Sustainability is a growing problem in the hotel industry. The hospitality sector alone produces 1% of total global carbon emissions each year, with hotels consuming eight times more resources, like water, than their surrounding local communities.
What’s holding hotels back from doing more than basic eco-friendly gestures, like reusing towels or reducing plastic, and embracing sustainable hospitality by adopting a green culture into their business? This article takes inspiration from a recent publication by Dr. Laura Zizka et al. that delves into current hotel green challenges.
As climate change concerns increase, growing consumer demand for sustainability from brands has grown to help drive more positive changes. As the hospitality industry has a significant impact on the environment due to high resource usage, energy consumption, and waste production, consumers are becoming more interested in hotels that are making an effort to adopt eco-friendly practices.
The hospitality industry is stepping up by finding clever ways to shrink its environmental footprint. As hotel owners and guests recognize the importance of sustainability in the industry, they are taking advantage of innovative technology, products, and processes to provide visitors with an awesome stay while reducing environmental impact. Let's check out why sustainability matters for hotels and some cool new ideas that are shaking things up in the industry.
As sustainability becomes a pressing concern for business leaders, companies strive to optimize their environmental protection resources. With spatial design technology, 3D digital twins, and virtual tour software, stakeholders can visualize and plan events collaboratively, remotely, and digitally – paving the way for greener future events. So, what do these benefits look like broken down?
There's a common misconception that the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) are interchangeable or always need to be discussed together. While both regulations aim to enhance transparency and sustainability in business practices, they serve distinct purposes and target different audiences. The CSRD focuses on corporate sustainability reporting, applying to a broad range of companies across sectors. On the other hand, the SFDR is specific to financial market participants and advisers (Figure 1), ensuring transparency in how sustainability risks are considered in financial products. Although they complement each other in the EU’s broader sustainability agenda, their scopes and requirements do not inherently overlap, and one does not automatically necessitate mention of the other. There is never enough myth-busting. Therefore, in this article, I will explain what you need to know about the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).
As the hospitality sector particularly in Europe seeks to enhance its social impact and reach the SDGs, there are valuable lessons to be learned from the gastronomic industry worldwide. Particularly, hotels can develop innovative business models that benefit their operations and contribute positively to their communities by working on product sourcing, collaborations, and measuring impact.
The theme for the Future Hospitality Summit - FHS World 2024, taking place from 30 September -2 October at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai is ‘Invest in Our Future’. The conference programme will comprise numerous content tracks under the main theme including Investment & Development;, Destination & Urban Development; People, Planet, Profit; Tech & Innovation; and Real Estate Hotelisation. In the lead up to the event we asked several industry partners about how they’re investing in the future in 2024 and beyond.
The gastronomic industry is undergoing a revolution, as entrepreneurs redefine how food businesses operate by intertwining culinary art with social impact. Instead of merely serving delicious meals, pioneers like The Melting Pot Foundation, Thought for Food, and Comida para Todos have transformed restaurants and food systems into platforms for community empowerment, social responsibility, and innovation. We had the pleasure to host the entrepreneurs behind these ventures for a panel discussion at EHL Hospitality Business School and they demonstrated that food businesses can be more than profit-driven; they can become vehicles for meaningful change.
Creating a robust budget is essential for any company's planning and operations. Yet, many hospitality organisations need to leverage all their resources and expertise. Often, they exclude procurement, a crucial player in managing expenditures, from the budgeting process.
Drawing on four years of first-hand observations and collaborative efforts with Chefs and kitchen teams at over 40 global properties, along with my experience as an auditor for various certification bodies, I aim to clarify some practices that may help or impede the management of food waste within hotels and restaurants.
Sustainable consumer behavior in hospitality encompasses actions that help preserve the environment, such as green purchasing, recycling and conserving natural resources. In the tourism context, this includes actions such as buying local products, saving water, reusing towels, conserving energy and reducing food waste. However, these behaviors and their motivations can vary significantly among different consumer groups. This makes it very difficult for hospitality actors to create sustainable offers – as what “sustainable” means varies between tourists and whether they will buy it or pay more for it is another under-researched question.
I cannot be alone. I am sure we have all looked at those waste receptacles/rubbish bins with questioning eyes and asked ourselves, what goes where? Although you will often be given a list of appropriate items, there is no way to include every possible allowable item. If you are like me, what you have in your hand is a plate or container of mixed items requiring multiple bins, further complicating the problem.
The theme for the Future Hospitality Summit - FHS World 2024, taking place from 30 September - 02 October at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai is ‘Invest in Our Future’. The conference programme will comprise numerous content tracks under the main theme including Investment & Developmen;, Destination & Urban Development; People, Planet, Profit; Tech & Innovation; and Real Estate Hotelisation. In the lead up to the event we asked several industry partners about how they’re investing in the future in 2024 and beyond.
The theme for the Future Hospitality Summit - FHS World 2024, taking place from 30 September -2 October at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai is ‘Invest in Our Future’. The conference programme will comprise numerous content tracks under the main theme including Investment & Developmen;, Destination & Urban Development; People, Planet, Profit; Tech & Innovation; and Real Estate Hotelisation. In the lead up to the event we asked several industry partners about how they’re investing in the future in 2024 and beyond.
In this interview, we speak with Emilia Konert, the co-founder and CEO of Cultifutura, a pioneer in vertical farming technology. Recently, Cultifutura's innovative solutions were implemented at the 1893 restaurant of EHL Hospitality Business School, marking a significant step towards sustainable local food supply. Emilia shares the story behind Cultifutura, discussing its origins, the challenges faced, and the opportunities realized. She also highlights the benefits of this technology for the EHL community, including fresh, locally-grown produce and hands-on education in sustainability. Join us as we listen to Emilia's vision for the future of urban farming and its impact on hospitality and sustainability.
Over the past few years, sustainability in the hospitality industry has become a crucial factor used not only for conserving the natural environment but strategically for improving financial performance. Hotels have realized the many benefits of sustainable operations and are extensively adopting technologies that lead in that direction. While sustainability initiatives may incur initial costs, the long-term benefits of cost savings, brand reputation, and attracting eco-conscious consumers make them highly worthwhile hotel investments. This article focuses on the economic benefits that come with the adoption of sustainable practices in the hotel industry.
In 2023, the World Tourism Organization spotlighted an impressive trend: a significant 73% of global travelers now prefer hotels that adopt sustainable practices. This shift is driving hotels to incorporate green technology extensively in their operations. According to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, by 2025, green technology will distinguish industry leaders in the hospitality sector.
During the second annual Sustainable Investing Forum, EHL Hospitality Business School hosted industry players to discuss the state of sustainable finance. A wide range of topics was addressed, and salient discussions centered on the reality of incorporating economic, social and governance (ESG) criteria into investment decisions. Industry players, including pension fund managers, academics and doctoral students, elucidated current issues surrounding ESG investing.
As academics specializing in the travel, tourism and hospitality (TTH) industry, we have trained and advised dozens of companies in their journey towards sustainable businesses. There is so much more to sustainable travel & tourism than the generic statements you see on brand websites - which are invarably an attempt to greenwash.