SOS Children's Villages Statement
We are deeply saddened and concerned to read about the issues in safeguarding and governance mentioned in the statement of Ingrid Maria Johansen, CEO of SOS Children’s Villages, on May 6, 2021.
Radisson Hotel Group and Radisson Hotel Group Americas’ priority lies with the care for local communities, and in particular children and youth, by helping to provide food, shelter, and a better future for the vulnerable. From the start of our partnership in 2018 when we appointed SOS Children’s Villages as one of the Group’s global charity partners, we have witnessed the essential and good work many entities of SOS Children’s Villages around the world have done for children and youth in their care in education and in community projects. We have always supported the organization and its work with children and youth in good faith, and adhered to the strictest codes of conduct, reporting, and application of all child-safeguarding policies in our volunteering and fundraising activities, as requested by SOS Children’s Villages International.
Effective immediately, Radisson Hotel Group and Radisson Hotel Group Americas are suspending their cooperation with SOS Children’s Villages, including all fundraising and volunteering, until we receive more information to assess the full impact of the issues and the remediation actions SOS Children’s Villages will implement across its entire organization, national entities and villages. We continue to believe in the unconditional rights of children, the importance for companies to support charities in their essential work, and the obligation of any charity to support, care for, and cherish the children and youth in their care.
