About Hotels for Trees
Hotels for Trees is a non profit foundation established in May 2021. Hotels for Trees started in the Netherlands and has rapidly expanded in Europe since 2022. A separate entity is estabished in Australia and North America.
Hotels for Trees has a Dutch ANBI status (special charity trademark including tax benefits for people from Europe who donate). Similarly, for Australian and North American partners, the donations are tax-deductible.
The foundation is headed by a board of three and overseen by a Supervisory Board. All donations are spent on (re-)forestation projects and used for running and growing Hotels for Trees.
The Team
Floris Licht is the founder of Hotels for Trees and the mothership in Europe is run by Linde Borger.
Hotels for Trees in North America is run by Edwin Schaerlaeckens.
Hotels for Trees in Australia is run by Hugo van Roermund.
Hotel partners
As an independent non-profit initiative Hotels for Trees is not linked to any specific country, brand, hotel chain, hotel size or star rating.
On the contrary, we are extremely proud of our partnership with a large variety of hotels in the Netherlands, Europe, even on the Caribbean Islands and in Australia and North America as well.
Click here for the complete overview of our hotel partners and their results so far!
Founding Partner
Blycolin is an expert when it comes to radiantly clean linen for hotel rooms, restaurants or wellness centers. From a stylish linen collection to professional washing and smart logistics: Blycolin will find the perfect solution for every linen issue. Carefree linen management, they call that. With this complete service, hotels will always have sufficient stock and all the time they need for hospitality.
As Founding Partner Blycolin has financially supported Hotels for Trees’ growth across Europe. Next to this Blycolin will actively promote this initiative among its current and future clients whereby it will donate the first tree for every hotel that joins the program.
Forestation partner in Europe
For the execution of the (re-)forestation projects Hotels for Trees collaborates with Trees for All, a Dutch foundation which was founded in 1999. Trees for All is the most experienced player when it comes to offering CO2 compensation options in The Netherlands.
Since its start, Trees for All has planted over 10.5 million trees and compensated over 765 thousand tons of polluting CO2 (as per January 2024). Trees for All applies a range of quality criteria such as conformity with local forestry legislation, guarantees of sustainability, involvement of the local population and the impact on the environment, people and animals
Forestation partner in Australia
In Australia, Hotels for Trees collaborates with ReForest Now. ReForest Now is a registered charity and was established to realise landscape level rainforest restoration in Australia.
They began from unfunded grass roots and came up fast to plant more than 600,000 rainforest trees of hundreds of species in their first five years of operating. In that time, they’ve restored almost 240 hectares of degraded rainforest. 187 species have been used on their last mega project, which is one of the largest and most biodiverse rainforest plantings on the continent at this time.
ReForest Now prides itself for providing high survival rates, high diversity, great reporting, recognition, and transparency.
Forestation partner in North America
One Tree Planted is one of two (re)forestation partners we use in North America. Since 2014, they have more than doubled the number of trees planted each year and are working with partners across 80+ countries in North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Pacific. To date, they have planted 100 million trees. They are a certified 501(c)3 non-profit organization. While they have a large presence in North America, they are active in 80+ countries.
Forestation partner in North America
Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than one million members, supporters and valued partners. Since 1972, almost 500 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have been planted in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests throughout the world. Our vision is to lead toward a world where trees are used to solve issues critical to survival. Arbor Day have the ambition to plant another 500 million trees in the next 5 years!
PMS Partner
As hospitality system of the future Mews is designed to simplify and automate all operations for modern hoteliers and their guests. From the booking engine to check-out, from front desk to revenue management, every process is easier, faster and more connected.
Mews has donated 500 trees at the start of our partnership and supported with the integration of Hotels for Trees into their software! They offer the “industry first” sustainable addition to their online check-in module and a full integration with the Hotels for Trees Dashboard. Mews is further supporting this initiative by donating 100 trees per month and by promoting Hotels for Trees to its current and future hotel partners.
MICE RFP Partner
Proposales is the modern way to create, send, and e-sign proposals. Hotels working with Proposals can speed up their RFP response process with interactive proposals that take minutes to create—building a great experience for their guests which helps turn proposals into sales.
Proposales has pledged to fund 250 trees at the start of their partnership and 50 more treas each month. The Proposales team is also developing a Hotels for Trees module which properties can include in their interactive event proposals. It will allow planners to offset part or all of the CO2 caused by their event. This gives them the chance to consciously make a choice for the environment with the click of a button.
Hotel Software Solution Partner
Sweeply simplifies housekeeping and task management for the hospitality industry and provides less workload, waste & carbon footprint. With dynamic task management and real-time housekeeping capabilities, the platform enhances department communication, fostering a seamless workflow. Sweeply integrates seamlessly with your Property Management System (PMS), covering guests, rooms, public areas, and other units.
Sweeply donated 100 trees at the start of our partnership and will plant 25 more trees each month. The Sweeply Optional-housekeeping feature allows guests to choose to opt-out of daily housekeeping upon their arrival at the hotel. Every day they decline, a tree is planted.
Hotel Software Solution Partner
Flexkeeping is a Hotel Operations Platform designed to help teams automate and collaborate like never before. From housekeeping to maintenance and beyond, we’ve helped transform hundreds of properties across the world with our easy platform.
