Accor has taken part in the Jakko no-mori* project, initiated by Tristan Lecomte, Founder of Pur Projet and ambassador for Accor’s PLANET 21 sustainable development program.
2012-10-22 — /travelprnews.com/ — This initiative, which includes six others partners, aims to finance a wide reforestation project following the devastating tsunami that hit eastern Japan in 2011. Its purpose is to plant 19,200 trees in memory of the 19,200 victims.
On October 14th , 60 symbolic cherry blossom trees were planted by partners and the local community, at Hou on ji Temple in the city of Ishinomaki. This tree plantation support will continue in the world, including in France, Thailand and Haiti.
“Jakko no-mori is a unique international collaboration to remember those killed in the 2011 tsunami, while helping the Ishinomaki community rebuild”, said Tristan Lecomte. “We chose the traditional sakura – or cherry blossom, given its deep symbolic meaning: in Japanese culture, the souls of the dead will come in the cherry blossom to find Peace. They evoke connotations with rebirth, healing and hope…”
Accor is supporting Jakko no-mori with funds raised through Plant for the Planet. Throughout this reforestation program, hotels encourage customers to reuse their bath towels, raising their awareness with the formula “5 towels reused = 1 tree planted.” hanks to the laundry savings, the Group leads ambitious reforestation projects in the world, and has already financed the planting of more than 2 million trees worldwide. Today, the Accor hotels in Japan are participating in Plant for the Planet – Mercure Tokyo Ginza, Mercure Sapporo, Mercure Okinawa Naha, Mercure Yokosuka and ibis Tokyo Shinjuku – and will be contributing to funding the Jakko nomori project
“Plant for the Planet enables our hotels to act closely with the communities that host them for the preservation of the ecosystems”, explains Sophie Flak, SVP Académie and Sustainable Development at Accor. “The Group’s participation in the Jakko no-mori project is in line with this approach and reflects the strong will of our employees to contribute to the reconstruction of this region painfully affected by this disaster. ”
* Jakko no-mori means “a restful radiance, an illumination with the tranquility of truth and the workings of wisdom, symbolizing the two virtues of reason and enlightenment”
Accor, the world’s leading hotel operator and market leader in Europe, is present in 92 countries with nearly 3,500 hotels and 440,000 rooms. Accor’s broad portfolio of hotel brands – Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, Adagio, ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget and hotelF1 – provide an extensive offer from luxury to budget. With more than 160,000 employees in Accor brand hotels worldwide, the Group offers its clients and partners 45 years of know-how and expertise.
About PLANET 21: www.accor.com/fr/developpement-durable
ACCOR MEDIA CONTACTS
Charlotte Thouvard
Vice President, EMEA
Communications and Global Media Relations
charlotte.thouvard@accor.com
Delphine Dumonceau
Phone : +33(0)1 45 38 84 95
delphine.dumonceau@accor.com
Laurie Bonnaud
Tél. : + 33 (0)1 45 38 18 95
laurie.bonnaud@accor
Pur Projet assists companies in developing “insetting” activities via grassroot ecosystem regeneration projects : offsetting the environmental and social footprint of their activities within their own supply chains, products and services. “Insetting” brings in environmental and social innovation, and creates shared value, for the organizations themselves, local populations and the Planet. Transforming the pure intentions of a company, into pure projects.
About Pur Projet : www.purprojet.com/fr
PUR PROJET MEDIA CONTACT
Emmanuelle Pometan
L’Agence nouvelle culture
06 11 34 04 88
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