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“At a&o Hostels, we believe travel should be accessible to everyone. Travel educates, broadens horizons, and fosters multicultural understanding. Therefore, our slogan, 'Everyone Can Travel’, isn't just a tagline; it's our guiding philosophy.”
“Sustainability is significant to me personally. Not because it's trendy, but because it's crucial for economic success, preserving our livelihoods, and future generations.”
- Oliver Winter, CEO
Interactive ESG Monitors
We have implemented our Interactive ESG Monitor in one of our a&o Hostels, providing interactive educational material on-site. Make sure to check it out during your stay at a&o Berlin Mitte!
Hostel Innovations Lead Progress in Reducing Carbon Footprint
Our aim? To lead the way as the first hostel to achieve Net Zero status in 2025. Let's team up to make travelling sustainable!
We're making significant progress in reducing our carbon footprint, and we're excited to keep you updated on our journey…
… We’ve made huge strides in cutting our CO₂e emissions per overnight stay:
Reduction of
77.87%
Alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
Guided by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, a&o Hostels is deeply committed to shaping a sustainable future. We prioritise six key goals that resonate with our business ethics, empowering us to effect positive change. By aligning our actions with these goals, we enhance every aspect of the guest experience responsibly. The most important SDGs for a&o are:
We are committed to complying with environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria as part of our compliance concept to support sustainable travel.
E - EnvironmentIt's about how a company affects the planet, such as its use of resources, pollution levels and efforts to combat climate change, aiming to do business in a way that's kinder to the environment.
S - SocialThis is about how a company treats people - its employees, the communities it operates in, its customers and suppliers, looking at things like fair treatment, diversity, workers’ rights and involvement in local issues.
G - GovernanceGovernance is about how a company is run, like who's making decisions, how transparent they are, whether they're following the rules and if they're looking out for the interests of their shareholders
Energy ConservationHostels and hotels consume a lot of energy for lighting, heating, cooling and appliances, leading to high carbon emissions.
a&o's Action:We’re committed to energy conservation and integrating renewable resources whenever feasible.
Water Conservation:Daily operations at a hostel/hotel, like laundry and cleaning, use a lot of water, impacting local water resources.
a&o's Action: Water conservation plays an integral part in our Hostels sustainability commitments.
Your Stay, Sustainably SourcedHostel/hotel operations can affect local biodiversity, especially in sensitive areas.
a&o's Action: Our a&o Responsible Sourcing Policy, initiated in 2022, plays a key role in shaping the sustainability of our operations.
Sustainable Waste ManagementThe hospitality industry often generates a lot of waste, including food, packaging and disposable items.
a&o's Action: We've implemented proactive measures to reduce packaging waste significantly.
Green MobilityGuest travel and supply deliveries can significantly increase carbon emissions.
a&o's Action: We invite you to join us in our commitment to sustainable travel during your stay and beyond. Choose green, travel clean, and make a positive impact together!
a&o educare
At a&o educare, our mission is clear: to make a positive impact on young minds through sustainability education. Founded by CEO Oliver Winter, we're dedicated to empowering the next generation through ‘ESD - Education for Sustainable Development’, in line with the UN's 17 Goals.
a&o Kunsthalle
The mission of the a&o Kunsthalle is to provide a space for artistic expression while championing equality and sustainability. Committed to fostering ongoing learning and engagement, they actively build bridges with local universities, encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, and reach out to Leipzig's diverse communities through inclusive initiatives.
Sponsorships in Social, Science, Environment and Sports
Alongside our commercial pursuits, a&o takes pride in our social sponsorship efforts across Europe. Focused on sports, arts, environment, science, education and social welfare, we open our hostels to directly support these causes, aiming to enhance the cities we operate in.
Social
a&o Hostels provided SOS Children's Villages with 300 overnight stays/beds for children in need.
Science and the Environment
The Berlin Climate Schools promotes environmental awareness through school projects. a&o Hostels sponsors the online audience award, offering the winning class a 7-day (6-night) trip with breakfast.