Flexkeeping has already invited Hotels for Trees several times to be part of various panel discussions in Southern Europe and Australia. They find it important to inspire hoteliers in this way and bring Hotels for Trees to their attention, among other things.
PMS Partner
Rezcontrol is a complete hotel management solution, designed to put hoteliers in control. They pride themselves on their intuitive simplicity, depth of functionality, transparent pricing and outstanding UK-based customer service. With a 30-year track record in PMS systems, they understand what hoteliers need, and are constantly evolving with their requirements in mind.
“Since moving to Rezcontrol, we’ve increased our revenue by an average of 10% per year.” – Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth.
Rezcontrol is delighted to have this opportunity to make a difference and plant 5 trees for every property they sign up.
Hotel Software Solution Partner
GoTickin is the hotel industries facility software solution for Housekeeping, Maintenance and Reception teams. With all the features working together to benefit internal hotel communication, productivity and overall guest and users satisfaction.
At the start of the partnership GoTickin has donated 10 trees for each hotelpartner that uses their software and is participating in Hotels for Trees and they will continue to do so moving forward!
PMS Partner
RoomRaccoon is an innovative all-in-one Hotel Management System that leverages smart automation to boost hotel operations, increase profitability and enhance the guest experience. The core system combines a property management system, a channel manager, a booking engine and a payment platform and brings seamless automation to all aspects of a hotel business.
At the start of the partnership, RoomRaccoon donated 100 trees and supports Hotels for Trees by actively promoting the initiative among its global users.
WhatsApp Partner
Lacoly’s WhatsApp service has been created to serve hotels and the hotel guest before, during and after their stay. Start using unique communication and management capabilities to improve guest connectivity and simplify processes. Together we create the ultimate guest experience, increase turnover and work more efficiently.
With Lacoly it is now possible to ask the guest in advance via WhatsApp if he/she wants to skip her room cleaning and in return supports the Hotels for Trees initiative.
Upsell Software Partner
Oaky is an upselling software that helps hotels offer relevant upgrades & services to their guests throughout the whole guest journey. Oaky embraces sustainability by partnering up with Hotels for Trees. By embedding the ‘Hotels for Trees’ initiative into Oaky, hoteliers can actively contribute to a greener world while enhancing the guest experience.
With guest communication and personalisation features, Oaky makes sure that guests are empowered to make a positive impact on the environment. When guests opt out of housekeeping through Oaky, Hotel for Trees plants a tree on their behalf. In the end, hoteliers are able to save up on housekeeping costs while making a change!
Ambassadors
From day one, both these gentlemen have been strong supporters of the success of Hotels for Trees .
With his company, New Busines Lab, Matthijs supports with the organization of creating and implementing socially, responsible and sustainable business models. In March 2020 Matthijs published a practical book for people that want to make an impact and contribute to a more sustainable and socially responsible world.
As a change agent, connector and entrepreneur within the Haarlemmermeer region, Gertjan played a key role in the creation of Hotels for Trees. It was a workshop by Matthijs in which Gertjan shared his Purpose Case and story, which gave founder Floris Licht a much needed final push that started the creation of Hotels for Trees.
Friend of Hotels for Trees and sparring partner from the start.
Together with his company, Van Diemen PR, Casper voluntarily took care of the creation of the website of Hotels for Trees. Next to this, he oversaw the development of the software that makes participating to this initiative very easy for all parties involved. Finally, he played a vital role as sparring partner of founder Floris Licht when it came to creating the story and proposition for this initiative.
Owner of UHP Services, specialising in moving in and out of accommodation for the hospitality industry and everything that goes with it. Mark is the leader of their business philosophy in which social responsibility, sustainable entrepreneurship and Cradle-to-Cradle are very important.
Together with Hotels for Trees, UHP Services wants to make the world a bit greener, which is why they are proud ambassadors for the coming years!
Click here to see the amount of trees they have planted so far.
STOP THE WATER WHILE USING ME! has taken it to heart to save, protect and donate our precious resource water.
There is too much plastic and too little drinking water worldwide. It is time to act now. That’s why they stand for natural, biodegradable and refillable cosmetics and kindly ask people to stop, think and change their behaviour towards water.
They strive to become the most purpose-driven player in hospitality and D2C, always offering the most sustainable choice.
Therefore, they’ve partnered with Hotels for Trees to make a difference and provide the necessary food for thought to make the hotel industry a little greener in a holistic way.
To find out more visit https://www.stop-the-water.com/en
Dripdrop makes rainy days brighter and more sustainable, by helping hotels rent out premium umbrellas made from recycled plastic. Tap your payment card, grab an umbrella, and enjoy the rain. For every umbrella rented, Dripdrop plants a tree together with Eden Reforestation Projects. https://www.dripdrop.io
Made Blue Foundation helps over 500 (hotel)business save and serve water in the most impactful way. For example by nudging guests reduce time spent under the shower and donate for free 100 litres of clean water to a family elsewhere instead. Or by switching from bottled water to mains-fed water stations with a compelling story on how others join you for a drink with every sip. Participating hotels show bottomline savings and massive impact both nearby (energy and water conservation) and far away: access to clean water and hygiene for all. Additional credits with Green Key, Green Globe, ESG strategy and guest satisfaction.
