Employees from seven Accor properties in northern Vietnam including Sofitel Metropole Legend Hanoi, Sofitel Plaza Hanoi, Pullman Hanoi, Hotel de l’Opera Hanoi - member of MGallery Collection, Novotel Halong Bay, Clubhouse Ciputra and Mercure La Gare Hanoi joined forces to commemorate ‘Planet 21 Day’ - a CSR initiative to celebrate the group’s ‘Planet 21’ sustainability programme.

Nearly 80 people from a variety of departments from each property together re-painted the five floors of one of Blue Dragon Children's Foundation's shelters in central Hanoi, which provides food, support and shelter for the city’s children in need. The event aims to support Blue Dragon in their great work to help street kids and the victims of child labour and human trafficking. In addition, each hotel has donated funds for the purchase of rice to support Blue Dragon’s free meal programme.

Why support the fight against child labor and human trafficking?

Planet 21 embodies the group’s desire to involve its clients, guests, partners and employees in its commitment to sustainable development in every day actions as well as from a long term perspective. The movement stipulates a charter of 21 commitments, which all Accor properties must adhere to, with commitment No. 13 asking to ‘contributing back to the local community by protecting children from abuse’.

Street kids and children who are at risk of trafficking or have been trafficked are among the most vulnerable of children in Vietnam. Recently there has been an alarming increase in human trafficking and child labour in Vietnam causing wide-spread misery to its victims and their families. Not only is it important to stop the criminals responsible, but it is also critical to help victims find a way back to a better life by reuniting them with their families and helping them back into education to break the vicious cycle of poverty.

Why Blue Dragon?

Blue Dragon Children' Foundation (www.streetkidsinvietnam.com ) is an Australian charity based in Hanoi working with children in crisis in Vietnam. They provide safe spaces, education and opportunities that enable the most disadvantaged children in Vietnam and their families to be treated with respect and to break out of poverty forever.