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Corporate Responsibility Report
Disaster Relief through the IHG Shelter in a Storm Programme
Key IHG Shelter in a Storm Programme achievements in 2012
- Launched online IHG Shelter in a Storm Programme hotel guidance on when and how to respond to a disaster and facilitate fundraising events
- Raised $545,000 compared to our target of $150,000 for our IHG Shelter Fund enabling us to respond quickly to disasters
- Supported 10 disasters across six countries through the IHG Shelter in a Storm Programme, providing over $240,000 in disaster relief funding
- Over 60,000 employees took part in fundraising activities to raise funds for the IHG Shelter Fund
- Formalised our partnership with CARE to help provide strategic advice and guidance to our hotels in times of disaster
Key IHG Shelter in a Storm Programme objectives for 2013
- Launch a set of externally facing targets to report against for the IHG Shelter in a Storm Programme
- Continue to increase awareness of and engagement with the IHG Shelter in a Storm Programme, ensuring our hotels are prepared for disaster and able to respond quickly and effectively to help the local community and employees when needed
- Continue to provide ways for our employees in all IHG hotels and corporate offices to take an active part in the IHG Shelter in a Storm Programme by raising awareness and funds for the IHG Shelter Fund.
Supporting local communities
When natural and man-made disasters strike, people naturally come to hotels to seek shelter in a storm. This is a key role of hotels in society, and one that is vitally important to the communities in which they operate.
The IHG Shelter in a Storm Programme provides our hotels with guidance on when and how to react to disasters. It means we are able to respond quickly and effectively to crises affecting IHG branded hotels, their employees and the local community.
A key element of our disaster response is the IHG Shelter Fund. This is built up through fundraising activities in our hotels and corporate offices throughout the year and enables us to respond as soon as disaster strikes (instead of waiting to raise funds after the fact) and provide vital assistance right away.
Our global partnership with CARE allows us to draw on its deep expertise in humanitarian assistance and provides a channel for us to direct funds to help local communities. If a disaster strikes where CARE does not have resources on the ground it will guide us to the best local partners, making sure we can get help to where it is needed.
The IHG Shelter Fund has already helped hundreds of people affected by disasters around the world. If you would like to make a donation to the fund, you can do so online via a secure payment page.
Hurricane Sandy – a case study
When Hurricane Sandy hit the east of America in late October 2012 it left a trail of destruction in its wake, claiming well over 100 lives and causing billions of dollars worth of damage. With 600 IHG hotels in the north east region alone, a number of our hotels were affected and we promptly activated our IHG Shelter in a Storm Programme.
On 30th October, the day Hurricane Sandy reached New Jersey, the IHG Community Strategy Committee held an emergency meeting. The committee allocated over $100,000 from the IHG Shelter Fund to provide vital emergency supplies to our employees and temporary shelter to those who couldn't return to their homes. We also supported local communities surrounding our hotels by diverting funds to charities working in the area, like the American Red Cross.
Meanwhile, employees at our hotels cared for guests and colleagues and supported communities in any way they could. One guest at our Candlewood Suites New York City Times Square said that, despite everything she’d had ‘a good stay and the staff have been great.’
We were able to move so quickly because of the enthusiasm of our employees, who put on fundraising events throughout the year. The money they raise goes to the IHG Shelter Fund, giving us a pot of money to draw on and enabling us to decide swiftly what funds to release and how else we can help the disaster-hit zone. Throughout the hurricane, we kept a close eye on its path and monitored the news to ensure we would be ready to respond immediately should further help be needed.
Fiji flooding – case study
Source: UN News Centre
In April 2012, Fiji's largest island experienced severe flooding which killed five and forced an estimated 8,000 people from their homes. Water and electricity were cut off in a number of areas and many people were experiencing food shortages.
Although the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa did not suffer any physical damage, the majority of the 490 staff at the hotel was impacted by the disaster. Local residents in the villages surrounding the hotel were also affected and many lacked essential necessities such as food, water and cleaning supplies.
Given the significant impact of this disaster on our employees and the local community, we activated the IHG Shelter in a Storm Programme. Through close collaboration with local operations, human resources, and risk management teams, we were able to gain a detailed assessment of the disaster and its effects and to determine the best way for us to respond.
The IHG Community Strategy Committee allocated $27,500 USD from the IHG Shelter Fund to help our colleagues in Fiji with essential supplies in the aftermath of the disaster. An additional $10,000 USD was allocated to help local people in the villages surrounding the hotel.
In total, 539 relief packs containing essential items such as water, flour, rice, peas, tinned fish, milk powder, and cleaning supplies were assembled by the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa and distributed to hotel employees affected by the disaster. A further 111 relief packs were distributed to local people in five villages surrounding the hotel to help them get through the disaster.
The funds allocated to help employees and local people in Fiji were raised through IHG's first Race Around the World event which took place on July 27th, 2011 where IHG employees walked, ran and swam to raise funds for the IHG Shelter Fund. Following the success of this event, Race Around the World 2012 took place on April 18th, raising $300,000 USD to replenish the balance of the IHG Shelter Fund. The efforts of our colleagues around the world mean we were able to provide essential relief to the people of Fiji during the floods and are now well equipped to respond to any future disasters.
We received dozens of letters from employees and local people in Fiji thanking us for the difference the IHG Shelter Fund response and relief packs made during this difficult time.
Read more about this case study – Fiji flooding – case study
Bangkok flooding – a case study
In the autumn of 2011, Bangkok and the surrounding area was affected by the worst flooding to hit the region in over 50 years. Many of the northern districts of the Thai capital were 90% submerged, forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes.
Although the four IHG branded hotels present in Bangkok did not suffer any physical damage during the flooding, our employees and the local community were severely impacted. Consequently, the IHG Shelter in a Storm programme swung into action. Through close collaboration with the local operations, human resources and risk management teams, we were able to gain a detailed assessment of the disaster and its effects, and to determine an appropriate response.
Based on this assessment, we allocated $20,000 USD from the IHG Shelter Fund to help our colleagues in Bangkok with much needed immediate financial assistance. A further $10,000 USD was donated to our strategic partner CARE to support their wider relief efforts across the city and surrounding provinces. At the height of the crisis, our hotels in the city offered accommodation to over 250 colleagues and their families, as well as daily meals and other essentials. This was a true testament to our corporate values, which we call Winning Ways – to Show We Care.
The funds we used were raised through the Race Around the World Global Fundraising Event. This challenged people working in all IHG hotels and corporate offices to run, walk, cycle or swim as many kilometres as possible on July 27th 2011, with each kilometre raising $1 for the IHG Shelter Fund. This is a great example of Winning Ways – working better together towards a common cause which enables us to make a real difference in the communities in which we operate.
