From Local Action to Regional Momentum

How Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra is Advancing Human Rights in Hospitality.

February 10, 2026

At the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra, Ghana, responsible hospitality goes beyond the hotel itself driving local action, regional momentum and a human rights commitment rooted in empathy, dignity and everyday impact.

Just steps away from the rolling waves of the Atlantic Ocean, and not far from the bustling Makola Market, stands the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra, Ghana that demonstrates a profound commitment to the well-being and advancement of its local community. In recent months, General Manager Isaac Adjei has led his team on an exemplary journey ౼ not only strengthening the hotel’s role in the surrounding neighborhood, but inspiring the entire Middle East, Africa & Türkiye (MEAT) region to take note and take action.

"Truly responsible hospitality begins long before a guest arrives,” says Verona Naidoo, VP People & Culture Operations, Middle East, Africa & Türkiye. “It starts with how we treat our people, our partners, and the communities that we serve." This conviction guided the Region to launch a wider human rights campaigns in April 2025.

Play to listen to Isaac Adjei explain the hotel's role as a reference for civil society organisations and leaders.

Isaac Adjei

General Manager Movenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra

Accessibility: Read the audio transcription

Transforming a Local Wakeup Call into Action

The origins of the hotel's engagement and action can be traced back to a simple yet striking observation made by Adjei and his team. In the lively streets surrounding the hotel, they noticed a large number of female porters, many from economically vulnerable areas. Paid extremely low wages to carry heavy loads for shoppers, these women often leave their own children unattended, creating two overlapping groups at risk.

“That’s when we decided to start a community-based platform to bring human rights conversations into the public space,” he says. “It tied in naturally with the human rights campaign already underway at Accor.”

While much of the existing focus had been on protecting the rights of Heartists® and raising internal awareness, Adjei began to ask a broader question: What if the voice of Accor and of the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra could go beyond hospitality ౼ engaging decision-makers and acting as a change agent within the community?

Concrete Actions in Motion

The campaign’s flagship moment came in August 2025, when the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra hosted a Human Rights Advocacy Event. This innovative, multi-stakeholder event, a rare occurrence in the sector, brought together senior government representatives ౼ including the Minister of State for Labor and the head of a Human Rights Commission ౼ alongside NGOs, private-sector actors, media, lawyers, students as well as the hotel’s own team.

Together, they tackled human rights challenges directly linked to the hospitality industry, with particular attention to unfair labor practices and supply chain transparency. Beyond raising awareness, the event equipped participants with practical tools ౼ encouraging dialogue, empowering individuals to speak up, and providing guidance to identify risks and prevent violations.

The momentum continued well beyond the event itself. A structured follow-up plan introduced quarterly assessment and workshops, supported by regular stakeholder meetings across the value chain. Suppliers were given a dedicated assessment built around three key indicators: worker contracts, working conditions, and the effectiveness of initiatives. The objective was clear: to help partners align with Accor’s human rights commitments in a concrete and measurable way.

The message also moved beyond hotel walls. Through its Caravan Roadshow, the hotel brought the human rights conversation directly into the neighborhood. With its vibrant, accessible format, the initiative engaged local business owners and residents, making human rights tangible, relevant and actionable ౼ encouraging everyone to get involved.

Coming Full Circle: Creating Lasting Community Change

While driving regional momentum, Adjei never lost sight of the community that sparked the initiative. The campaign has expanded to support women and children directly ౼ partnering with local schools, providing meals and clothing, improving infrastructure with the help of volunteering Heartists®, and opening the New Dawn Shelter in November to support women from historically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Play to hear Verona Naidoo on Accor's approach to human rights.

Verona Naidoo

VP People & Culture Operations, Middle East, Africa & Türkiye

Accessibility: Read the audio transcription

Scaling Impact Across the Region

As Naidoo explains, "Human rights are a central priority in our region because of the diversity, the scale, and the pace in which our region is growing.” In April 2025, a wider human rights campaign was launched across the MEAT region, that has now reached more than 23,000 Heartists® across 260 hotels in 23 countries, turning shared values into everyday action. For Naidoo, the impact reflects a clear responsibility: ensuring that every individual connected to Accor ౼ whether its Heartists® themselves, guests, partners, or communities ౼ is treated with dignity, fairness, and respect.

A key success factor has been the strong engagement of public authorities. “When governments and private enterprises support meaningful human rights initiatives, buy-in increases significantly," says Naidoo. The Accra initiative, in particular, has emerged as a benchmark ౼ one already inspiring replication in Egypt and Türkiye.

What makes the model scalable is its grounding in local realities. By spending time on the ground ౼ listening, engaging, and adapting to cultural and regulatory contexts ౼ the campaign ensures that global principles translate into relevant local action ౼ strengthening internal processes, reinforcing accountability and embedding human rights into daily operations.

The Future of Responsible Hospitality

At Accor, human rights are not treated as a one-off initiative but as a foundation ౼ guiding how the hotel shows up for its people, its guests and its community. By fostering a culture of inclusivity, respect, dignity, and social responsibility, the hotel has positioned itself as a trusted catalyst for change.

“Together, we've learned that upholding human rights isn't limited to policies or leadership decisions,” says Naidoo. “It shows up in our everyday traces. When we act with empathy, protect the vulnerable, we speak up for what's right, and we support one another's wellbeing, this is when we see human rights really flourish and come into play.”