Sustainable Hospitality and Why It Matters

“The hotel industry must reduce its carbon emissions by 66% by 2030 and 90% by 2050.” This was the finding of a study commissioned by the International Tourism Partnership in 2017.

The study highlights the urgent need for the hotel industry to drastically reduce carbon emissions in order to align with science-based targets to keep global heating below the 2 ̊C threshold and avoid run-away climate change.

Historically, the hospitality sector has had a substantial environmental footprint not only through its energy and carbon impact but also through water consumption, as well as the use of consumable and durable goods and hazardous waste creation.

According to Dana Communications “Hotels consume energy for HVAC operations, lighting, fuel and other power needs. Water is used for bathrooms, F&B [food and beverage], and laundry, as well as other general operations (irrigation, cleaning and maintenance). Waste is generated by the disposal of paper, batteries, bulbs, furniture, equipment, appliances and more.”

As such, there is an evident and increasingly urgent need for sustainable hospitality practices.

What is Sustainable Hospitality?

According to André Harms, sustainability consultant, founder of Ecolution Consulting and recent SUMAS guest lecturer: “Sustainable hospitality means rethinking hospitality as a sustainable practice. It means that every aspect of the hospitality industry is considered through the lens of sustainability. From design to construction/refurbishment to operation both internally in terms of consumption and behavior as well as externally in terms of procurement communications and commitments, etc.”

Harms were the lead sustainability consultant for one of the greenest hotels in the world: Hotel Verde based in Cape Town, South Africa. The hotel is the first hotel in the world to have been certified by the United States Green Building Council with a Double LEED platinum certification for both design + construction and operation.

“Hotel Verde has a vast array of passive, technical and operational interventions which make it more sustainable,” says Harms. These include:

• Energy efficient design
• 220 Solar panels
• 3 vertical axis wind turbines
• A highly efficient HVAC coupled to a geothermal loop system which draws energy from the ground
• Regenerative drive elevators and
• Grey water recycling system
• Low-flow tap fittings and showerheads
• Waterwise landscaping and drip irrigation
• An operational materials management plan (for more sustainable procurement and waste reduction) coupled to strict waste separation and upcycling, donation, composting and recycling practices. The hotel diverts over  5% of waste from landfill on average
• Sustainability interwoven into all hotel standard operating practices/procedures
• Biodiversity management and eco pool
• Employee engagement programmes
• A carbon neutral hotel experience to guests by offsetting the remaining impact on behalf of the guest.

“Hotel Verde really is a prime example of what can be achieved when it comes to Sustainable Hospitality” says Harms, who lectured as part of the SUMAS Sustainable Hospitality Management programs. “As the need for more urgent sustainable action becomes increasingly prevalent, it is my hope that the best practices that have been achieved with Hotel Verde will soon become standard practice for hotels all around the world.”

Sustainable Hospitality at SUMAS

If you are interested in a career in sustainable hospitality, SUMAS offers a variety of programmes. Browse the programmes below or contact us today for more information.

• BBA in Sustainable Hospitality Management
• MBA in Sustainable Hospitality
• MAM in Sustainable Hospitality

Why The World Needs Sustainability Reporting

Corporate legacy has created much of the climate issues we are facing today. For far too long, companies have been able to operate without levels of accountability. This has brought about the devastating social and environmental damages we are seeing more than ever before.

It is now more necessary than ever for corporations to be held accountable for more than mere financial performance. Consumers are increasingly no longer interested in supporting companies that are only out for their own profit margins.

Companies are also already coming up against regulatory changes, externality taxes and higher demands on corporate responsibility and transparency. As such stakeholders and investors are looking for the same level of sustainable alignment.

Why is sustainability reporting important?

●     It helps to track environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance which gives businesses a better understanding of where they need to improve

●     It promotes transparency and accountability with customer bases and stakeholders, which can also assist in building trust in the brand in question

●     It opens doorways for optimization in sustainable development, in turn changing companies and businesses into tools to positively impact our world

●     It communicates to stakeholders and investors that a corporation has intentions for long term sustainable progress

●     It ensures that the environmental, social and governance (ESG) gains are strengthened and intentionally pursued

●     It incentivises better practices by rewarding the companies that are performing strongly on corporate sustainability inclusion

●     By making sustainability a priority, companies can actually avert potential financial risk. According to the World Economic Forum Global Risks Report released in 2018, almost half of all significant business risks are environmental.

 As a society we cannot improve, prevent and successfully manage that which we do not completely understand. Just like a neighborhood can’t accurately curb and assist with crime prevention if the crimes aren’t reported, so too businesses can not improve themselves if they don’t attempt participation in the conversation towards sustainable transparency.

Companies that wish to make a genuine impact and experience a truer definition of value contribution need to utilize the various sustainability reporting frameworks currently available to their advantage.

Understanding the different frameworks

According to Greenbiz, a media and events company that advances the opportunities at the intersection of business, technology and sustainability, there are five main reporting frameworks to consider:

●     CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project)

●     DJSI (Dow Jones Sustainability indexes

●     GRI (Global reporting initiative)

●     GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark)

●     SASB (Sustainability Accounting Standards Board)

Greenbiz also put together this useful graphic on the comparisons between these different frameworks.

Still, in order for a business to provide the most efficient feedback, they need to focus on giving material clarity on aspects relevant to them.

For this the Reporting Exchange is a valuable tool.

The Reporting Exchange is a global knowledge platform and resource for corporate sustainability reporting. It was established by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in conjunction with the Climate Disclosure Standards Board and Ecodesk.

