We activate this vision by building healthier, greener hotels, doing the right thing for our people and communities, and engaging our guests with transparent information about our activities. Scroll below to find information about specific topics, or click the red button below to go straight to our ESG report.
If guests staying for two nights or more choose not to have their rooms cleaned, citizenM donates 3 euros to our charity, citizenMovement, on their behalf. So far, we've raised over €2.9 million!
We partnered with Gymbox to create a digital series of unique workouts, exclusively available for free in every Citizen hotel room around the globe.
Green buildings (in terms of design, construction and operation) can significantly reduce a business' environmental impact. They are not only better for the planet, they are healthier for our employees and guests, too.
Our global Diversity Committee represents our staff, partners, communities and suppliers.
Every year we compile data on our energy usage, emissions, and waste to set goals to minimize our impact. In 2023, we successfully launched two electrified hotels, significantly reducing our emissions.
Guests can find local community volunteering activities near our hotels, in the explore section of the citizenM app.
There's a perfect time to think of sustainability when building a hotel – and that's when the hotel is still only an idea. We lay down plans, goals and accreditations we want to achieve at the earliest planning stages, then apply them to the concept, design and construction. We think sustainability is as important as being a good neighbour.
We require all our new-build hotels to achieve at least BREEAM-NC Very Good accreditation or LEED-BD+C Gold rating. For our redevelopments or existing buildings, we aim for BREEAM-NC Very Good and LEED-BD+C Silver. After the first year of operations, we start assessing our building operations performance with BREEAM In Use. 100% of our buildings have a ‘green building’ certificate.
We're moving swiftly towards worldwide accreditations! Here are our ratings so far:
Our European hotels (BREEAM in use certifications):
Our U.S. hotels:
We look at all the ways we use energy, so we can make smart decisions in all areas. Every year, we use this information to monitor and measure our greenhouse gas emissions and identify positive changes we can make. We carry out energy audits to check our buildings are optimised.
green electricity Wherever possible, the electricity we purchase for our hotels comes from green energy. 100% of our hotels are powered by green electricity.
energy efficiency – lighting We use a lot of natural light and task-lighting to reduce the need for overhead lighting. All our frequently unoccupied spaces (corridors, meeting rooms, break rooms and restrooms) have occupancy sensors installed. Goodbye, illuminated empty rooms! We prioritise LED lighting, reducing our wattage and energy usage.
energy efficiency – heating and air conditioning All areas of our hotels have individual light and temperature controls – so we only heat and cool what we need. Our thermostats have flexible ranges set by the property management teams. They adapt the temperature to a few degrees cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, rather than keeping a strictly set temperature in any season – leading to energy savings and reduced environmental impact.
In the guestrooms, the guests adjust their own temperature by using the MoodPad (a specially adapted bedside iPad) or our free app. They can further adapt the room to their comfort by rolling the curtains or blackout blinds as they wish.
renewable energy We are increasingly looking to incorporate renewable energy into the construction of our hotels. Wherever technically and economically viable, we aim to have solar panels. Solar panels are already installed on some of our hotels and we hope to have even more in the future.
At the heart of every citizenM hotel, there's canteenM – an open-but-cosy kitchen where delicious food and drinks are available 24/7. Each hotel menu has dishes suitable for vegetarian and vegan travellers.
food selection We select specific (preferably local) suppliers who produce and source sustainable products for our menus and events. We also collaborate with them to reduce our waste, including food and packaging waste. Additionally, by limiting our suppliers and consolidating deliveries, we reduce the number of vehicles arriving at our hotels for a lesser impact on the environment.
food waste We have been rethinking the way we act to reduce our food waste. We are working hard to increase the coverage of the Too Good To Go app in our hotels to further minimise our food waste. Since 2019, over 22,000 meals have avoided landfill.
coffee We purchase and work with coffee roasters who really shine not only for their amazing coffee beans, but for their community and sustainability practices too.
plastic in canteenM and meeting rooms We have banned plastic straws from all canteenM kitchens. In the meeting rooms, we keep large glass bottles and serve unlimited free refills.
