Ahead of World Ocean Day (June 8), Novotel proudly celebrates the first anniversary of its transformative three-year global partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). This milestone underscores Novotel’s ongoing commitment to marine conservation, sustainable food sourcing, and raising global awareness through impactful initiatives.
At the heart of this progress lies the launch of two significant food policies:
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Sustainable Seafood Principles created in collaboration with WWF France
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A global Plant-Forward Food Strategy across over 600 Novotel hotels worldwide.
Sustainable Seafood Principles: A Commitment to Ocean Health
Global Guidelines to Preserve Marine Ecosystems
Novotel, with WWF France’s expert guidance, introduced strict Sustainable Seafood Principles across its hotels to ensure responsible consumption and protect endangered marine life. Key highlights of this initiative include:
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Banning 350+ endangered seafood species from all menus.
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Promoting only MSC-certified wild-caught fish or responsibly sourced local species.
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Using ASC- or organic-certified farmed seafood for shrimp and salmon.
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Enforcing robust traceability protocols with WWF-led supplier collaboration.
Chef & Procurement Training Programs
To support these efforts, WWF France developed a global Sustainable Seafood Training Program, empowering Novotel’s chefs, food and beverage teams, and procurement departments to make environmentally sound seafood choices.
Novotel’s Global Plant-Forward Food Philosophy
Targeting 25% Plant-Based Menus by 2026
Novotel is rolling out an ambitious Plant-Forward strategy, aiming for a minimum of 25% plant-based items on all hotel menus by 2026. As of now, 39% of Novotel hotels have achieved this target, offering nutritious, eco-friendly, and delicious food alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of dining.
Guided by Culinary Experts
The initiative is developed in collaboration with a leading culinary institute, ensuring that the shift toward sustainable eating also meets high gastronomic standards for taste and innovation.
Educating the Next Generation: Ocean Awareness Through Edutainment
With over 2 million family stays annually, Novotel is uniquely positioned to inspire young minds. To foster environmental stewardship, Novotel and WWF France co-developed two interactive educational games:
“Guardians of the Mediterranean”
An engaging card and digital game inspired by WWF’s Blue Panda boat, it teaches families about the importance of marine conservation in a playful, interactive manner.
“Sea Turtle” Digital Quiz
This interactive quiz educates children on the perils of sea turtle migration, including threats from ghost gear, plastic waste, and pollution.
One Year of Progress: Novotel’s Key Milestones in Ocean Preservation
1. Reducing Environmental Impact
Novotel’s sustainability efforts align with Accor’s global mission for positive hospitality, including:
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Eliminating single-use plastics in hotel operations
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Installing refillable dispensers and large-format toiletries
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Tackling food waste through tech solutions and staff training
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Piloting microplastic laundry filters in French hotels
2. Expanding Sustainable Food Systems
Besides adopting sustainable seafood and plant-forward dining:
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A Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) was launched with WWF in early 2025, starting with Indian squid fisheries in Kerala.
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Partnered with Seafood Souq to implement SFS Trace traceability in 18 Middle Eastern hotels.
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Formed a Seafood Taskforce in Europe, working with five key suppliers to reinforce supply chain transparency.
3. Empowering Teams Through Education
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Ocean Awareness Training, developed with AXA Climate, is now mandatory for staff in all 600 Novotel hotels.
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WWF-led training educates on overfishing, sustainable sourcing, and best practices in F&B.
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Regular in-hotel events and edutainment initiatives build awareness and drive guest engagement.
Supporting WWF France’s Global Conservation Projects
Novotel has funded and supported several impactful WWF marine conservation efforts, including:
Protection of Posidonia Seagrass (Mediterranean)
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Carbon-sequestering meadows more effective than rainforests
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73 buoy conversions completed, with 41 more planned for 2025
Ghost Gear Retrieval
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Over 1,000 hectares prospected in Bonifacio
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Underwater robotic retrieval missions set for 2025–2026
Blue Panda Boat Expeditions
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Traveled across France, Italy, Turkey, Greece, and Croatia
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Educated 550+ children in France alone
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Advocated for marine protection during UN Ocean Conference (UNOC)
Tracking Sea Turtle Migrations
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Over 12,600 turtles tracked globally
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‘Blue Corridors’ initiative launched in 2024
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Connectivity analysis and new findings to be unveiled at UNOC 2025
Protecting Western Atlantic Sea Turtles
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Active in Brazil to Venezuela and Guiana Shield
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Includes eco-guide training, citizen science programs, and youth advocacy
The Road Ahead: What’s Next for Novotel?
As it steps into the second year of this landmark partnership, Novotel plans to:
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Expand seafood traceability efforts across all hotels
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Embed Plant-Forward menus across the full portfolio
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Launch WWF’s Sustainable Seafood Training and AXA Climate’s Ocean Awareness Training in Summer 2025
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Continue collaboration with UNOC and international stakeholders
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Invest in new guest engagement programs focused on marine protection
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q1. What is the goal of Novotel’s partnership with WWF?
A: The partnership focuses on protecting oceans through sustainable food sourcing, reducing environmental impact, and educating the next generation about marine conservation.
Q2. What are Novotel’s Sustainable Seafood Principles?
A: These principles ban endangered species, promote MSC-certified and locally sourced fish, and require organic or ASC-certified farmed seafood.
Q3. What is a Plant-Forward menu?
A: A Plant-Forward menu prioritizes plant-based dishes to reduce environmental impact while still offering flavorful, nutritious food options.
Q4. How is Novotel educating children about ocean conservation?
A: Novotel introduced interactive games like “Guardians of the Mediterranean” and “Sea Turtle” to teach children about marine life and threats to ocean ecosystems.
Q5. What conservation projects has Novotel supported?
A: Projects include protecting seagrass in the Mediterranean, retrieving ghost gear, tracking sea turtles, and supporting WWF’s Blue Panda boat expeditions.
