Lemon Tree Hotels receives the NCPEDP MphasiS Universal Design Award

Lemon Tree Hotels, India’s first and finest chain of upscale hotels and resorts has been bestowed with the prestigious – NCPEDP MphasiS Universal Design Award – which recognises and acknowledge organizations who are playing a pivotal role in making life more accessible for people with disabilities. Every Lemon Tree hotel has a room for differently abled guests and the public areas are made easily accessible as well. Additionally, Lemon Tree Hotels employs over 100 employees with disabilities (EWDs) across its 14 properties and works closely with experts to arrive at comprehensive and innovative training modules that enable them to perform.

Speaking about the company’s philosophy, Rahul Pandit, President & COO, Lemon Tree Hotels said, “The design concept for our hotels builds into it ways of providing easy access to guests with disabilities. We are happy to make all our guests comfortable in our hotels and take great pride in our infrastructure and facilities.” Also on the employee front he says, “Comprehensive training and motivation instills self-confidence, self-reliance and a sense of pride amongst our EWDs and allows them to shape their careers. Lemon Tree Hotels intends to provide gainful employment to over 300 employees with disabilities i.e. 10% of our staff strength by 2013.”

With a view to spreading awareness of Universal Design and popularising the concept, these awards are conferred under three categories: persons with disabilities, working professionals and companies/organisations. Across categories, the awards recognise innovative efforts that create an impact in the area of accessibility and Universal Design. It is expected that, in time, the awards will gain recognition and credibility and will also encourage more and more people to work in the field of promoting access and Universal Design.

Lemon Tree hotels was nominated in category C i.e. companies/organisations that have implemented features/facilities within their organisations, which has led to them recruiting and/or serving people with disabilities and providing them equal opportunities to participate to the best of their ability.