

Through our solutions, companies will reach a greater audience from multiple destinations within Thailand, combining in-person and virtual attendees in their events. This allows meeting professionals to create new memorable hybrid meetings and conferences with seamless technologies guaranteeing the safety of attendees in our hotels and the same event quality to your virtual guests.

INITIATIVE | ibis hotels have joined hands with The Robin Hood Army

ibis hotels along with The Robin Hood Army is extending their support to the community by providing meals to the less privileged.

Empathy is the need of the hour: Sylvain Laroche

ibis hotels have joined hands with The Robin Hood Army to extend their support to the community by providing meals to the less privileged. Through this initiative, ibis aims to deliver over 5000 meals every month across Delhi, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Nashik, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.

“13 hotels from the ibis network have partnered with the local Robin Hood Army representatives to deliver cooked wholesome nutritious meals packed in biodegradable material to the needy. These meals are specially cooked for this initiative,” Sylvain Laroche, Director of Operations, ibis & ibis Styles, India informed ET HospitalityWorld.

In many cities ibis employees are delivering these meals themselves as some of the Robin Hood Army representatives were affected by Covid-19. This gave the employees an opportunity to go that extra mile.

“These are exceptionally challenging times, but we feel confident that as a community, we can get through this together,” said Laroche adding that as we recover from the deadly second wave of the pandemic, it is important to support each other and the community. “Empathy is the need of the hour. As an organization that prioritizes the safety and wellbeing of its guests and employees, we are doing everything we can to support those who need us,” he said.

The Robin Hood Army is zero funds, volunteer-based organization that has thousands of young professionals and citizens who have taken to the streets in their free time to fight global hunger, the team collects surplus food from restaurants and distributes it to the less fortunate.

“It makes me very proud to see our team members who continue to push their limits every day and have gone out of their way to help those who need us the most at this time,” Laroche mentioned.

In some cities, the ibis hotel teams are also doing their bit by distributing meals to frontline workers, traffic police who are working tirelessly round the clock. Few hotels have also associated with local NGOs to extend support to Covid-19 patients, nursing homes, and the needy.

Source

HICC managed by Accor was chosen as one of their venues by Apollo Hospitals for the largest vaccination drive held in India

Brilliant Father's Day Initiative: Oberoi Grand, Kolkata

The Oberoi Grand Kolkata Home delivery packaging now has a classic look

Mc Donalds | McDonald’s India - North and East supports country’s vaccination drive, encourages its customers to get vaccinated

Offers special deals to customers who get themselves vaccinated

As part of its ongoing efforts supporting the country’s vaccination drive, McDonald’s India – North and East has launched the ‘We Care’ initiative aimed at encouraging its customers to join the fight against COVID-19 and get themselves vaccinated. 

The initiative launched through McDonald’s mobile app - North and East India will offer special deals to McDonald’s customers post their vaccination. Customers can avail of the limited time* offer by uploading their vaccination certificate# on McDonald’s mobile app under the ‘Got Vaccinated’ tab, along with basic details. Post this they will receive a unique code via SMS that can be redeemed through Getmcdonalds.com** and opt for contactless delivery or contactless takeaway/in-store (wherever allowed by the local authorities). 

As a brand with mass appeal, McDonald’s continues to build on its efforts towards the safety and wellness of its people, customers, and communities at large. Last month, McDonald’s started employee vaccination covering more than 5,000 employees in its corporate office and restaurants across 11 states in North and East India.

“Vaccination is an important step in our country’s fight against the pandemic, one that requires all of us to work together and do our part, including encouraging others to get vaccinated. As a brand with a deep connection with people, we are glad to contribute towards the greater cause in our unique way for the people we serve”, said, Rajeev Ranjan, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Connaught Plaza Restaurants, which operates McDonald’s restaurants in North and East India.

McDonald’s Safety 
As McDonald’s proactively monitors the impact of the COVID-19 situation, it is continuously making changes to enhance the processes and restaurant operations with the safety of the employees, customers, and the communities on top priority. 

