In the world of hospitality, where the focus is often on guest experience and operational efficiency, Andrew, the Director of ESG at St Giles Hotels, found a unique opportunity to align his hotel's mission with Carefree and our mission to provide every unpaid carer in the UK with an annual break. While our partnership started unexpectedly, it quickly proved to be an obvious and impactful decision.
(Image credit: St. Giles Hotel)
The Easy Choice: A Mission of Care
Andrew's journey with Carefree started with an email.
“When I read the content, the partnership was an absolute no-brainer for me," he recounts. The ease of integration, both technically and ethically, made the decision straightforward. The core of Carefree's mission resonated deeply with the hospitality industry: "Every carer deserves a break."
St Giles Hotels, like many in the sector, aims to provide spaces for relaxation and rejuvenation. This aligns perfectly with the critical needs of unpaid carers, many of whom haven't had a break in years. Andrew emphasises, "We saw the statistics about how many carers haven’t been able to take a break in five years– promoting self-care is so important to us." He sees a natural synergy: "As hotels, we exist as part of hospitality. Our mission is to help people have a break, relax, and re-energise– and all of the things that unpaid carers so desperately need to provide the work that they do."
Tangible Benefits For Hotels
Andrew highlights two compelling reasons why other hotels should consider partnering with Carefree:
First, for hotels with an existing ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) team or CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) representative, the partnership offers an immediate and impactful "quick win." Andrew explains, "With a partnership like ours with Carefree, you have almost no spend because the rooms you’ll give are statistically likely to be empty anyway." The minimal additional cost is absorbed into existing operational expenses, primarily housekeeping. He points out the dual benefit: "You’re filling rooms and potentially helping two people (because most carers come with a guest to stay with)." St Giles, for example, dedicates three rooms every Sunday night, transforming potentially vacant rooms into meaningful breaks for carers.
Second, for hotels without a dedicated ESG or CSR representative, the partnership is "even more of a no-brainer." Carefree handles the administrative burden, providing all necessary data for reporting, right down to exact break numbers. "All that raw data is very easy to put into your quarterly reports," Andrew states. This streamlined process makes it accessible for any hotel, regardless of its internal resources.
Flexibility and Impact: A Win-Win Partnership
One of the most appealing aspects of the Carefree partnership, according to Andrew, is its flexibility. "You are not losing anything. They are only making use of vacant rooms and you can be as flexible as you like. There’s no minimum requirement for what you’re expected to give." Larger hotels, like St Giles, might offer multiple rooms weekly, while smaller establishments can adjust their donations based on seasonality and occupancy. Offering just one room a week adds up to over fifty carer breaks a year (That’s over 100 people helped)!
The operational integration is seamless, with all necessary information provided to the front desk, ensuring a smooth check-in process for carers. Andrew concludes with a powerful statement that encapsulates the essence of hospitality: "The last thing I’ll say is that caring for people is what we do in hospitality. We care about the experience of fellow humans. So when someone says, 'Why should we partner with Carefree?' I say because it’s easy and because it’s the right thing to do."
This partnership exemplifies how hotels can leverage their existing resources to create significant social impact, demonstrating that doing good can also be good for business.
Interested in partnering with Carefree? Get in contact with us now!