plastic in the guestrooms We removed all plastic bottles from our European and US hotels. This action means we avoid over 2 million plastic bottles a year.
plastic in the shower Mini shower gels? Too small for real people, too big a problem for the planet. Since 2008 (and our first hotel) we've been using full-size, refillable shampoos/shower gels and hand soaps. Small change – big impact.
waste Every year, we collect our waste data and record our recycling rates to identify improvements and set new goals. We work with waste providers to reduce our landfill waste. In 2023, we continued to meet our waste diversion target, with less than 5% of total waste generated being sent to landfill.
citizenM hotels are filled with wonderful people – that's everyone who stays and works with us. We want everyone to feel safe, healthy and happy anytime they come through our door, anywhere from Amsterdam to Taipei.
The business of hospitality is about people - ALL people. On the front line of citizenM are our employees, the faces and smiles of our hotels.
The citizenM values and unique culture are worth protecting, it’s the bright buzzing spark that makes us unique. We take the health, wellbeing and safety of our employees and guests seriously, ensuring safe and healthy working conditions, in order to prevent harm. Health and safety rules and regulations apply at all our locations.
employee survey As a company, we value our employees speaking up, and we want them to feel confident and comfortable to share anything they want to say. Our company-wide employee survey runs twice a year, is completely confidential and gives everyone an opportunity to answer questions and share their own comments. Once the results are collected, they are reviewed, shared with all employees, and clear actions are presented to address the issues raised. We want our employees to feel like their concerns are heard and that they have the power to influence change in an environment of trust and transparency.
diversity committee Our active diversity committee promotes diversity, equity and inclusion across the company through educational workshops, talks and more. The goal of the committee is to create a workplace culture that values and supports these three states.
Environmental Social Governance (ESG) training Over 85% of employees across the globe completed their ESG training. We believe everyone has a role to play in making a positive change.
The business of hospitality is about people - ALL people. On the front line of citizenM are our employees, the faces and smiles of our hotels.
The citizenM values and unique culture are worth protecting, it’s the bright buzzing spark that makes us unique. We take the health, wellbeing and safety of our employees and guests seriously, ensuring safe and healthy working conditions, in order to prevent harm. Health and safety rules and regulations apply at all our locations.
employee survey As a company, we value our employees speaking up, and we want them to feel confident and comfortable to share anything they want to say. Our company-wide employee survey runs twice a year, is completely confidential and gives everyone an opportunity to answer questions and share their own comments. Once the results are collected, they are reviewed, shared with all employees, and clear actions are presented to address the issues raised. We want our employees to feel like their concerns are heard and that they have the power to influence change in an environment of trust and transparency.
diversity committee Our active diversity committee promotes diversity, equity and inclusion across the company through educational workshops, talks and more. The goal of the committee is to create a workplace culture that values and supports these three states.
Environmental Social Governance (ESG) training Over 80% of employees across the globe completed their ESG training. We believe everyone has a role to play in making a positive change.
Meet our charity – citizenMovement. Our mission: to shorten the distance between people and opportunities.
As a global company, we know we have the ability to be a force for good by using our platforms to give back to society. Real caring is a core value at citizenM, and it doesn't just stop at our doors.
As mobile citizens, we travel the world, explore cities, and reach most destinations easily. It got us thinking: what makes us so lucky? The answer is ‘mobility’. It’s even in our name. For us, mobility is readily accessible, something we don't really think about. You could say we take it for granted. But for some, mobility is not only hard to achieve, it's also a luxury they simply cannot afford. Thinking about these challenges led us to establish our charity: the citizenMovement Foundation.
citizenM is a direct sponsor of citizenMovement, donating funds collected from our digital housekeeping campaign in the majority of citizenM hotels. Every guest staying two nights or more could say ‘no’ to extra room cleaning during their stay using the citizenM app or in-room iPad. When they do, we’ll donate 3 euros per night on their behalf. See what we’ve donated so farSee what we’ve donated so far – we update it every month.