Since the onset of COVID-19, McDonald’s has introduced nearly 50-plus process changes in its restaurant operations under its global Safety+ program. These measures include, but not limited to, mandatory daily wellness and temperature checks for everyone (crew, customers, and delivery partners), compulsory facemasks for everyone, enhanced focus on hand hygiene with frequent handwashing and gloves for the crew. Hand sanitizers are available at all restaurants all the time for everyone to use. 

Front counters and Drive-Thrus have been fitted with protective screens. Contactless ordering, payment, and contactless delivery options are available for customers to minimize human contact. All restaurants have visual cues on furniture and floor to help customers and employees maintain adequate physical distance from each other and follow Covid-protocols. Customers will also notice foot-operated taps in the restrooms. Furthermore, the sanitation protocol has been further strengthened by introducing broad-spectrum hospital-grade sanitizers to disinfect all frequently touched points/surfaces in the restaurants.

With Food safety and quality always at the core, all McDonald’s products go through comprehensive quality checks, from farm to table, so that the customers can enjoy safe and delicious food every time they choose McDonald’s. 

With these and many more safety measures, McDonald’s is ensuring that every part of the McDonald’s experience is safe for its customers and employees. 

*The unique code can be redeemed by customers anytime during 30 days of receiving the code, as per their convenience.

**Offer not available on Swiggy or Zomato.

# Neither the company nor any affiliate of the company, will retain any sensitive information contained in the vaccine certificate. The company will irretrievably delete all vaccine certificate data by midnight everyday.

About McDonald’s India - North and East: McDonald’s restaurants in North and East of India are operated by Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. McDonald’s is committed to delivering the highest quality restaurant experience to its customers in India and serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients sourced locally. McDonald’s serves millions of customers annually at its 150 restaurants across North and East of India and provides direct employment to more than 5,000 people. With a customer-centric approach, McDonald’s operates through a variety of formats and brand extensions including standalone restaurants, Drive-thru’s, 24/7 restaurants, McDelivery for customer convenience and experience.

INITIATIVE | EESL signs MoU with Lemon Tree Hotels to implement energy efficiency measures

EESL’s expertise will help Lemon Tree Hotels realize its stated intention of delivering a healthy triple bottom line – planet, people, and profit – through its sustainability initiatives

As a part of its ongoing efforts to create an energy-efficient economy, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture under the administration of the Ministry of Power, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lemon Tree Hotels Limited for implementing energy efficiency and energy conservation measures at a selected number of the latter’s properties in India.

During the three-year engagement, both companies will work together to identify areas to improve energy efficiency and leverage the expertise of EESL and its subsidiary companies Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) and EPSL Trigeneration Private Limited, as the need maybe, in the areas of electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging; air conditioning; solar rooftop installations; energy-efficient pumps and motors; indoor and outdoor lighting; and energy and water audits.

Sharing views on this engagement, Saurabh Kumar, Executive Vice Chairperson (EVC), EESL, said, “Energy efficiency is a vital, indispensable part of our vision for a sustainable future. We have a roadmap for getting there, and we need more and more willing partners from across industries to keep moving the needle on progress. Lemon Tree Hotels is one of the largest hotel chains in India, and we hope that the success we will achieve through our projects will encourage many more players to explore avenues for strengthening their energy efficiency and conservation initiatives.”

Patu Keswani, Chairman & Managing Director, Lemon Tree Hotels, said, “We are committed to our ESG focus at Lemon Tree. Over the years, we have undertaken several initiatives to reduce energy consumption, and we have implemented a number of environmentally friendly practices. For example, increasing the contribution of RE to our total energy consumption. Our partnership with EESL will enable us to enhance the impact of these measures and find ways to further reduce our carbon footprint, in order to move closer to our goal of being carbon neutral.”

EESL’s expertise will help Lemon Tree Hotels realize its stated intention of delivering a healthy triple bottom line – planet, people, and profit – through its sustainability initiatives. The projects implemented through this partnership will contribute to improving the overall energy efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint of the hotel company.

