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Radisson Hotel Group has introduced Africa’s first Verified Net Zero hotel at Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit in South Africa, marking a significant milestone in the group’s international sustainability programme.
Located in Limpopo province, close to Kruger National Park and Blyde River Canyon, the 138-room hotel has undergone operational changes designed to substantially reduce its environmental impact through renewable energy, electrification, waste management, water conservation and responsible procurement.
The property is the first hotel in Africa to achieve recognition under Radisson Hotel Group’s Verified Net Zero programme, which addresses emissions across hotel operations and supply chains through a combination of carbon reduction measures and carbon removal credits.
The programme focuses on virtually eliminating Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions through electrification and renewable electricity, while reducing Scope 3 emissions associated with food and beverage, laundry, waste, amenities and procurement.
Compliance with the Net Zero Methodology for Hotels is independently verified by TÜV Rheinland.
Tim Cordon, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East, Africa and South East Asia Pacific at Radisson Hotel Group, said: “Bringing our Verified Net Zero program to Africa is an important step in making lower-carbon hospitality a practical choice across more destinations. At Hoedspruit, the natural surroundings are a defining part of why guests visit, making this a particularly meaningful place to introduce the program.
“The hotel demonstrates how investment in renewable electricity, electrification and everyday operational changes can reduce environmental impact while maintaining a compelling guest experience. It also gives our owners and teams across Africa a practical example of how existing hotels can contribute to the transition toward net zero.”
The hotel combines on-site solar generation with renewable electricity purchased through renewable energy certificates, while a solar wheeling agreement is scheduled to take effect in 2027.
Under the proposed arrangement, a renewable energy supplier will feed solar-generated electricity into South Africa’s national grid, with an equivalent contracted volume allocated to the hotel’s electricity consumption.
Electrification has also been introduced across key operational areas, including extensive use of electric kitchen equipment and heat pumps to provide hot water for guestrooms.
Electric golf carts and three-wheeled utility vehicles are being used to support daily hotel operations, reducing reliance on fossil-fuel-powered transportation within the property.
Water conservation forms another part of the hotel’s environmental programme, with Radisson reporting that 100% of the property’s wastewater is recycled through its own treatment plant.
The hotel has also introduced waste separation and recycling partnerships with local organisations.
Shodulla Recycling handles materials including plastic, glass and paper, while Egg Brothers processes food waste through composting and worm-farming initiatives.
Additional measures include bulk bathroom amenities designed to reduce single-use plastic consumption, with containers returned to suppliers through a closed-loop recycling system.
Glass water bottles and the provision of selected amenities on request are also intended to reduce unnecessary packaging and waste.
Guests are encouraged to participate in resource conservation through towel reuse and flexible housekeeping arrangements, helping reduce water consumption, energy use and cleaning products.
A digital guest information platform, STAY e-concierge, is also being introduced to reduce printed materials and improve communication between guests and hotel teams.
Food and beverage operations form an important part of the hotel’s wider sustainability strategy.
Working with food sustainability platform Klimato, Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit is introducing carbon-labelled menus, providing diners with information about the estimated emissions associated with individual dishes.
The data will also help the culinary team assess ingredients, review recipes and develop lower-carbon menu options.
The approach extends to responsible procurement and supplier partnerships, including an initiative with Zanetti Collection that sees used Hausbrandt coffee bags repurposed into shopping bags by a local community sewing project.
Compostable coffee capsules and Ronnefeldt tea products incorporating recyclable packaging and compostable tea bags are among further measures intended to reduce waste.
Staff training, energy monitoring and preventative maintenance are also being incorporated into daily operations across housekeeping, engineering, front office and food and beverage departments.
Inge Huijbrechts, Chief Sustainability & Security Officer at Radisson Hotel Group, said: “Verified Net Zero requires us to look beyond a hotel’s energy supply and address the wider footprint of its operations. Independent verification by TÜV Rheinland provides a consistent framework and gives guests, owners and corporate customers greater confidence in the hotel’s credentials.
“Bringing the program to Africa is an exciting proof that Verified Net Zero can work everywhere and strengthens our understanding of how to apply this approach across different destinations as we work toward 100 Verified Net Zero hotels by 2030.”
Under the programme, residual emissions that cannot currently be eliminated are addressed through carbon removal credits.
At Hoedspruit, these credits are procured through Greentrade from the South African GRASS project, which supports grassland restoration and regenerative land management.
The approach prioritises direct emissions reductions before addressing remaining emissions through the carbon removal programme.
With views towards the Drakensberg Mountains, the hotel offers 138 rooms and suites, including accommodation with private pools, alongside restaurants, spa facilities and meeting and event spaces.
The property’s location provides access to South Africa’s wildlife and natural landscapes, with the sustainability measures incorporated into both leisure stays and business gatherings.
Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit becomes the tenth hotel in the group’s Verified Net Zero portfolio, following earlier developments across the UK and Nordic markets.
The milestone supports Radisson Hotel Group’s ambition to reach 100 Verified Net Zero hotels by 2030, demonstrating how existing hospitality properties can adopt operational changes intended to reduce their environmental footprint.
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