Sustainability

Annual reports are a key source of ESG information in hospitality, combining financial and non-financial data on sustainability performance. Increasing alignment with CSRD and frameworks like ESRS, GRI, IFRS improves comparability, though challenges remain around data reliability and aligning corporate- and hotel-level KPIs.At Hotelschool The Hague, the Business Resilience and ESG chair uses such data for applied research on resilience and sustainable transformation, combining document analysis and industry collaboration.

The Most Valuable Resources Are Still Human OnesFour years ago, the challenge was finding good information. Today it is filtering it.When it comes to accuracy, I keep returning to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and UN Tourism.

I think the age of AI makes reliable sustainability resources more important, not less. AI can be extremely useful for summarising complex information, analysing hotel data, comparing options, and translating sustainability language into practical operational decisions.

Regeneration in hospitality requires more than efficiency improvements; it demands a shift from extractive models toward reciprocal relationships with place. Through the VIRTU Resort & Residences model, developed in partnership with the World Indigenous Business Network (WIBN), hotels are conceived as living systems participants rather than resource consumers.

At Sunlife, regeneration is not framed as an extension of sustainability but as a shift in how value is created. As stated in our 2025 Sustainability Report, hospitality has the power to regenerate, not just to delight… it is the strategy that shapes every decision, every investment, and every guest experience.

A case study I recently prepared can serve as a possible blueprint for hotels seeking to integrate circularity, community partnership, and ecological restoration into their core business model. Garden Hotels & Resorts transformed its operations in Mallorca through a circular partnership with local farmers.

Understanding Opting-In and Opting-Out Strategies Knowing the difference between opting-in and opting-out is essential when aiming to influence behaviour and drive change effectively. The "default option" principle can be applied to almost any business or operational process, allowing organisations to guide decisions without lengthy explanations or losing control over outcomes.

I would prioritize two things amid the myriad issues of opportunity and concern: 1) Improve measurement, data collection, data analysis, and reporting at the property level on sustainability performance, at least with energy, waste, and water, but then move on to other elements.

In 2026 hospitality should prioritise shifting from surface-level sustainability actions to systemic change through investment in leadership training. While technical improvements remain important, the primary focus must be on transforming internal mindsets.

“Facing sustainability deprioritization?” I think the concern is justified since a large section of the hospitality sector has traditionally operated on a ‘compliance-first’ approach when it comes down to sustainability commitments.

The delay to the CSRD may offer temporary regulatory breathing space, but it highlights a deeper truth: sustainability in hospitality and tourism must not depend solely on government mandates. If our industry remains reactive, driven only by compliance, we risk falling environmentally, socially, and economically behind.

Indeed, there is a real risk that goals driven by political ambition, political agenda in the best sense of the word, may be deprioritised. I recently wrote a piece titled "Where Do We Stand Now?" to better understand the current state of play.

Hotels have focused their attention on utility-related metrics. As a result, the measurement of hotel consumption data and KPIs feels like a tick-box exercise. However, when it comes to social metrics—such as well-being, employee retention, education, human rights, or the suppliers audited to ensure compliance with the company's code of conduct—these indicators are crucial.

Share price and value are correlated to current and expected future profits, which can depend on decisions from governments with short term priorities who legislate for GDP growth as a solution to most of their problems. We should be pushing for a lasting global commitment to change the collective vision of success, and to accept that success shouldn't be measured in purely economic terms.

What do KPIs, certificates, and ESG ratings have in common? They're all tools we use to measure impact and performance. But can one metric, or even one system, capture everything at once? Probably not. As we navigate ESG reporting, the challenge isn't just what to measure, but how much, how specifically, and how meaningfully.

What a great topic, indeed 'failures' are great learning opportunities for the organisation itself as well as others when shared publicly. A mindset of continouus improvement, that is for example inherent to ISO certifications, would enable companies to shift the 'failure' vs 'success' narrative and culture.

Many SME accommodation owners begin their sustainability journey with enthusiasm but often fail to sustain long-term change. A key barrier is underestimating the time and commitment needed to overhaul operational processes across departments.

To make progress on sustainability, I believe we need to build a culture that values curiosity over criticism, encouraging people to explore what works, what doesn’t, and why. That means treating new ideas as experiments, not tests to pass or fail.

As companies face increasing pressure to report their GHG emissions, the role of business travel, mainly flights, is coming under great pressure. Business travel contributes significantly to a company's carbon footprint. In my opinion, hotels will be less affected than airlines, but they will need to relearn to focus more on short—and medium-distance travellers.