Source

INITIATIVE | Eco friendly initiatives by IHCL

From phasing out single-use plastic, reduction in carbon footprint, water conservation and utilization of renewable sources of energy to extensive community engagement, IHCL continues to drive responsible tourism at every step

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), continues to reinforce its commitment towards adopting and strengthening its sustainable business practices. From phasing out single-use plastic, reduction in carbon footprint, water conservation, and utilization of renewable sources of energy to extensive community engagement, IHCL will continue to drive responsible tourism at every step.
The company has generated significant savings since 2008 by:

• Reducing water consumption by approximately 3,000,000 kilolitres

• Reducing greenhouse emissions including approximately 232,000,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)

• Saving approximately 1,202,000,000 megajoules of energy

• Reducing waste sent to landfill by 17,000 cubic meters

• SeleQtions partners with BLive – India’s first EV vehicle tourism platform

• IHCL’s brand SeleQtions is a collection of named and distinctive properties. The vision for the brand is to celebrate individuality, by offering unique experiences through landmark hotels that have their own legacy and charm. In line with this vision and commitment to sustainable tourism, SeleQtions has tied up with BLive, India’s First Electric Vehicle Tourism platform to provide premium green Ebike tours at all SeleQtions hotels. Guests can explore each destination with specially curated tours that give an immersive experience of the local culture while reducing carbon emissions.

IHCL partners with Tata Power
IHCL joins hands with Tata Power for the supply of solar energy for its hotels in Mumbai as a part of a strategy to focus on sustainable and cost-efficient business practices while leveraging group-wide synergies and competencies. Currently, 27 hotels are powered by renewable energy as part of this initiative with Tata Power thereby providing energy from Green Source. IHCL hotels in Mumbai, namely The Taj Mahal Palace, Taj Lands End and Taj Wellington Mews are expected to get approximately 60% energy from green sources and reduce nearly 22.9 million kg of carbon dioxide emissions on an annual basis.

A milestone achievement of 47 of IHCL hotels achieving EarthCheck Platinum Certification, representing 11 continuous years of social and environmental impact by ensuring sustainable tourism management practices. With this, a total of 78 EarthCheck certified IHCL hotels have generated significant savings since 2008.

Phasing out single-use plastics and introducing bottling plants
IHCL has strengthened its endeavor of phasing out single-use plastics from across its hotels, in addition to introducing bottling plants that will replace all plastic water bottles with reusable glass bottles at 15 hotels across the globe, resulting in eliminating 0.2 million kilograms of plastic. Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Andamans, located at Radhanagar beach - voted as one of the world-class beaches in Asia - has set up an onsite bottling plant eliminating the use of plastic bottles, a waste disposal system that converts wet waste to gas and compost and a sanitation treatment plant to limit its carbon footprint.

Plastic carry bags have been replaced with paper carry bags, while plastic garbage bags and plastic wet umbrella bags have been replaced with oxo-biodegradable bags. All the plastic waste generated by the hotels is sent for recycling through Pollution Control Board-authorised scrap traders. The Taj Exotica Resort & Spa in the Andaman Islands, IHCL's first ‘Zero Single-Use Plastic Hotel’.

Green Tourism
IHCL has been promoting green tourism with Taj Safaris by offering immersive experiences to travelers while enabling livelihoods for neighboring communities with historic ties to forests and bringing in tourism to remote locations, thus enriching tribes/communities who reside there, while creating alternative livelihoods to hunting.

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Event | ITC HOTELS LAUNCH FEEL GOOD – Vocal for Local MENU ON WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

Combo Menu

Delicacies made with local, seasonal produce using traditional immunity boosting ingredients.

