Building a culture around an ESG strategy is not a linear process
Aleph's Steve Pratt emphasizes the importance of fostering a passion-driven, rather than checklist-focused, culture of ESG awareness in the hospitality sector. The article highlights the challenges of implementing a uniform ESG strategy across diverse hotel portfolios and the necessity of localizing efforts to fit individual hotel contexts. The key to success lies in empowering hotel staff, particularly 'Pioneers', to take ownership of ESG...
With a portfolio of hotels which are both dissimilar in character and in location, as different from each other as Dubai from Nairobi, it can be a challenge to implement a corporate ESG strategy. What works for one hotel or location doesn’t necessarily work for another. Lack of knowledge at the individual hotels is also a potential stumbling block. As for ESG reporting, the traditional checklist approach often stifles or confuses the local hotel teams, with the risk of local efforts grinding to a halt.
In my experience, certain aspects are crucial for an umbrella ESG strategy to succeed and thrive in a diverse, global hotel portfolio. First, rather than imposing corporate control, the focus should be on building an internal culture which is self-driven by passion and knowledge. Second, it has to have a realistic approach to local efforts, allowing ESG efforts to evolve organically. Finally, I have seen great results with replacing structured reporting with shared experiences and storytelling.
HYB 2024 Hospitality ESG Edition
The global hospitality sector is at a crossroad when it comes to implementing sustainability. Consumers demand trustworthy information while regulators and investors expect transparent disclosure on sustainability performance. Owners, brands and managers aim to mitigate the sector’s footprint thus reaping the financial and reputational benefits. Industry players that fail to adopt a sustainability strategy or fall short in the implementation stage may struggle to remain competitive in the long term. Industry experts and researchers identify key areas where sustainable innovation can have the greatest impact, developing new technologies and solutions to address sustainability challenges, and creating policies and incentives that encourage the adoption of sustainable practices. The HYB 2024 Hospitality ESG Edition aims to unlock the sustainability innovation stack by highlighting the range and interconnectedness of sustainable technologies, systems, and practices that can be combined in a holistic way that creates a more sustainable hospitality ecosystem.