MEETINGS FOR GOOD

At the InterContinental Cartagena Hotel, we are committed to integrating sustainability into every aspect of our operation. We recognize the importance of caring for the environment, supporting local communities, and encouraging responsible economic practices. Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, our initiatives are designed to create a lasting positive impact. Below is a summary of our actions in three key areas: environmental sustainability, social sustainability, and economic sustainability.

Environmental sustainability (natural resource management, emissions reduction, biodiversity conservation, etc.).

Efficient energy saving program
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy | SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | SDG 13: Climate Action

We are the first hotel in the city to be renovated in favour of energy efficiency and the reduction of CO2 emissions through the monitoring, saving and energy efficiency project with Veolia. The project consists of the automation, monitoring and control of the air conditioning system in the rooms through the implementation of the intelligent energy efficiency system (hubgrade) that will be connected to the hotel management software.

Replacing the old air conditioning system in the 285 rooms with its 314 thermostats will allow the temperature set point to be automated, achieving savings in energy consumption by determining: occupied room, unoccupied room, occupied sold room, unoccupied sold room.

Bulk Amenities in the rooms
SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities | SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production | SDG 13: Climate action | SDG 14: Life below water | SDG 15: Life on land

At the Intercontinental Hotel in Cartagena, we have implemented new practices to reduce our impact on our environment, thus contributing to reducing our carbon footprint, preserving the oceans and marine life. Thinking about our guests and a sustainable future, we have eliminated single-use plastics from our bathroom amenities in the rooms, offering amenities in repackaged 600ml containers, thus betting on environmentally friendly products. With this alliance, we ensure that plastic containers are treated effectively to return to the recycling network.

The Colombian brand Loto del Sur, through its circular plan, enables the effective collection and treatment of packaging, which subsequently returns to the recycling network.

Its unique biodegradable formulations consist of ancestral and natural ingredients, thus respecting the environment and promising to turn mechanical bathing moments into a sacred moment. With this action we continue to join in the conservation of biodiversity, ecosystems and landscapes, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as supporting entrepreneurship and work, contributing to the development of the country's economy.

Eliminating plastic bottles at events
SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production | SDG 13: Climate action | SDG 14: Life below water

At the InterContinental Cartagena Hotel, we have made the decision to completely eliminate plastic water bottles at our events, opting for returnable glass bottles from the Purezza brand, which incorporates an innovative system, reducing the waste of pre-packaged bottled water in landfills, and also decreasing the use of disposable plastics.

Efficient use of water
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | SDG 13: Climate Action | SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

As part of our Comprehensive Management Policy, we have developed the sustainability program "Efficiency in the use of water", led by the Housekeeping and Maintenance areas.

Our actions:

Efficient facilities: All our rooms and common areas are equipped with water-saving faucets in showers and sinks, which significantly reduces flow and consumption.
Responsible flow toilets: We implement toilets with a maximum flush of 6 liters, optimizing water use with each flush.
Awareness campaigns: We raise awareness among our employees about the importance of efficient water use through information campaigns and training workshops.
Controlled discharges: We do not discharge into water sources without proper treatment and control, guaranteeing environmental protection.
Constant monitoring: We constantly monitor our water consumption, which allows us to identify opportunities for improvement and optimize the use of this vital resource.
Responsible suppliers: We select suppliers who share our commitment to sustainability and who implement responsible environmental practices in their processes.
Sustainability at home: We encourage our employees to take the sustainable practices learned at the hotel to their homes, multiplying the positive impact on the community.

Sustainability certification: NTS TS 002 and NTC 5133 seals from ICONTEC
SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities | SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production | SDG 13: Climate action | SDG 15: Life on land | SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth | SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals

At the InterContinental Cartagena Hotel, we have received the NTS TS 002 and NTC 5133 seals from ICONTEC for our commitment to sustainability and responsible tourism. These seals, awarded by the Colombian Institute of Technical Standards and Certification, indicate that we comply with important standards in environmental, social and economic areas. The NTS TS 002 standard focuses on sustainability in the management of tourist destinations, while the NTC 5133 establishes criteria for the environmental seal in hotels. By adopting sustainable practices in our operations, we have managed to reduce our impact on the environment and support local development, providing our guests with an experience that respects the environment.