Paying a tribute to nature’s bounty this World Environment Day, ITC Hotels has launched an innovative and mindfully curated Feel-Good Menu focussed on responsible sourcing and rich in goodness. Designed to highlight the Vocal for Local initiative, it offers flavourful recipes that have been caringly selected, mindfully prepared, it further enhances ITC Hotels Responsible Luxury philosophy and pledges to strengthen local produce and “Made In India” artisanal products. Feel Good supports local farmers, and producers to reduce environmental impact and help minimize carbon footprint.

The new Feel-Good Menu available on Gourmet Couch is a natural progression for ITC Hotels that abide by its decade-strong philosophy of ‘Responsible Luxury’. ITC Hotels have pioneered several cuisine experiences in the industry. The commitment to local and seasonal ingredients has continued for decades and found more relevance in the circumstances today. 

From the healthy grains and flaxseeds, amaranth and chia muffins, and croissants, to integrating the ancient goodness much deeper, the Feel Good menu lays emphasis on the ancient practice of slow cooking using local and seasonal ingredients. Slowly but steadily guests are realizing that immunity must be a way of life and hence, the awareness to incorporate well-being ingredients in their diets. The Feel-Good menu is healthy, nutritious, and packed with flavors. The Chefs at ITC Hotels have strived to amalgamate the goodness of the ingredients in the main dish making it wholesome and tasty.  

Manisha Bhasin, Corporate Executive Chef, ITC Hotels said, “The Feel Good Menu focusses on authenticity, responsible sourcing, health ingredients, and craftsmanship. The dishes are made with forgotten grains and superfoods using age-old cooking methods in keeping with ITC Hotels ethos of Responsible Luxury. The Feel Good menu offers A la Carte Options as well as Combo meals”

Some of the ingredients used are fresh press mustard oil — rich in monounsaturated and omega 3 fatty acids, jackfruit — known for its antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant qualities, raw turmeric, cardamom, leaves of the drumstick tree, sorghum, basil, barley, gooseberry, and mangoes, to name a few. These are rich in a variety of vitamins, magnesium, iron, act as antioxidants and help improve metabolism. 

Immunity boosting preparations like Kachchi haldi ka pulao, mulathi ki
phirni, murgh moringa made with the goodness of drumstick leaf, amla ki launji
made with Indian Gooseberries which are immunity boosting find a place in
the Feel-Good menu. The menu features the use of freshest of spice by ensuring these are hand pounded to retain the essential oils. The guests at ITC Hotels can be assured of a culinary experience that not only makes them feel good but also helps mark a lower carbon footprint. 

Guests can place their orders on Zomato, Swiggy, and EazyDiner between 11.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. daily. The Feel Good menu may also be ordered via Gourmet Couch on the ITC Hotels F&B App, the takeaway from the hotels, or direct delivery by the hotels. Strict safety and sanitation “WeAssure” protocol is followed at every point to ensure safe, low contact, and careful food delivery. The Packaging has been thoughtfully done and put together after thorough research on temperature, distance traveled, mode of transport, consumption techniques, re-heating norms, and more. The food is packed in environment-friendly corrugated paper boxes.

ITC Hotels’ Feel-Good Menu will be available in 8 cities pan India and 12 hotels including - ITC Maurya (New Delhi), WelcomHotel Sheraton (New Delhi), ITC Maratha (Mumbai), ITC Grand Central (Mumbai), ITC Royal Bengal, and ITC Sonar (Kolkata), ITC Kohenur (Hyderabad), ITC Kakatiya (Hyderabad). ITC Gardenia (Bengaluru), ITC Windsor (Bengaluru), ITC Grand Chola (Chennai), ITC Rajputana (Jaipur), and ITC Mughal (Agra).

Check out their A la carte and Combo Menu:

About ITC Hotels 

ITC Hotels is the largest chain of hotels in the World, which has a maximum number of LEED Platinum Certified Properties (As of June 2020, as per USGBC). Continuing with its Planet Positive Promise, ITC Hotels launched Sunya Aqua or zero kilometer water in glass bottles across the chain over a decade back and have taken this lead further and pioneered the mitigation of single-use plastic from its operations pan India.