Nearly170,000 Pledges to raise funds for IHG Shelter in a Storm

InterContinental Hotels Group(IHG) recently held its global awareness and fund-raising event in aid of IHG Shelter In a Storm, the company’s disaster relief programme and one of its three core corporate responsibility initiatives.

The annual IHG “Race Around the World” event, which took place from 22 to 29 September 2014, saw more than177,000 colleagues from IHG’s corporate offices and hotels across 67 countries globally carry out activities pledged to raise funds for the programme, and nearly 170,000 pledges were fulfilled across IHG’s corporate offices and hotels in Asia, Middle East and Africa. For each activity, IHG made a donation of US$1 to the IHG® Shelter Fund, a ready pool of resources amassed through fundraising activities throughout the year to respond as soon as disasters strike.

Pascal Gauvin, Chief Operating Officer, India, Middle East and Africa, said: “We are really excited to be joining IHG colleagues from across the world to do what we can in raising awareness and funds for IHG Shelter in a Storm. Our pledge to get active and raise money for IHG Shelter in a Storm was not only great fun, but it also generated a huge amount of engagement among our people and of course raised money for what is a fantastic cause.”

In the Middle East, activities pledged by the corporate office included a Treasure Hunt around Dubai Festival City Mall, a six-kilometre cycle in Mushrif Park and a fun Jazzercise class, which saw the corporate office don their brightest gym clothes for an hour of jazz dance, resistance training, Pilates and kick boxing.

Hotel colleagues at InterContinental Abu Dhabi,Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi – Yas Island and Crowne Plaza Dubai also participated in fund-raising activities which saw teamscycle around Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit, take part in a Zumba fitness class and runthe length of Dubai’s Jumeirah Beach.

IHG has 246 hotels open across five brands in Asia, Middle East and Africa: InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites. The company has a further 137 hotels due to open in the next three to five years, including the launch of its Hotel Indigo brand with the first hotel in Bangkok to open by the end of this year.