INSIGHTS
The rise of sustainable hotels
Business travellers are becoming more aware of how their travel impacts the environment. Hotels have adapted in recognition of travellers being aware of their carbon footprint, as well as recognising their own impact on the planet.
Many hotel chains have implemented extensive initiatives or corporate social responsibility programmes. There are three factors that hotels consider when designing these programmes: economic, social and environmental.
Here's how some of the world's largest hotel chains are adapting.
Hyatt
Hyatt has set ambitious environmental sustainability goals to achieve by 2030. Looking to reduce energy use, water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, the hotel chain's vision also focuses on using resources thoughtfully, building smart environmentally conscious hotels and innovating and inspiring with sustainable solutions. Initiatives include:
- Water conservation including improving efficiency, prioritising conservation in drought-prone areas and increasing the use of renewable energy and grey water.
- Reduce waste including food and drink waste and reducing single-use plastics and items, and increasing recycling and composting.
- Responsible sourcing of products and services that support action to improve environmental and social concerns.
- Help destinations thrive by supporting global communities and respecting local natural materials.
Marriott International
Marriott International's Serve360 programme is currently guided by its 2025 Sustainability and Social Impact Goals. These are split into four categories:
- Nurture Our World with goals including a commitment of 15m hours of volunteer service, 80% of managed hotels to participate in community service activities.
- Empower Through Opportunity with goals to invest at least $35M in upskilling various groups, and to achieve gender parity in global company leadership by 2023.
- Sustain Responsible Operations with goals to reduce carbon footprint, obtain sustainability certification for all its hotels, and source more responsibly, such as locally sourced food.
- Welcome All and Advance Human Rights with goals to educate staff on human rights including human trafficking awareness, and investing in partnerships and further training.
Accor
Accor Hotels is committed to achieving net zero by 2050 and has integrated Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria into its financial strategy to help achieve its goals. Accor's commitment is built on three operational pillars:
- Sustainable hotel operations from construction through to daily operations such as waste management, energy consumption and promoting a circular economy.
- A sustainable food chain to improve its supply chain, source more responsibly and promote fair practices to local producers and organic farms.
- Promoting the local ecosystem including culture and heritage, while encouraging a new way of travelling that is more conscious and has greater awareness.
Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG)
IHG is one of the most environmentally conscious hotel groups. It has developed an online sustainability programme, IHG Green Engage system, which helps its hotels to manage and report on their energy, water, carbon and waste, aiming to minimise the groups overall impact on the environment.
The hotel brand has also launched the IHG Academy, that offers education, career skills training to local people, as well as the IHG Foundation which supports disaster relief.
Hilton
Hotel conglomerate Hilton met its first sustainability goal in 2014, with 94% of its electricity being produced from green sources. It also had a 10% reduction in water consumption and a 20% reduction in waste production. But its sustainability efforts aren’t exclusive to energy efficiency: Hilton has set out environmental and social targets to achieve by 2030.
- Reducing carbon emissions intensity by 61%
- Reducing water consumption and waste by 50%
- Sustainably sourcing produce, meat, poultry, seafood and cotton.
It aims to double its social investment and drive positive change in communities by:
- Doubling the amount spent with local suppliers
- Doubling the investment in opportunity programmes for women and youth
- Volunteers contributing 10 million hours through team member initiatives
- Doubling monetary support for natural disaster relief efforts
- Advancing Human Rights capabilities in Hilton’s value chain to eradicate forced labour and trafficking.
Innovative sustainability initiatives
Many hotels have goals to reduce energy emissions, reduce water consumption and source sustainable products. The following hotels have come up with innovative ideas to be even more sustainable:
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Fairmont has installed beehives on a number of its hotel rooftops to facilitate the pollination of nearby plants. The honey produced by the bees is used in the hotel restaurant and as treatment in the hotel spas.
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Four Seasons developed a '10 Million Trees Initiative' in 2011, which aims to plant 10 million trees across 34 countries where it owns hotels, with the focus to raise awareness of deforestation and tree conversation.
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Marriott International makes all of its staff uniforms from recycled plastic bottles. The chain's Heathrow hotel was the first in the group to be fitted with a hybrid wind turbine and solar panel system to generate energy.
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Hilton donates unused soap and amenity bottles to homeless shelters, medical facilities and community centres in poorer communities globally.
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In Costa Rica, Hyatt has partnered with a local non-profit organisation to support the local community by improving the lives of children, sponsoring a child, donating supplies and inviting guests to visit the local schools.
Implications for business travel programmes
Anyone working in travel management is aware that sustainability is important for both organisations and travellers. Even tiny boutique hotels are doing their part to reduce energy consumption and preserve the planet and local communities.
When you're next going to hotel RFP, think carefully about your company's own sustainability goals. Include questions that match those objectives. Who knows, you may stipulate that your programme only has eco-friendly hotels from now on.
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