Hospitality guests and employees expect more from the brands they engage with, prioritizing authenticity and alignment with their values. Brands that lead with purpose can gain a significant competitive edge. However, this approach must go beyond cultural respect, environmental responsibility, and traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives — developing and sustaining purpose requires a deeper commitment to creating meaningful experiences.
The stakes are high for businesses. According to Brandpie’s CEO Purpose Report, 75 percent of CEOs believe the importance of purpose will only increase in the coming years, with 74 percent identifying customer loyalty as its key outcome. Companies that fail to articulate a clear direction risk being left behind in a marketplace where unfettered growth is no longer enough.
For Accor, this journey began with a collaborative initiative to redefine its purpose, grounded in heartfelt care and responsible hospitality. This initiative, designed with input from over 8,000 employees across more than 5,600 hotels, reflects the company’s unique ethos, as articulated in its purpose statement: “Pioneering the art of responsible hospitality, connecting cultures, with heartfelt care.”
SkiftX spoke with Sébastien Bazin, group chairman and CEO of Accor, about how the Group’s approach serves as a blueprint for embedding purpose into operations, how it wants to be a force for change, and how its journey to define purpose has not only unified its workforce but also positioned the company as a leader in shaping the future of responsible hospitality.
SkiftX: Why is defining a purpose so critical for the hospitality industry today?
Sébastien Bazin: For me, purpose is business critical. This is true for all sectors, but for the hospitality industry, it goes straight to the heart of who we are. Why? Because hospitality is fundamentally about caring — caring for people, the planet, and our communities — and so always acting with purpose. Hospitality’s responsibility to react and adapt to global challenges and deliver positive change is already clearly recognized. But we are entering a new era where society is increasingly concerned with business impact. And I welcome this important shift.
A clearly defined purpose is vital to driving the net positive hospitality of tomorrow. These expectations span our entire stakeholder network, from guests and hotel owners to job seekers who increasingly seek value-driven companies that are making a positive impact. Impact has become a key priority for guests when making spending and booking decisions. To maintain loyalty and remain relevant to future generations while also inspiring positive behavior beyond our hotel walls, an engaging and inspiring purpose is now vital.
What inspired Accor to embark on this extensive journey, and why was now the right time to do so?
This was a natural progression in our journey, as a sense of purpose has always been deeply ingrained in our DNA. While our formal purpose statement is recent, we’ve lived by its core values for decades. Defining this purpose more clearly involved extensive consultation with many people whose input has driven this initiative forward with genuine passion and conviction.
How does Accor’s purpose statement, “Pioneering the art of responsible hospitality, connecting cultures, with heartfelt care,” reflect the company’s unique ethos and long-term vision?
For years, Accor has been driven by a clear purpose: to pioneer the art of responsible hospitality. Our commitment to creating meaningful moments through inclusive and responsible hospitality is central to everything we do. This ethos of care and responsibility is the foundation of our vision to lead the hospitality industry of the future, in harmony with societal and cultural growth.
Whether we are welcoming guests, collaborating with our teams, or engaging with local communities, we operate under one guiding principle: care from our heart. By establishing a formal framework, we hold ourselves accountable and ensure that we continue to drive meaningful action. I want this framework to reinforce our identity as a global collective of responsible hospitality leaders. It is not just a part of what we do — it guides our decisions, from the most strategic to day-to-day operations, ensuring that we remain true to our purpose and vision.
What role did collaboration play in crafting Accor’s purpose?
We committed to an extensive companywide consultation to develop our purpose statement, engaging everyone throughout the business. We established a purpose task force and hosted ethics committee workshops focused on reflecting the ideas and feelings of all our employees, known internally as Heartists. Through interviews with our Heartists and external stakeholders, we gathered and reviewed over 50,000 thoughts and ideas from nearly 10,000 individuals. I wanted to make sure all voices were heard. It’s clear to me that with the time and energy required to seek out all valid viewpoints, we are and will remain a business that prides itself on community and collaboration — that is what the purpose statement stands for. Most of all, it is a reminder that we are all Heartists working toward our shared vision of hospitality.
How do you envision Accor’s purpose driving tangible business outcomes?
Our purpose is more than just words — it’s the foundation of everything we do. Actions speak louder than words, and we are dedicated to turning our purpose into measurable outcomes by consistently tracking progress through well-defined KPIs. These include monitoring carbon emissions, achieving eco-certifications, eliminating single-use plastics, and providing employee training on human rights. We aim to foster heartfelt connections with our guests by embedding purpose into our actions.
At the core of our identity is a clear purpose and an unwavering commitment to care, which enables us to create a distinctive brand and a welcoming sense of home for our guests. This dedication leads to authentic experiences that inspire loyalty and keep people coming back time and again.
As Heartists, a shared purpose fosters a sense of belonging, enhancing collaboration and productivity. This engagement not only strengthens retention and company culture but also drives long-term success and sustainable growth for our business.
What early steps is Accor taking to operationalize its purpose across the organization?
This purpose must remain a living, breathing constant for the Group. We have seamlessly integrated our purpose into every aspect of our operations, starting with our Heartists, who are central to our mission. Through focused training programs and sustainability initiatives, we have aligned their efforts with the Group’s overarching goals.
This approach encourages open dialogue and fosters collaboration and transparency, empowering everyone within the Accor family to contribute to our shared objectives. Additionally, we have embedded our purpose and priorities into our business strategies from the outset. By setting clear commitments for each of our four pillars — the art of hospitality, responsible hospitality, connecting cultures, and heartfelt care — we ensure our purpose is actionable and demonstrable across the entire Group.
Accor has often been a pioneer in sustainability and innovation. How does this new purpose initiative reinforce and expand on these commitments, particularly in addressing social and environmental challenges?
It underscores the importance of a responsible and pioneering spirit as the foundation of everything we do. By deepening our commitment to sustainability, Accor is positioned to lead in the development of innovative solutions to pressing challenges. This includes achieving net zero targets, eliminating single-use plastics, implementing eco-certifications across our portfolio, and upholding the highest standards of business ethics.
This culture of innovation and excellence keeps us at the forefront of the hospitality industry, enabling us to fulfill our mission of creating a net positive impact in every community where we operate.
Looking ahead, how do you see the concept of purpose evolving within the hospitality industry?
In hospitality, purpose is shifting from being a differentiator to becoming an expectation. Both guests and employees seek to align with brands that embody ethical, sustainable, inclusive, and caring values. Accor has long been a leader in promoting responsible hospitality, and we remain committed to setting the gold standard in purpose-driven leadership.
For more information about Accor’s Purpose initiative, click here.
This content was created collaboratively by Accor and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX
