How Global Giants are Powering Hotel Sustainability
Tourism makes up an almost 8% share of global GDP – not an insignificant impact.
The industry is also responsible for more than 8% of the world’s carbon emissions.
It’s not just a polluter – tourism is, like many industries, vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
It’s difficult to have a warm holiday on the beach or a trip to see the glaciers if those destinations no longer exist.
More than five thousand hotels worldwide have now committed to making sustainable changes to reduce their environmental impact.
The World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Hotel Sustainability Basics initiative has been adopted by hospitality giants including Accor, Indian Hotels Company and Radisson Hotel Group.
Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO at Accor, says: "While Accor is actively working towards achieving carbon neutrality in line with its science-based targets, we welcome the WTTC's Hotel Sustainability Basics Initiative.
“We believe that this framework is a useful step towards ambitious sustainability goals and practices for the hospitality industry".
What is WTTC’s Hotel Sustainability Basics?
Hotel Sustainability Basics is a globally recognised and coordinated set of sustainability indicators that the WTTC says all hotels should implement as a minimum.
The initiative represents 12 actions that are fundamental to hotel sustainability as an independent verification programme supervised by Green Key and SGS.
The actions fall under three categories: efficiency, people and planet.
Hotel Sustainability Basics indicators:
- Measure and reduce energy use
- Measure and reduce water use
- Identify and reduce waste
- Measure and reduce carbon emissions
- Linen reuse program
- Green cleaning products
- Vegetarian options
- No plastic straws or stirrers
- No SUP water bottles
- Bulk amenity dispensers
- Community benefit
- Reduce inequalities
Accor’s sustainability initiatives
Accor is the largest hospitality company in Europe and sixth largest worldwide with more than 5,100 hotels from over 50 brands including Ibis, Mercure and Sofitel.
The brand describes itself as “a pioneer in bringing sustainable development to hospitality for more than 30 years” and it's now accelerating its sustainable transformation.
It aims to reduce emissions 46% across Scopes 1 and 2 with 28% in Scope 3 by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050.
Its targets have been verified by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Brune Poirson, Chief Sustainability Officer at Accor, says: “Measuring the tangible impact of sustainability actions has not always been easy.
“We believe that transparency and sincerity are the shortest route towards a successful transformation: it creates responsibility and trust.”
Almost 80% of Accor’s hotels have already eliminated 57 single use plastic items as part of its goal for zero single use plastics by 2025.
Indian Hotels Company’s sustainable goals
The Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) is part of the Tata Group with hotel brands including Taj, Vivanta and Ginger.
The company’s sustainability framework Paathya encompasses its sustainability initiatives to lead positive change across the core values of trust, awareness and joy by 2030.
Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at IHCL, says: “In India’s evolving economic landscape, tourism has emerged as a powerful force driving not only economic growth but also forging a path towards a brighter and more inclusive future.
“Paathya’s many initiatives are reflective of the globally recognised sustainability indicators for hotels as defined by the Hotel Sustainability Basics.
“Developed by the industry for the industry, the programme’s 12 criteria will further drive holistic sustainable practices across hospitality.”
By 2030, the company aims to use 50% renewable energy, eliminate single use plastics and recycle 100% of wastewater.
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