The growing interest in sustainability and events is shifting competitiveness in a new direction. For those hotels and events venues that have been leading the way for decades by implementing sustainable management practices and measuring the carbon footprint of operations their hard work is paying off.

The role of sustainability information in business travel is increasingly critical, particularly for hotel groups like Radisson Hotel Group, as corporate clients prioritize sustainability in their procurement processes. A growing requirement for sustainability data in corporate RFPs significantly impacts the competitiveness of hotels.

Properties should take resilience measures not just to lower insurance premiums but also to keep their doors open and stay in business. Insurance companies can protect their own profits and keep their customers by offering lower premiums to owners who better protect their properties.

While I would like to suggest that there is a massive "Game Changer Opportunity" presented here in accelerating sustainable best practices though engagement from the Insurance Industry, that is going to have to wait and see what comes unless someone has more information related.

To fully embrace their role as enablers and game changers, insurance companies could focus on two aspects that would make a difference in the way hospitality professionals make decisions. The first one is the availability of data about present and future risks (catastrophic events…) and their correlation with some hotel features (construction materials, construction year, location of technical equipment in the building…).

With new ESG regulations coming into force (e.g. the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), there will be an even greater need and demand of environmental and social auditing.

At GSTC, we're pleased to see more hotels pursuing certification, demonstrating the industry's commitment to sustainability. While demand for certification grows, we emphasize the critical role of auditing in ensuring rigorous implementation.

Could there be a bottle neck of skilled auditors - absolutely, but we know that legislation will require skilled auditors to assess certified properties so the question shouldn't be will there be a bottle neck, it's how are we training a new wave of auditors.

Hospitality largely relies on legacy technology to operate and remains very slow in adopting more useful, more user friendly and faster replacement/ enhancement solutions. AI is moving forward very rapidly and Hospitality must get on board quickly before finding itself behind.

The Role of AI in Net Positive Hospitality The World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance champions Net Positive Hospitality, where AI emerges not as a panacea but as a potent catalyst for sustainable transformation. The synergy of AI, traditional technologies, and human-centric strategies is paramount.

AI is just a tool just like any tool it's up to how people use it. It has potential usage in Energy Efficiency and Management. For example, optimising the distribution of electricity and managing demand. In climate predictions where it can help determine weather patterns.

The reality is that the majority of professionals do not measure food waste. So not having the data is the first issue. The second issue is, once you have the data and understand the amount of waste you actually produce, how do you reduce it?

One of the biggest challenges we face is the very idea of hospitality. There is still a (strong) perception that to be hospitable means to be generous. That by giving more we are adding value, delivering a better experience, serving better.

Intuition tells us that what holds us back is the combination of all three aspects: our individual decisions, managers, and leaders. However, based on experience working with a restaurant chain in Brazil my short answer will be that organizations and their leaders are best positioned to lead a shifting course with the necessary speed if desired.

The main barrier to assessing the social aspect of ESG reporting is to first bring its importance in line with environmental sustainability. A recent study asked hotel guests to rate a list of circular economy practices based on a) their willingness to pay, b) their importance, and c) their intention to reserve a stay.¹ The results are extremely valuable for business owners when deciding how to combine environmental sustainability investments with enhanced guest satisfaction.

There are several factors and variables to consider in reporting about social sustainability. For example, VIRTU Resorts is currently focusing on measuring culture and well-being, extending to include Indigenous knowledge. VIRTU's enriched business practices are rooted in the holistic connections between communities and the environment paired with the latest in technology.

When it comes to incorporating the social aspect in ESG reporting, prioritising the well-being and investment of staff members is paramount. Companies should focus on revaluing their workforce by allocating resources towards training, retention strategies, and ensuring fair compensation.

For me, it is not a case of which, it is about marrying the two. When it comes to radical changes or incremental shifts, action was required decades ago, the greatest risk of all is not doing anything. Therefore, the pathway to sustainability requires a thoughtful blend of continuous improvement and radical change.

In the hospitality industry - just like in the business world in general - a paradigm shift is necessary , which calls for radical changes. I see 3 priorities that are implementable by key hospitality stakeholders if they decide to work together (which can be a radical change for some of them already…): Hotel operators and their suppliers: Zero plastic Hotel investors and franchisors: Zero land take All: choose and aim for new KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for the industry, before and above financial results, which would inspire hospitality leaders in their mission.

The challenges facing decoupling and green growth in the hospitality industry are evident, with current mainstream practices yielding insufficient progress. However, a departure from the prevalent notion that decoupling and tourism growth can happen simultaneously, coupled with a redirection towards an alternative paradigm of value creation in the form of regenerative hospitality, shows a more promising futureproof path for our industry.