In our production areas we carry out the proper separation of the waste we generate, which is subsequently collected by a charitable organization of recyclers that acts as a foundation. All material that can no longer be used by the hotel (paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, cans, etc.) enters a recycling process with separation at source and is mostly delivered to our supplier who is responsible for giving it a new useful life.

Recycling policy
SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production | SDG 13: Climate action | SDG 14: Life below water

At the Hotel, we reflect on the transformative power of waste management as a fundamental tool to mitigate environmental impact and combat pollution derived from waste, implementing programs and measures that contribute to the collective effort of which we are all part.

This is how we apply the 10 R's of Recycling at our hotel:

Reorder: We invite our suppliers to be sustainable, which leads to rethinking their processes to offer products and packaging aligned with this objective.

Reformulate: We reformulated some of our service processes, so today we are carrying out water bottlenecks, with the support of our supplier Purezza, to avoid the generation of single-use plastics due to water consumption.

Reduce: We reduce the generation of single-use plastic waste, for example, plastic water bottles and amenities.

Reuse: The water bottles we use for bottling are reused. We also have a Program for the efficient use of paper, which encourages its reuse in all internal areas of the hotel.

Reprocessing: Used vegetable oil is returned to our supplier via Reaceico, a certified B company, who is responsible for converting it into biodiesel.

Recycling: All materials that can no longer be used by the hotel (paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, cans, etc.) enter a recycling process with separation at source and are mostly delivered to our supplier, Corporacion Reciclajes de Cartagena (CORECA), who is responsible for giving them a new useful life.

Energy recovery: Our supplier, Corporacion Reciclajes de Cartagena (CORECA), carries out a primary transformation of waste such as plastic to deliver it to industrial companies that convert it into new products available for the market.

Redesign: We replaced traditional amenities with Bulk Amenities in our rooms to reduce single-use plastic.

Reward: We give preference to suppliers with sustainability initiatives, maintaining the quality of the products and services offered.

Renew: We give a useful life to some of the waste we generate, for example, some cardboard boxes have become our containers for recycling paper in offices.

Sustainable Room Key Cards
SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production | SDG 13: Climate action | SDG 14: Life below water | SDG 15: Life on land | SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities

At the Hotel we have stopped using plastic key cards in the rooms, opting for an eco-friendly bamboo alternative, making each stay a more conscious and environmentally friendly experience. This change represents a significant transition in the city and in the country's hotel industry towards reducing the use of harmful plastics.

IHG Green Engage
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy | SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | SDG 13: Climate Action

Green Engage is an innovative program that enables IHG to design, build and manage even more sustainable hotels. The innovative and advanced online system allows individual hotels to measure the environmental impact of their hotel’s daily operation. For example, hotels in Green Engage know the actual energy, water and waste usage based on hotel occupancy and the program generates recommended actions to make our property even more sustainable. Green Engage helps our hotels reduce energy by up to 25% per year.

Social sustainability (fair working conditions, impact on local communities, gender equality, etc.).

Friendly Biz Certificates: Diversity and Inclusion
SDG 5: Gender equality | SDG 10: Reduced inequalities | SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities | SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals

At the InterContinental Cartagena Hotel, we are proud to have the Friendly Biz certification, awarded by the Chamber of Diversity, reflecting our commitment to inclusion and respect in all our operations.

With the seal, we reaffirm our dedication to creating a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, both employees and guests, being a reference in the promotion of diversity in the business sector of Bolívar. We firmly believe in the positive impact we can generate in our community and in the tourism sector, promoting an environment where equity and the dignity of each person are valued. This process consisted of training and awareness-raising for all our staff.

As a hotel, we believe in inclusion as a new opportunity to be more empathetic, in equal rights and opportunities for all, and in a new way of growing and strengthening as an organization. Our dedication is to cultivate an inclusive environment, where each individual feels valued, and reinforces our role as leaders in promoting diversity in the tourism sector.

Additionally, one of the principles of our work philosophy is 'Room to belong'. At IHG, our purpose of True Hospitality for Good is not just about providing exceptional service to our guests, but about making a positive difference in our workplace, in the lives of others and in the world around us, creating a safe space for everyone to be who they want to be.

Fighting child malnutrition in Cartagena: support for the Alimentar Colombia Foundation
SDG 2: Zero Hunger | SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

At Hotel InterContinental Cartagena, we are committed to the work of the Alimentar Colombia Foundation, a non-profit organization that works to improve the physical, emotional and social development of children and their families living in extreme poverty.