We seek out organisations who share the same philosophy as we do. Since 2018, we have been working with a partner who continually impresses with their vision and plans – World Bicycle Relief (WBR). citizenMovement charity supports their goal of changing the world, one bicycle at a time. A small item like a bike can change a life, a family, a community, a village. In fact, over equal units of time, an individual can ride the bicycle 4x the distance as someone walking.
Though World Bicycle Relief is our chosen long-term charity partner, in times of crisis and in the event of severe disasters, we activate our disaster response policy and work with select humanitarian charities.. We recognise the need to support initiatives that help bridge the gap between people and the resources they need in times of humanitarian crisis. We evaluate the best way to support those in need in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. In consultation with citizenM, each year, we set aside 10% of our charitable donations to enable a quick response to severe and unprecedented disasters. Once this Disaster Response donation allocation has been used, further donations will not be considered in the same financial year.
Since partnering with World Bicycle Relief in 2018, we have donated 4,341,977 EUR, funding 17,049 bicycles and impacting 85,245 lives. In 2024, citizenMovement made a significant donation to World Bicycle Relief’s Mobilised CommunitiesMobilised Communities programs in the Zomba and Kasungu districts of Malawi, and their new incentivised sales model.
Through our disaster response policy, we’ve donated 483,411 EUR to The International Committee of the Red Cross and The Netherlands Red Cross to support those affected by disasters and humanitarian crises in a number of countries.
'Conscious travelling' – and 'conscious travellers' – are phrases you hear more and more in relation to flying, tourism, hospitality and general globetrotting. This is because of rising awareness of the impact of travel. Today's conscious travellers want to minimise this impact – they are mindful about how they move around the world and interact with communities they visit. citizenM wants to be the hotel of choice for all conscious travellers.
Conscious travellers think holistically how their travel choices impact the world and the communities they visit – but this responsibility shouldn't be shouldered by the traveller alone. The hospitality industry can do a lot to make conscious travel easy. Here are a few examples of what we do:
say ‘no’ to an extra room clean When a guest chooses to say 'no' to a room cleaning, we donate 3 EUR on their behalf to citizenMovement. Like all good things in life, it's not the only reaction in the chain. There is a benefit to the environment too. Less room cleaning means we take fewer trips to our laundry provider, and use less energy, water, detergents and cleaning supplies. Guest feedback about this initiative continues to inspire us.
in control Room temperature presets can reduce the energy we use in our hotels, and reduce our carbon footprint too. Getting this right is easy at citizenM, thanks to clever tech. We put the simple controls on our room iPads and on the free citizenM app – cooling a room is as easy as a touch or a swipe. No complicated wall units and buttons here!
eating for the planet We serve vegetarian and vegan food at all our hotels. The menus are regularly updated throughout the year to optimise the use of in-season products from our (mostly) local suppliers. Best of all, in the free citizenM app, guests can see all food and beverage menus before they book a stay – knowing in advance makes conscious travel easier.
reduced plastic amenities We launched a new reduced plastic amenities range, available on request from our ambassadors, as part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability. The new range includes essentials like a sewing kit, vanity kit, dental kit, razor, nail file, comb, and shoe mitt – all thoughtfully designed to reduce single-use plastics.
free bikes Our four Dutch hotels have free bike fleets for easy, eco-friendly city commute. Guests in Amsterdam and Rotterdam can ask for a bike on a first-come-first-served basis. In case all bikes are already in use, we will recommend a great local rental place.
unlocking community experiences A booking via our app unlocks a whole world of local experiences, places to visit, and perks from hand-picked partners in all our cities. We gather our recommendations into great lists like 'best green spaces in town', 'running routes' and 'late-night cocktails' to help conscious travellers experience the community like a local.
lend a helping hand Every citizenM worldwide has a new activity that either benefits the environment, our guests’ sustainable living habits or the local art and culture communities. Now, conscious travellers have a place to stay without worrying about the footprint they leave behind.