Taking Real Responsibility.
For us, sustainability begins with a clear understanding of our actions.
Where do we stand today? What impact does our business have? Where can we make a difference? And how do we make these developments visible?
To this end, we have firmly embedded sustainability into our corporate structures. We track relevant metrics, continue to develop our ESG strategy, and use these to define goals and actions.
Responsibility is a Team Effort
Sustainability touches many areas of our hotel operations: energy and water, procurement and food, mobility, our employees, suppliers, and business decisions.
That is why sustainability at ACHAT is not the responsibility of individual departments. Our sustainability officer coordinates group-wide activities. She is supported by our sustainability team, which includes members from executive management, department heads, and various business units. Together, we continue to develop our ESG strategy, goals, and measures.
Our hotel teams also make an important contribution. They are familiar with on-site processes and help identify opportunities for improvement and implement measures in our day-to-day operations.
This is how strategy turns into concrete action.
Our ESG Strategy
Three areas. One common framework.
ESG stands for Environment, Social, and Governance—environmental, social, and responsible corporate governance.
These three areas form the framework of our ESG strategy.
Hotels require energy, heat, water, food, and other resources. At the same time, they generate greenhouse gas emissions and waste. We track relevant consumption data and environmental metrics and use them as a basis for further developing our initiatives. Our key focus areas include energy and greenhouse gas emissions, water, waste and the circular economy, resources and procurement, and mobility.
The hospitality industry thrives on people. Fair working conditions, health, opportunities for growth, equal opportunity, and employee engagement are therefore central to our ESG strategy. Workforce development, professional development, health, and information sharing and dialogue are key areas of focus in our human resources efforts.
Clear lines of responsibility, key performance indicators, and transparent processes help us systematically manage our ESG issues. Our sustainability officer and sustainability team coordinate the ongoing development of our ESG strategy. Goals and measures are supported by assigned responsibilities and appropriate key performance indicators. Other key areas of focus include compliance, procurement, and supplier requirements, as well as our sustainability reporting.
Our goals set the direction
We have defined goals, measures, and key performance indicators for our key ESG issues. These form the basis for monitoring developments over several years and systematically advancing our ESG efforts. These include, among other things, energy and greenhouse gas emissions, water and waste, as well as issues related to our employees. We document the individual goals, key performance indicators, and measures — along with their timelines — in detail in our Sustainability Report.
In the Day-to-Day Operations of a Hotel
Four examples of how strategy translates into action.
Many aspects of our ESG strategy are directly implemented in our hotel operations. Measures may vary depending on the location and operational conditions.
Waste & Food
Prevent, Share, Make Better Use.
We track waste volumes and explore ways to prevent waste and make better use of resources. This includes, among other things, reusable solutions. Food is also part of this effort: Through Too Good To Go, surplus food in perfect condition from participating ACHAT Hotels can be shared instead of being thrown away.
Employees
Health, Development & Engagement.
Continuing education, professional development, health, and employee engagement are among our key areas of social focus. Through machtfit, we offer our employees access to a variety of programs related to exercise, health, and well-being.
Via our internal newsletter, CommCafe, we regularly share news, updates, and current topics within the ACHAT Hotel Group. Employee surveys and other communication channels also help us gather feedback and identify areas for improvement.
Our 2024 Carbon Footprint
Understanding where emissions come from.
For the 2024 fiscal year, we prepared our first group-wide carbon footprint report based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
It captures direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions within the defined scoping boundaries. We have also included emissions from our guests’ travel to and from the hotel in our analysis. The carbon footprint helps us identify the areas where the reported emissions originate and where we have the greatest potential to make a difference.
It also becomes clear that we cannot influence all emission sources to the same extent. For example, we can have a more direct impact on energy and resource consumption in hotel operations than on our guests’ individual travel arrangements.
The 2024 carbon footprint report serves as a data foundation for our future work. Another carbon footprint report is planned for the 2025 reporting year to provide additional comparative data. All key figures, scope of the report, data sources, and methodological information are documented in our carbon footprint report.
Transparent Reporting
We want our actions to be transparent.
We have structured and presented our ESG topics, key performance indicators, goals, and measures for the 2024 reporting year in accordance with the voluntary VSME standard. The report addresses environmental, social, and governance issues and establishes a common data foundation for our ongoing ESG work. It documents measures, objectives, and key performance indicators and highlights the areas we are continuing to develop.
Externally Audited: GreenSign
Certification of our Hotels
In addition to our own ESG management system, we have our hotels externally audited according to the GreenSign Hotel Standard. VERIS Certifications is an independent, private certification body for the GreenSign Hotel, GreenSign Gastro, and GreenSign Office standards.
All ACHAT Hotels successfully passed their GreenSign recertification in 2026. As part of the certification process, an audit is conducted to verify compliance with the requirements of the applicable GreenSign Hotel Standard.
The audit covers more than 130 criteria across ten core areas. These include, among others, management and communication, energy, water, waste, biodiversity and cultural heritage, procurement, regional sourcing and mobility, as well as social and economic responsibility. The audit is conducted based on documented evidence and an on-site inspection. The current GreenSign signage makes our hotels’ certification visible.
Moving Forward Step by Step
For us, sustainability management is an ongoing process.
With our ESG strategy, the VSME report, and our first carbon footprint assessment, we have laid the groundwork for analyzing impacts and developments more systematically. Building on this foundation, we update our data, implement measures, and regularly monitor their progress. Our ability to influence outcomes varies depending on the issue.
That’s why we regularly assess where we stand and identify areas where further action is warranted. In this way, we continue to advance our ESG efforts step by step and ensure that our progress is transparent.