How Customer Expectations Reshaped Radisson's Brand

Radisson Hotel Group has released its 2025 Responsible Business Report, detailing how the group is integrating its sustainability commitments into its global brand identity. 

The document outlines operational changes across 1,500 properties and the launch of two properties that have achieved verified net zero status.

According to the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, the hotel industry must reduce carbon emissions by 66% per room by 2030. 

Radisson Hotel Group is working towards this target through science-based commitments approved by external validators, effectively moving sustainability from a corporate initiative to a core brand standard.

The company opened its first two Verified Net Zero Hotels in 2025. 

The properties in Oslo and Manchester achieved net zero carbon emissions across all three emission scopes through independent verification, providing a transparent trust-mark for the brand in a competitive market.

The operational changes indicate how shifting customer expectations around corporate responsibility are reshaping service delivery models and brand loyalty in the hospitality sector.

Strategy built on three brand pillars

Radisson Hotel Group structures its responsible business approach around three strategic pillars. 

Think People focuses on employment conditions, training programmes and talent development pathways.

Think Community involves screening suppliers for human rights and environmental commitments. 

The pillar also covers contributions to local communities through direct and indirect employment.

Think Planet sets targets to minimise operational footprint. The company aims for net zero by 2050 based on approved science-based targets. 

All hotels in the portfolio are working towards verification under the Hotel Sustainability Basics framework, ensuring brand consistency in measurement criteria across the globe.

Customer expectations and brand resilience

Federico González, chief executive officer of Radisson Hotel Group, says: "In 2025, we were navigating a world defined by heightened uncertainty and faster-moving change. Despite economic volatility, Radisson Hotel Group continued to grow its portfolio and performance.

"Travelers now expect reliability, transparency, safety and a commitment to purpose and environmental performance." 

He says that this context is reshaping demand patterns, "elevating the importance of resilience and reinforcing the need to operate with a focus on efficiency, risk management and purpose."

The company's emissions reduction targets include cutting absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 46.2% by 2030 from a 2019 baseline.

Redesigning the guest experience

Radisson Hotel Group focuses on sustainable building design to reduce energy and water demand. 

These updates translate into tangible guest touchpoints, such as the installation of bulk amenity dispensers across all properties. The change eliminates 57 million miniature bottles and nearly 500 tons of plastic annually.

Food and beverage operations have been redesigned with seasonal menus and local sourcing. 

The company reduced use of processed ingredients and implemented responsible packaging, aligning the culinary brand with circular economy principles.

Supporting workforce and communities

The company invests in safety standards and training to create transparent employment conditions, a key component of its employer branding. The Radisson People Foundation, launched in 2024, supports team members during acute hardship caused by local or personal issues.

Inge Huijbrechts, chief sustainability and security officer, notes that the report highlights how the group is turning "net zero transformation into real, measurable progress across its hotels and operations, while caring for people and communities."

Radisson Hotel Group is transitioning to 100% renewable energy, a strategy that extends to guest-facing mobility options. 

Properties now offer electric vehicle charging stations and low-emission shuttle options as part of the net zero commitment. 

Material choices across the portfolio prioritise durable and circular solutions, reflecting the resource efficiency targets set within the group's updated responsible business framework.