Its primary goal is to bring “coherence and clarity to the global reporting landscape” in what is still currently an emerging and multi-faceted field of complex requirements.

It levels the playing field by:

• introducing common language and definitions
• identifies relationships between requirements and reporting resources
• highlights what is relevant to the specific business model

By understanding that the many frameworks available aren’t mutually exclusive but rather support each other, companies who focus on the reporting frameworks that offer material clarity to their unique operations will provide the most valuable picture of transparency.

The clearer businesses are able to communicate their sustainability impact in formats relevant to their interested parties the sooner they will be able to meet business objectives and grow as truly sustainable companies, and the sooner the collective landscape can benefit, learn and share on the exchange of experience and amassed knowledge.

Interview with Miruna Manole, a SUMAS graduate in Sustainable Luxury

The sectors of luxury fashion and hospitality can wield massive influence over their customers, who in many cases can be fairly influential in their own capacities. How-ever both these industries rank high as significant contributors to unsustainable environmental practices.

Integrating responsible leadership in the sectors of fashion and luxury is crucial to a world where the use of luxury brands doesn’t come at the cost of our environment. SUMAS graduate programs in Sustainable Fashion Management and Sustainable Hospitality Management, offer cutting-edge curriculums aimed at doing just that:

• MBA in Sustainable Fashion Management
• MBA in Sustainable Hospitality Management
• MAM in Sustainable Fashion Management
• MAM in Sustainable Hospitality Management

Miruna Manole is an MA in Sustainable Luxury Management graduate from SUMAS currently working as a Non-Financial Analyst at The CSR Agency (Bucharest, Romania)

She’s also achieved a First Class Degree with Honours in BA Fashion Management & Marketing from the University for the Creative Arts, UK.

Here, she shares what motivates her towards positive change, her views on youth lead climate action and how to navigate things when it feels overwhelming.

Give us a little background on how or why you chose to pursue the MAM in Sustainable Luxury and what that is for people who aren't familiar with the field?

While working on my final major project for my bachelor, I did a lot of research and learned that the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. Given the state of the planet, I realised that I could not create a business plan that would have a negative impact on the environment, hence I decided to focus on creating a sustainable business.

This is how I discovered it was a passion of mine, while the real need for this subject was confirmed by me winning the New Business Award at Graduate Fashion Week, in London.

I decided to further my knowledge on the subject and pursue the MAM in Sustainable Luxury at SUMAS.

As one of my professors at SUMAS put it, sustainable luxury is luxury that blends ethics and aesthetics.

Therefore, it is represented by beautiful, high-quality products that are created without compromising the health of the people and environment which contribute to their creation.

Can you tell us a little bit about where you're currently working and how sustainable luxury plays a role?

I currently have the role of Non-Financial Analyst at The CSR Agency, a consultancy company that focuses on sustainability. I work in sustainability reporting, so while the role is not strictly related to sustainable luxury, the courses I undertook while studying at SUMAS prepared me for the job, especially ‘Responsible Management’, where I learned about CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and CSR reporting.

You wouldn't have chosen this field if you didn't have hope for a positive long term outcome to the environmental crisis. Can you speak to what it is that gives you motivation and belief in change?

There is a quote by Barack Obama that really spoke to me when I first read it: “We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it.” The situation regarding climate change is serious and we have already started seeing the effects. It’s so serious in fact, that it has been suggested to use the term ‘climate emergency’.

However, scientists are telling us we still have time to act in order to make sure the future generations can enjoy good, healthy lives. I do have hope for a positive long term outcome, because we can already see people changing habits, companies responding to increasing pressure from consumers and governments coming together and collaborating for this cause.

My motivation is earth. We live on a beautiful planet and I hope we get to enjoy it for as long as possible.

What are your thoughts on the youth taking leadership on Climate Action?

I admire my peers and the younger generations for their determination. The youth is going to be most affected by the effects of the climate emergency, so I completely understand their anger, when they see the older generations not acting up fast enough and, in a way, stealing their chances of a good future life.

Were you involved in the initial or any following #ClimateStrikes and if so to what degree?

I have been following Greta Thunberg since the beginning of Fridays for Future and have attended the Climate Strike whenever possible, while I was living in Geneva. The turnout was impressive and we can already see that these actions are bringing positive results, including raising awareness.

What outcomes were you hoping for, specific immediate ones as well as ongoing ones?

The first result is raising awareness, which we still need to continue doing. Others include creating policies aiding the move to a more sustainable version of our society, regulating some of the largely used products and encouraging the shift towards alternatives, which can only happen with the support of the authorities.

Do you believe that youth-lead strikes are the most powerful way to motivate authorities to take notice on this issue?

Considering that Greta Thunberg started these strikes alone and is now giving speeches at important events regarding the issue, which comes as a result of millions of people joining her movement, we cannot deny that they are a powerful way to motivate authorities. In the end, authorities are there in the interest of their people and when they forget that, it is no surprise that people feel the need to remind them of this.

What is your take away advice to anyone who feels the climate crisis is an insurmountable issue?

My advice is to start small through individual positive changes. I believe this will inspire people, which in the end will put more pressure on authorities and companies. I also suggest reading positive news regarding the issue, which is increasingly present worldwide.

In the end, if we all try to lead better lives, no matter if the issue is indeed insurmountable, we can be satisfied that we have lead our lives being kind to each other and our home.

And I believe that is quite an important feeling to have.

If you are interested in studying in the area of sustainable tourism or sustainable fashion, take a look at some of our available courses and degrees.