AccorHotels hosted its Run for the Planet event on October 20 2018 as part of its highlight to support the Group’s Give a Tree online fundraising and awareness campaign launched in September 2018 across the Greater China region.
The Run for the Planet event saw over 100 participants from across the Group’s properties, partners, loyalty guests and the local community ran together in celebration of its five-year achievements resulting from the Group’s Plant for the Planet reforestation program in Greater China. As one of the program’s beneficiary sites, Dasendian Village in Hebei Province’s Qinglong County provided the scenic destination where runners took part in 5 Km and 10 Km courses set amongst the orchards along the hills surrounding the picturesque village during harvest season.
Gary Rosen, Chairman and Chief Operating Officer, AccorHotels Greater China said: “This event is to raise awareness of the online Give a Tree fundraising campaign that supports AccorHotels’ Plant for the Planet reforestation initiative and to reinforce our commitment to the local communities through our program partnership with China Zigen. It is a perfect example of how we engage all our stakeholders to create a positive change for our planet. I would like to express my gratitude to all participants, partners and sponsors who contributed to the event’s success.”
Plant for the Planet is AccorHotels’ flagship reforestation project to support local communities and protect biodiversity. The program helps villagers to supplement their income through development of local farming sales techniques, empowering them through organic and sustainable farming practices. During the last five years, the program has helped 1,200 farmers residing in Dasendian Village to improve their living standard and monthly income where they had the opportunities to learn about organic farming practices and the importance of environmental protection. The initiative helped transform more than 60 hectares of land into fruit orchards with 40,000 newly planted trees.
Bao Jiying, Secretary of Dasendian Village in Qinglong County, said: “We appreciate the support from AccorHotels’ Plant for the Planet initiative. Following the Apples for the Planet campaign last year, Run for the Planet gave us an opportunity to showcase our village’s achievement. I am proud and grateful to see a significant improvement in the village over the past five years. The most profound aspect of the program is that it helped us to improve the village’s natural and social environment, converting barren land into orchards, allowing farmers to become independent, and to eventually realize a mode of sustainable development.”
Corporate sponsors of the Run for the Planet event included ACTION, Air Aroma, ATHENA Hotelware, BOSE, Coca Cola, Diversey, Guangzhou East Kitchenware, Hansgrohe, HEGRACE Healthcare, International Hotel Supply Company, Ming Fai Group, Musicstyling, Nongfu Spring, Protect A Bed, Standard Textile, Samsung, WISE and Yaean Design. The event was also supported by Fairmont Beijing, Pullman Beijing South, Swissôtel Beijing Hong Kong Macau Center, Grand Mercure Beijing Central, Grand Mercure Beijing Dongcheng, Novotel Beijing Peace, Novotel Beijing Xinqiao and Mercure Beijing Downtown.
AccorHotels will continue its partnership with China Zigen to support local communities through the Plant for the Planet program. Shuiquan Village in Qinglong County, Hebei province will be the next beneficiary site. Set on a 67 hectare of land, the village will be converted into orchards with a joint effort of China Zigen and AccorHotels Greater China targeting to plant 50,000 trees and crops in the upcoming three years.
The Give a Tree online fundraising and public awareness campaign is running from September to December. The objective of the campaign is to encourage people to purchase a tree as a treasured and sustainable gift for their loved ones as part of the Plant for the Planet initiative.
For more information visit: https://www.lianquan.org/ActivityPlus_ActivityInfo?guid=233923D63B4DD42D45E8F0179F4BE68E99C562F78C8C29808284C0F69238404742494CE4CB8981FB328821807574E4CD.