Kigali, September 9th, 2020 – ONOMO Hotel Kigali is the latest to be added to the list of ONOMO properties to receive Bureau Veritas’ Safeguard certification. ONOMO is one of the first hotel groups to have its properties receive the prestigious safeguard certification. The Safeguard Label is awarded based on compliance with all requirements, following independent verification carried out by a duly qualified auditor. ONOMO’s 21 hotel properties across 12 African countries are supported by the Bureau Veritas partnership, with ONOMO Hotel Conakry, Lomé, Douala, Bamako, Casablanca City Center, and Casablanca Airport already certified, among others.
ONOMO Hotels has partnered with Bureau Veritas, one of the global leaders in conformity assessment services, for the certification of the sanitary system implemented in its hotels, thus preparing the best conditions to host their guests and working conditions for their employees and collaborators. These assessment services are applied to the areas of Quality, Hygiene-Health, Safety, and Environment (QHSE) for the restart of the business since the pandemic.
“This partnership testifies our commitment as a hotel group to offer the best service to our guests and the best working conditions to our team members. Benefiting from the expertise of a world leader is the best guarantee for our teams, our partners, and our customers and enables us to establish a world-level standard in all the hotels of the group,” states Cedric Guilleminot, CEO of ONOMO Hotels Group.
A world-renowned leader in compliance, Bureau Veritas, developed the checklists with a group of health, safety and hygiene experts based on global, most recognized good practices and recommendations related to preventative measures to be applied for a safer business restart after government restrictions forced all businesses to close in mid-March. The audit reviews the following areas:
- Customer contact and preventative measures
- Cleaning frequency and disinfection
- Monitoring compliance with the reinforced rules
The certification process is based on a two-step assessment. The first consists of an audit of the Covid-19 preventive measures guide developed by the ONOMO group in accordance with the recommendations in force in terms of prevention and customer reception. It is followed by an on-site audit to confirm the implementation of the provisions before granting certification. From the definition of processes passing by the organization to control and verification, Bureau Veritas brings their expertise in hygiene and safety to the 21 hotel properties of the ONOMO group to continue to make them safe and secure places for employees, partners and customers.
“Bureau Veritas provides ONOMO hotels with a unit of auditors specialized in the hotel and catering industry for tailor-made support covering the various businesses of the group, allowing business continuity in a way adapted to the health situation and responding to regulatory requirements of each market”, states Bouyaguy Diawara, Director of Bureau Veritas Côte d’Ivoire.
By choosing this severe and strict approach, the ONOMO Hotels group renews its commitment to the health, safety, and comfort of its communities, which are their top priorities. Completing the audit and certification process confirms its desire to offer an African hotel experience with international industry standards. In line with the group’s DNA, ONOMO hotels provide safe and secure living and working spaces, fostering inspiration and creativity.
Souleymane Khol, COO of the ONOMO Hotels Group, explains, “The pandemic situation requires the strengthening of sanitary procedures in hotels and restaurants and reassuring our customers and our teams about health safety becoming our priority. In our 21 hotels, our teams have worked extensively for the design and implementation of reinforced sanitary systems. These measures, combined with state-of-the-art training and several awareness-raising actions, have made it possible to develop our prevention model. Its effectiveness and compliance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) are the subjects of this partnership with Bureau Veritas.”
About ONOMO Hotels
The leading African hotel Group, Onomo Hotels, operates 21 hotels in 12 African countries: Senegal, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Mali, Togo, South Africa, Guinea Conakry, Rwanda, Morocco, Cameroon, Tanzania, and Mozambique. Followed by the upcoming opening of Onomo Kampala, which will have 134 rooms and suites. Anchored in a thrilling Africa, the ONOMO Hotels group develops/makes hotels in the heart of Africa by putting Africa at the heart of its hotels. The group shows a firm desire to offer a mid-scale hotel industry that meets international standards while preserving the local spirit of each country and welcomes business and leisure travelers in the best conditions. Stylish hotels in privileged locations, professional and experienced teams, and a friendly atmosphere to create memorable stays, such is the promise of ONOMO Hotels.
ONOMO Hotels vibrates to the rhythms and spirit of Africa. Drawing its sense of hospitality from the history of the continent and offering hospitality by its values, the hotel group makes the Smile its philosophy. For its 10th anniversary, the group launched ONOMO Africa’s Finest, a label that showcases African culture, promotes artists from the continent, and supports local know-how. Fashion, music, cinema, literature, photography, gastronomy, painting. ONOMO Africa’s Finest is the standard-bearer of the best the continent has to offer.
About Bureau Veritas
Bureau Veritas is a world leader in inspection, certification, and laboratory testing. Founded in 1828, the Group employs more than 75,000 people in more than 1,500 offices and laboratories around the world. Bureau Veritas helps its clients improve their performance by offering innovative services and solutions to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure, and processes meet standards and regulations relating to quality, health, safety, protection of the environment, and social responsibility. Bureau Veritas is listed on Euronext Paris and is part of the Next 20 index. Compartment A, ISIN code FR 0006174348, symbol: BVI.