The hospitality sector goes green

5 min reading time

Published on 02/12/21 - Updated on 17/03/22

engagement durable hospitality

The sector's professionals have decided to make the hospitality rhyme with ecology, at a time when sustainable tourism is no longer an option. Through innovative and committed strategies and actions, all the hospitality stakeholders are trying to make their contribution to the evolution of the sector and to make it as sustainable and responsible as possible. They all understand that the future of the hotel industry will inevitably involve an ecological transition.

Journey to Tomorrow is the responsible business plan developed by IHG Hotels & Resorts for over 10 years of global commitments to make a positive difference to people, communities and the planet. The ambition of this programme is to shape the responsible travel of tomorrow by focusing on five key areas: promoting a diverse culture, improving the living conditions of communities around the world, reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions, reducing waste production and making good use of water supplies.

Towards shaping our common future is a project led by Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Andamans that demonstrates the resort's commitment to eco-responsibility by exploring new frontiers in sustainability in its operations and across the value chain. From site identification to project design, from engagement to inclusion, from pre-opening to business operations, the environment and community have been centrally integrated into the creation of the hotel.

Voco - a brand built on sustainability by IHG sets out a series of ambitious commitments through the Journey to Tomorrow 2030 responsible business plan, aligned with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The Voco standards are based on sustainability, including reducing carbon emissions, energy and water use and food waste. All of this is done with the aim of helping both the planet and the local communities where the properties are built.

Accor says stop to single-use plastic in its hotels by 2022 shows the group's ambition to go further than the majority of its competitors and local legislation by announcing a new commitment to eliminate all single-use plastic guest-related items in all hotels by the end of 2022. Currently, more than 200 million single-use plastic items are used per year in guest rooms, meeting rooms, restaurants and leisure areas, and Accor intends to put an end to this and to be fully committed to a strong sustainability approach.

Upcycling Emiliano Pajamas by Emiliano Hotels is a project consisting of designing pyjamas from sheets that are no longer used and then donating the money to the Solar Meninos de Luz organisation, a civil and philanthropic organisation that promotes education. A social aspect is therefore added to the environmental aspect of this initiative.

Plastic Free is an initiative led by the Sofitel Bogota Victoria Regia hotel, which has made it possible for the hotel to stop using single-use plastic since 2019. The hotel is continuing this ambition in 2021 by looking for new alternatives and, in particular, has obtained from its fruit and vegetable suppliers that they no longer package their goods with plastic.

Sun Coral Nursery, developed by Sun Resorts, is the first land-based micro-fragmentation coral farm in Mauritius, in collaboration with the University of Mauritius and Dr David Vaughan of the Plan a Million Coral Foundation in Florida. With this innovative technique, it is possible to regrow reefs at a rate 25 to 40 times faster than natural reefs, thus saving and recovering corals that were thought to be lost.

Initiatives for more sustainable travel by the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa Edinburgh is modelled on the parent brand Marriott International's ambition to create a positive and sustainable impact wherever the brand operates. The hotel is committed to reducing energy consumption, minimising waste, better managing water supplies and encouraging its associates to also engage in an eco-friendly approach to building a greener future.

Environment Sustainability Governance brings together the various programmes that the Hotel Arts Barcelonan, part of the Ritz Carlton Group, is adopting to save energy, reduce waste and be greener to the environment. The hotel is offering a luxury product that integrates the main components of sustainable development, such as the reduction of carbon emissions and better management of food waste.

Maybe it's time to change everything allows Akena Hotels to combine ecological and commercial considerations when building hotels when it is relevant and productive. The brand is targeting an audience that has not necessarily been concerned with environmental issues before with a serious yet quirky approach with a 'country sitcom' scenario. The ambition is to create modern, environmentally friendly hotels within strict financial constraints.

Leading in sustainability by London Heathrow Marriott Hotel leads the way in reusing food waste, reducing water and energy consumption through a multi-dimensional approach to sustainability. Thanks to Chef Anna's creativity, the Food Waste Lab reuses around 200kg of materials each month to create coffee-based soaps, orange and avocado body scrubs, citrus air fresheners and much more. Who says sustainability can't be synonymous with originality?

Built in Solar Panels as a Roofing Solution is The Hotel Marqués de Riscal The Luxury Collection's solution to the environmental issues facing the hospitality sector. An ambitious extension that increases the hotel's capacity by 18 rooms, topped by 961 photovoltaic solar panels that form the roof of the building. The energy generated by the installation has been fully allocated to the hotel and will save up to 30% of the total electricity consumption.

Ovolo Group has launched Year of the Veg, an initiative to make all of the group's restaurants and bars vegetarian for a year. This is an ecological initiative that affirms the brand's commitment to the fight against climate change, which is currently threatening the environment. This initiative is in line with the new expectations of customers who are becoming more and more numerous each year to turn vegetarian. 

 

Nota Bene: The HON editorial team highlights and values the entries submitted for the Hospitality Awards 2021 in complete independence from the competition itself, which is governed by precise rules. This in no way prejudges the outcome of the specific process of nominating finalists or winners, which follows the rules of the competition through the examination of the entries by a jury followed by a sworn bailiff and live voting on the day of the ceremony. The abundance of initiatives submitted during this 21st edition is a fine illustration of the efforts made by the profession in the face of the crisis and it was important for us to share them with you.

InterContinental Hotels Group

InterContinental Hotels Group

Hotel Group

  • InterContinental Hotels Group United Kingdom
  • Offres d'emplois 56 currents job offers
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Accor

Accor

Hotel Group

  • Accor France
  • Offres d'emplois 31 currents job offers
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Sunlife resort

Sunlife

Hotel chain

  • Sunlife Asia-Pacific
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Marriott International

Marriott International

Hotel Group

  • Marriott International United-States
  • Offres d'emplois 45 currents job offers
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Akéna Hotels

Akéna Hotels

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