IHG Hotels and Resorts has announced a global collaboration with consumer goods company Unilever to install large bottles of Dove amenities in its bathrooms.
The global collaboration will see the group switch from bathroom miniatures to full-size amenities (of at least 250ml in size) in over 4,000 hotels.
The products will be supplied by Dove, Unilever’s largest brand, and will include full-size hand wash, body wash, shampoo, conditioner and body lotion.
The initiative will be carried out across IHG’s Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands in the Americas and EMEAA, and its Avid Hotels, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites brands in the Americas.
This is expected to save at least 850 tonnes of plastic annually in IHG’s Americas region alone.
Yasmin Diamond, executive vice president, Global Corporate Affairs, IHG Hotels and Resorts, commented:
“IHG has pioneered the move to minimal waste in the hospitality industry and we’re excited to spell the end of bathroom miniatures through our collaboration with Unilever. Our guests are increasingly mindful of the impact their travel choices have on the environment and our colleagues, investors, owners and suppliers all expect us to act responsibly.
“Transitioning to bulk amenities across our global estate was one of our first significant steps towards eliminating single-use items throughout the guest stay by 2030. We’ll continue to find innovative solutions for operating more sustainably to deliver our purpose of True Hospitality for Good.”
Umesh Shah, CEO Unilever International, added:
“Unilever is committed to making sustainable living commonplace, and we have ambitious targets across every part of our business. We are pleased to partner with IHG Hotels & Resorts to help extend sustainable living into the travel industry by providing bathrooms with bulk amenities. Through this collaboration, IHG’s guests will enjoy a range of products from Dove during their stay, while reducing their use of plastic.”
IHG committed to removing bathroom miniatures across all of its hotel brands in 2019, a move which should help it to meet its aim to eliminate single-use items by 2030.
This follows the recent launch of full-size amenities across the Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts portfolio.
IHG stated in a press release that all of its markets are covered by bulk bathroom amenity contracts – this includes larger bottles which are not replaced after each guest’s stay.