We make constant donations of food products to the soup kitchens supported by the foundation. In addition, we annually hold a special day to celebrate them at Christmas, within the facilities of the Hotel. Also, through our "Giving for Good" program, we make visits to soup kitchens and we have carried out fundraisers among our guests to collaborate with the mission of the foundation, which provides daily food to more than 1,500 children in its community soup kitchens, collecting daily approximately one ton of food from different establishments that are fit for consumption, but not for sale, transforming them into nutritious and healthy rations, and distributing them in the soup kitchens of the Cerros de Albornoz neighborhood, where 1,542 children, between 6 months and 12 years old, receive this support.

Aluna Foundation Internship Agreement
SDG 4: Quality education | SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth | SDG 10: Reduced inequalities | SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities | SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals

The hotel has established an agreement with the ALUNA Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people with cognitive and multiple disabilities, promoting respect for the dignity and inclusion of these people through a specialized pedagogical model.

The agreement between ALUNA and InterContinental Cartagena began on October 15, 2024, aligned with the diversity, equity and inclusion policies of our philosophy, facilitating not only that students do their internships in the department, providing them with opportunities to develop skills related to their functions, but it will also promote a culture of sensitivity and acceptance among both employees and guests, helping to raise awareness about the importance of inclusion in all areas of our society.

Space to grow and develop equitably
SDG 1: End poverty | SDG 5: Gender equality | SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth | SDG 10: Reduced inequalities

At InterContinental Cartagena we are committed to communities and their growth. Over the past three years, we have had 41 career promotions within the organization, thus allowing development and opportunities for our employees.

Economic sustainability (responsible business practices, support for local economies, partnerships, corporate governance, etc.).

Our Concierge Room is a platform for local talent in the region, where we support ventures such as Indhyluna.

“IndhyLuna” has been in Cartagena for more than three years. It is made up of victims of the armed conflict and forced displacement from southern Bolívar, and some people with hearing disabilities, who have forged new paths for their lives through their talent and skills, and who today open their doors and share with the national and international market unique, ecological, and socially meaningful creations that are part of the process of reconciliation and integration of an entire country.

This is a cultural showcase of the “IndhyLuna” enterprise, a Colombian brand that makes items such as footwear, dresses, bags, accessories and household items in different natural fique fibers and ecological threads, using ancestral techniques, preserving the same tradition shared and spread from generation to generation.

Services provided by Indhyluna Foundation at InterContinental Cartagena:

Craft shop at Concierge InterContinental
Corporate Groups: Sale of handicrafts for welcome gifts
Participation in themed events with crafts-inspired decoration

Responsible sourcing: PeskaoCaribe
SDG 1: No Poverty | SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | SDG 14: Life Below Water | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

We work in partnership with PeskaoCaribe, an organization that brings together six artisanal fishing associations from Bolívar, Sucre and Córdoba, who are our fish suppliers. This collaboration allows us to contribute to the development of coastal communities, improve the living conditions of fishermen and promote ethical and sustainable business practices. In addition, we seek to preserve the traditional knowledge of artisanal fishing, thus re-dignifying the intangible cultural assets that are an essential part of our region.

Alliance for training in Cartagena IHG Skills Academy
SDG 4: Quality education | SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth | SDG 10: Reduced inequalities | SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals

Through the Journey To Tomorrow program, we signed an alliance with the Colombo American Center, the Colombo International University Foundation (UNICOLOMBO) and the Human Formation for Teaching and Service (FHES) to guarantee access to the 'IHG Skills Academy' learning platform, a free resource that the hotel chain now makes available to its students.

From now on, students at these institutions will be able to access free, virtual content available in more than 8 different languages with a wide variety of self-service educational resources on topics including hospitality, professional development, career planning, and mental health.

Strategic alliances with public and government entities to support community events and initiatives
SDG 1: No poverty | SDG 2: Zero hunger | SDG 10: Reduced inequalities | SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities | SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals

At the InterContinental Cartagena Hotel, we join public entities to strengthen initiatives that address the reduction of inequalities and support vulnerable communities. Through recurring events, such as the celebration of community potlucks and various actions in collaboration with the Social Emergency Plan, we have managed to generate a positive impact on the lives of those who need it most to promote social well-being and the comprehensive development of our city and community.