Operating
sustainably

Lighting

citizenM hotels use a lot of natural light and task-lighting to reduce the need for overhead lighting. All frequently unoccupied spaces (corridors, meeting rooms, break rooms and restrooms) have occupancy sensors installed. Goodbye, illuminated empty rooms. We prioritise LED lighting, reducing our wattage and energy usage.

Room temperature

In the citizenM guestrooms, the guests adjust their own temperature by using the specially adapted bedside iPad. They can further adapt the room to their comfort by rolling the curtains or blackout blinds as they wish.

Green electricity

Wherever possible, the electricity we purchase for citizenM hotels comes from green energy. 100% of citizenM hotels are powered by green electricity.

Heating and air conditioning

All areas of citizenM hotels have individual light and temperature controls – so we only heat and cool what we need. The thermostats have flexible ranges, and adapt the temperature to a few degrees cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, rather than keeping a strictly set temperature in every season – leading to energy savings and reduced environmental impact.

Renewable energy

We are increasingly looking to incorporate renewable energy into the construction of citizenM hotels. Wherever technically and economically viable, we aim to have solar panels. Solar panels are already installed on some of our hotels and we hope to have even more in the future.

Every year, we collect our waste data and record our recycling rates to identify improvements and set new goals.

Plastic at canteenM restaurants and societyM meeting rooms

We have banned plastic straws from all canteenM restaurants. In the societyM meeting rooms, we keep large glass bottles and serve unlimited free refills.

Plastic in the shower

Mini shower gels? Too small for real people, too big a problem for the planet. Since 2008 (and the first citizenM hotel) we’ve been using full-size, refillable shampoos/shower gels and hand soaps. Small change – big impact.

Waste

We work with waste providers to reduce landfill waste at citizenM hotels. In 2025, we continued to meet our waste diversion target, with less than 5% of total waste generated being sent to landfill.

Plastic in the guestrooms

We removed all plastic water bottles from citizenM hotels. This action means we avoid over 2 million plastic bottles a year.

Sustainable food options

At the heart of every citizenM hotel, there’s canteenM – an open-but-cosy restaurant where delicious food and drinks are available 24/7. Each hotel menu has dishes suitable for vegetarian and vegan travellers.

Food waste

We have been rethinking the way we act to reduce food waste. We are working hard to increase the coverage of the Too Good To Go app in our hotels to further minimise food waste. Since 2019, over 54,000 meals have avoided landfill.

Sustainable cleaning protocol

We’ve eliminated 95% of cleaning chemicals at citizenM hotels, which is better for the environment, our guests, and our people.

Food selection

We select specific (preferably local) suppliers who produce and source sustainable products for citizenM menus and events. We also collaborate with the suppliers to reduce waste, including food and packaging waste. Additionally, by limiting suppliers and consolidating deliveries, we reduce the number of vehicles arriving at our hotels for a lesser impact on the environment.

Coffee

We purchase and work with coffee roasters who really shine not only for their amazing coffee beans, but for their community and sustainability practices too.