Sports
Over 2000 overnight stays/beds were provided for FC Union Berlin, the DESG German Speed Skating and Short Track Association, Hachinohe Japan Juniors, FC Hansa Rostock, the youth partner of ALBA Berlin, Eisbären Juniors Berlin and ttc berlin eastside.
a&o Policy Making
Our commitment to upholding ESG values is evident in our established policies. These can be viewed below:
This policy guides employees on integrity and compliance while emphasising transparent and respectful relationships with customers and partners.
This policy outlines our commitment to socially responsible, environmentally sustainable and ethically sound purchasing practices, emphasising collaboration with suppliers to uphold these values throughout our supply chain.
This policy addresses human rights risks within operations and across supply chains, with plans for ongoing risk assessments guided by this policy until 2025.
Role of Our ESG Task Force
At the heart of our sustainability commitment is the ESG Task Force, a dynamic assembly of employees united by a shared vision to integrate ESG principles into our company's DNA. This passionate collective drives positive change, fostering a collaborative environment where innovation and sustainability flourish. Through regular meetings, the team delves into current initiatives, welcomes fresh ideas and ensures we exceed our environmental responsibilities.
HR Training
We prioritise continuous learning and personal development to enrich our staff's knowledge, refine their skills and amplify their abilities. This commitment empowers them to confidently navigate business challenges and fosters their professional growth, enabling peak performance and meaningful contributions.
Our training programs cultivate well-rounded individuals by enhancing both personal and professional skills, including soft skills, leadership, conflict resolution and time management. They serve as a strategic investment in employee development, driving enduring success by empowering individuals to excel and fostering efficiency, innovation and sustainable growth. Explore further on our a&o career portal.
Diversity
One of our values is diversity, which means we welcome all types of guests into a&o Hostels. For employees, we are always open for everyone to join our team as it does not matter which origin, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, physical and mental abilities or socio-economic background you are. We embrace these unique qualities, weaving them into the colourful tapestry of experiences that define our a&o Hostels community as we have international employees in all our hostels as well as our headquarters.
a&o Hostels focuses on sustainability! We have published our second edition of the a&o Sustainability Report. It is oriented on internationally recognised reporting standards and uses acknowledged methods for data collection - such as the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) protocol. Read our full Sustainability Report to explore our holistic approach to sustainability.
GHG Protocol
The GHG Protocol established a global standardised framework for measuring greenhouse gas emissions from both private and public sector operations, including value chains and mitigation actions to address climate change effectively.
Scope 1, 2, 3
Scope 1 emissions…
… are direct greenhouse gas emissions from sources owned or controlled by an organisation, such as fuel combustion and industrial processes.
Scope 2 emissions…
… are indirect greenhouse gas emissions associated with the generation of electricity, heat, or steam that an organisation purchases or consumes, typically from utilities or other external sources.
Scope 3 emissions…
… encompass all indirect greenhouse gas emissions that occur in the value chain of an organisation, including both upstream and downstream activities such as purchased goods and services, transportation, waste disposal and product use.
At a&o Hostels, our commitment to sustainability isn't just a claim - it's recognised and celebrated through various awards, certifications and partnerships.
GreenSign
Since 2019, we've proudly collaborated with GreenSign, a recognised entity by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Our GreenSign certification signifies our dedication to sustainable practices, with the majority of our hostels holding Level 4 Certification. Notably, a&o Venezia Mestre has achieved Level 5 , showcasing our ongoing efforts towards sustainability. With GreenSign, guests can rest assured that their stay contributes positively to the environment
Sustainable Fitch
Our sustainable practices have earned us an impressive ESG rating of 2 from Sustainable Fitch, reflecting our strong commitment to social responsibility. This rating underscores our dedication to sustainability across all aspects of our operations.
Veolia
We partner with Veolia at select a&o Hostel locations. Collaborating with leading waste management organisations like Veolia, we strive to manage waste responsibly, support environmental goals and contribute to the transition towards a circular economy. Our partnership with Veolia underscores our commitment to reducing waste and minimising our environmental footprint.
At a&o Hostels, we value your input in shaping our sustainable future. Whether you have suggestions to enhance our eco-initiatives, feedback on our approach, or a story from your sustainability journey, we're eager to hear. Every perspective brings us closer to our goal of creating a brighter, more sustainable future. Let's embark on the journey of sustainable travel together towards a Net Zero future.
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Sustainability at a&o - Net Zero in 2025
World’s largest Hostel Chain - With 28,500 Beds
