- a&o Hostels publishes sustainability report for the second time
- 77 percent less CO2e emissions compared to the start of measurement in 2015
- 20 hotels re-certified to GreenSign Level 4
- 300,000 euros for further education and training of employees
- 20 million euros for energy-efficient renovations by 2029
- &o first Net Zero hostel chain in Europe in 2025
With focus on its ambitious goal of becoming the first net zero CO2-emission hostel chain in Europe by 2025, a&o Hostels, the world’s largest hostel chain, has released the a&o Sustainability Report 2023, the second annual account documenting its efforts and progress on sustainability issues while serving as an inspiration – even a road map – for other hospitality operators to follow suit. Written with sincerity and sharply designed, the report offers comprehensive analysis of key sustainability issues and the company’s approach to them over the past year.
“At a&o, we are convinced that traveling should be possible for everyone. Travel educates, broadens horizons and creates intercultural understanding,” explains founder and CEO Oliver Winter. Last year, a&o was able to reduce its CO2e emissions by a further 410 grams per overnight stay, reaching the calculated average value of 3.32 kilograms (2022: 3.73 kg). This corresponds to a reduction of over 77 percent since measurements began in 2015. “The figures are really good,” says Winter, “but there is still a lot to do” he says in the second a&o sustainability report. The 37-page report is now available to download.
With currently 39 properties in nine countries, a&o is the largest private European hostel chain with around 26,800 beds at 26 locations. The goal of the company, which was founded in Berlin in 2000, remains unchanged: in 2025, the “a&o Mission Zero Emissions” will be fulfilled and a&o will be the first Net Zero hostel chain in Europe. a&o’s commitment to sustainability will continue: Around 20 million euros have been earmarked for the energy-efficient refurbishment of older existing buildings alone by 2029.
“We must not question travel”
“Everyone can travel – today, tomorrow and in the future” is also the motto of the second a&o sustainability report and, according to Winter, this is the “guiding philosophy and corporate strategy: “The fascinating and positive effects of travel must not be called into question by the negative effects of our industry”.
The carbon footprint is calculated according to the internationally recognized method of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (Scope 1, 2 and 3).
Milestones and initiatives 2023
Corporate governance, environmental protection, social commitment – together with employees, suppliers and guests, the a&o ESG-team continues to drive the company towards Zero Emissions 2025. 2023 milestones include
· Recertification of 20 a&o locations (GreenSign Level 4)- Maximum GreenSign Level 5 standard for the a&o Venice Mestre – the first hostel in Europe to achieve this sustainability standard
· 300,000 euros for further education and training of employees; implementation of sustainability training;
· Development and introduction of the a&o Declaration of Principles on Human Rights in accordance with the German Supply Chain Duty of Care Act
· Promotion of local sports and cultural events (2,000 overnight stays), a&o Kunsthalle Leipzig (more than 350 artists since 2018) and educational initiatives by a&o educate
Building efficiency and procurement biggest challenges
Building efficiency and procurement will continue to play a key role in a&o’s sustainability strategy in the future. ESG Director Arben Maliqi: “Energy-efficient refurbishment of the property portfolio and reduction of Scope 3 emissions are clearly the biggest challenges.”
90 percent of the current 39 a&o hostels are existing properties, i.e. they were previously used for other purposes, for example as office, administration or factory buildings. A further 20 million euros have been earmarked for the energy-efficient refurbishment of existing buildings by 2029. The aim is to achieve at least energy efficiency class C for every building. In 2023 alone, the a&o Munich Hackerbrücke was renovated and modernized for around 5 million euros.
Scope 3 emissions, i.e. the indirect greenhouse gas emissions caused by upstream and downstream activities such as the purchase of goods and services, make up a significant proportion of the carbon footprint and are also one of the most complex tasks. In the reporting year, a&o developed and introduced a “Declaration of Principles on Human Rights” in accordance with the German Supply Chain Duty of Care Act (LkSG) and is thus committed, among other things, to respecting human rights in its own business area, i.e. the hostels on site, as well as with regard to purchased services and goods (with national and international supply chains). Arben Maliqi: “a&o protects the rights of all – including guests, employees and communities. “The “a&o Declaration of Principles on Human Rights” ensures that these rights are respected and promotes dignity and equality.
About a&o Hostels
a&o was founded in 2000 by Oliver Winter and currently operates 38 hostels with around 28,500 beds. The Berlin budget group is represented in 25 cities and 9 European countries. The next new location will be Florence from summer 2024. The a&o guest mix is diverse: backpackers are just as much a part of the a&o target group as solo travelers, families, school groups and clubs. The number of business travellers and senior citizens is also increasing. With 6.1 million overnight stays (2022: 5.55 million), 2.7 million guests (2.2 million) and a turnover of 217 million euros (172 million), a&o recorded its most successful year in the company’s history to date in 2023. As part of its sustainability strategy, a&o will be net zero by 2025, i.e. CO2 emissions per overnight stay will then be less than three kilograms, which will be offset. More information at https://www.aohostels.com/de/ and overview of a&o locations at https://www.aohostels.com/de/alle-standorte/
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