Sonder Holdings Inc. Announces Elimination of Single-Use Plastic Amenities in Guest Units Worldwide

Sonder Holdings Inc., a next-generation hospitality company that is redefining the guest experience through technology and design, said it is eliminating single-use plastic amenities in all of its guest-facing units no later than Dec. 31, 2022.

Sonder expects this commitment will eliminate approximately 1.6 million single-use plastic amenity items (~6,700 kg) annually in its North American operations alone by making supply chain changes, sourcing exclusively from suppliers with sustainable packaging. Guest amenity items that will be eliminated or shifted to more sustainable or reusable sources include bottled water, disposable cups, toiletry bottles, packaged coffee, packaged foods/drinks/condiments, straws, and stirrers.

“We’re implementing this responsible business practice early to proactively keep our environmental impact low. Removing single-use plastic amenities in all guest units across our global portfolio aligns with our mission to revolutionize hospitality and deliver what the modern traveler demands. It also makes good business sense, driving long-term efficiencies and savings for our operations,” said Francis Davidson, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sonder. “We’ve carefully selected amenities that provide the same quality to our guests with less waste.”

Sonder is rolling out luxurious toiletries by Davines, a certified B Corp luxury beauty brand in Parma, Italy that strives to place social and environmental sustainability at the core of its ethos. Shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner will be provided in wall-mounted, refillable dispensers, while soap bars and body lotion will be provided in paper and aluminum packaging, free from single-use plastic. The amenities are from Davines’ Essential Haircare DEDE range, formulated with red celery extract from a Slow Food Presidium farm in Italy to safeguard biodiversity and are exclusive to Sonder in the hospitality space.

For coffee packets, Sonder worked with its existing gourmet coffee supplier Metropolis Coffee Company to develop home compostable and BPI certified packaging. The new coffee pods are tailored to Sonder’s requirements to eliminate both single-use plastic and metal foil, and where ground coffee is provided, it is in compostable bags. In addition, Metropolis has a commitment to sustainability and community support, with every bag of coffee being traceable back to the farm from which it came.

Sonder’s elimination of single-use plastic amenities in all of its guest-facing units by the end of 2022 is part of its wider sustainability commitments under the company’s People, Place & Planet framework, including commitments to optimize energy consumption.