Novotel London West: Drop the International Military Helicopter Conference

<div><strong> </strong>Dear Novotel London West,</div><p dir="ltr">I am writing with urgent concern regarding the upcoming International Military Helicopter (IMH) Conference, taking place from the 24 to 26 of February at Novotel London West. IMH will bring together government, military, naval and aviation officers from around the world to network with some of the largest global arms corporations. IMH is a three day marketplace of death and destruction.</p><p dir="ltr">I am very concerned that IMH will feature speakers from weapons companies including <a href="https://caat.org.uk/data/companies/airbus-group-eads">Airbus</a>, <a href="https://caat.org.uk/data/companies/leonardo">Leonardo</a>, <a href="https://caat.org.uk/data/companies/?nameSearch=collins%20aerospace">Collins Aerospace</a> (part of <a href="https://caat.org.uk/data/companies/rtx/">RTX</a>, formed from a merger of Raytheon and United Technologies in 2020), <a href="https://caat.org.uk/data/companies/lockheed-martin">Lockheed Martin</a> and <a href="https://caat.org.uk/data/companies/rolls-royce">Rolls Royce</a>, and conference sponsors include <a href="https://caat.org.uk/data/companies/northrop-grumman">Northrop Grumman</a>, <a href="https://caat.org.uk/data/companies/thales">Thales </a>and <a href="https://caat.org.uk/data/companies/qinetiq">QinetiQ</a>.  Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, Rolls Royce, Collins Aerospace and Northrop Grumman are all involved in <a href="https://caat.org.uk/data/countries/israel/mapped-all-the-uk-companies-manufacturing-components-for-israels-f35-combat-aircraft/">F-35 component production</a>. F-35 “genocide jets” are used extensively by Israel to bomb Gaza, and were part of recent American attacks on Venezuelan sovereignty.</p><p dir="ltr">I understand that Novotel London West, as a Novotel Hotel, is part of Accor Group. I believe that hosting IMH violates Accor Group’s Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility <a href="https://assets.group.accor.com/yrj0orc8tx24/5Q8NaDn2zGLehnIFOvwCLK/889baafd31ac0a1504f3453a796734c3/ACCOR_charteERSE2024-120924-EN__1_.pdf">Charter</a>. I note that Accor Group states that it will not sponsor activities inconsistent with its fundamental values, which includes activities involving violence. Although Accor Group is not directly sponsoring IMH, I believe its role as owner of Novotel London West, venue host for IMH, makes it complicit in the lethal violence this arms fair will perpetuate around the world. I believe this is a contradiction of Accor Group’s commitment to ethics and corporate social responsibility. </p><p dir="ltr">Novotel London West must align itself with the values it claims to uphold and refuse to host any arms fairs, including next year’s International Military Helicopter Conference. Otherwise any stated corporate social responsibility aims will continue to feel like a duplicitous marketing tool. </p><div><strong id="docs-internal-guid-d9a481cf-7fff-4362-8901-f77157b274db"></strong></div>

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