Accor and Bureau Veritas launch a label based on sanitary measures in France
The project is launched to support the return to business in the hospitality and restaurant industry. Accor, a global leader in augmented hospitality, and Bureau Veritas, a world-leading provider in testing, inspection and certification, have joined forces to develop a label designed to certify that the appropriate safety standards and cleaning protocols have been achieved to allow businesses to reopen. The label will cover both accommodation and catering, and will set the sanitary standards applicable to all the Group’s hotels as well as to other chains and independent hotels. The project was carried out in partnership with doctors and epidemiologists, and has been developed in collaboration with Accor owners and trade associations, such as UMIH, GNC, and GNI.
The bigger economic picture will be blurred by the psychological mood of people. Lots of people, especially the 50+ group will remain anxious. Somehow the hospitality industry has to regain their trust and convince their guests that a visit to their facility is safe. It will be difficult to do so by just implicating that you’ve cleaned everything… For hotel & restaurant chains a cleaning standard label, like the different quality systems in the business to business industry, might facilitate that trust. It might be wise to create one safety standard and cleaning protocol for the whole industry worldwide. And although parties might think differently, it shouldn’t put a financial burden on individual smaller hotels and restaurants. Living up to a new standard might be our mutual concern. ^Marjolein
The opinion of Accor and Bureau Veritas
Franck GERVAIS, CEO Europe Accor, said, “Welcoming, protecting and taking care of others is the very DNA of Accor and at the heart of what we do. Today, more than ever, our employees, customers and partners need to be reassured of our ability to offering them the best welcome possible. As the European leader in hospitality, it is our duty to anticipate needs and respond to health and safety requirements by adhering to the highest standards. We are pleased to be pioneering this drive with Bureau Veritas and to extend it to all stakeholders.”
Jacques POMMERAUD, CEO Bureau Veritas Africa & France, added: “For almost 200 years, it has been Bureau Veritas’ mission to shape a world of trust. With this label, today we have the ability to meet the new expectations of our society in terms of health and safety. This label will contribute to the hospitality and restaurant industry reopening with confidence. We are proud to work with Accor, at first in France and subsequently in all European countries. This approach will benefit the entire industry as every company could request to be certified by Bureau Veritas.”
The project
The project will be shared next week within Alliance France Tourisme as well as with the relevant ministries (French Ministries of Tourism, Health and Labor) so that they are actively involved in and validate the recommended standards. Concrete proposals will be submitted, in France and subsequently in Europe, to the various governments, relevant ministries and committees for the easing of lockdown measures. Concretely, the output of this effort will be an operational guide made available to all stakeholders in the hospitality industry, enabling them to rigorously apply the health and safety recommendation of authorities (WHO, Health Ministry etcetera), both in guest services spaces and in back office and catering spaces. European customers will be able to check on a dedicated Bureau Veritas website, before they book their next stay whether any hotel or restaurant has been certified or not by Bureau Veritas.
Website: Accor & Bureau Veritas
