S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y WHAT ’ S HOT
A
S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y WHAT ’ S HOT
SENSE of
URGENCY
Getty Images
Last fall , the U . N .
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report saying that the world had about 10 years to reverse course on carbon emissions and keep global warming at moderate levels without the planet suffering irrevocable harm . Many hotels have their own plans — some encompassing the same 10 years — to cut emissions , plastics and other waste , and to increase the use of sustainable energy and food sources .
How can hotels convey to guests that they have a greater sense of urgency around sustainable issues beyond a tent card in the bathroom asking them to reuse their towels — especially when that tent card sometimes sits next to a couple of plastic water bottles ?
“ I wouldn ’ t say that long-term plans don ’ t work ,” says Murray Aitken , a vocal advocate of sustainability issues at the two Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas ’ hotels in Singapore where he is GM . “ What I would say is , instead of reporting what you ’ re going to do , report what you have done . I think that ’ s far more credible ... We don ’ t do 10-year forecasted budgets because tomorrow that changes . What we can do is make a short list of things and say , ‘ This is what we ’ re tackling over the next couple years , and this is where we want to be in 10 years ’ time .”
It ’ s not that hotels haven ’ t been
improving on sustainability — but “ it ’ s been sitting on the side like a silo , and in enough places , it hasn ’ t been integrated into the business . Having worked with hotels over a few years , I see that it is a process that actually takes a couple of years for the whole company to embrace at every level ,” says Xenia zu Hohenlohe , partner at Considerate Group of London , which works with hospitality companies on sustainability issues . “ Historically hotels have been shy about communicating what they have been doing for fear of greenwashing ,” she adds . “ How do you communicate something like that and make it fun and interesting and engaging ? I think the narrative is already changing .”
Urgency doesn ’ t equal panic . “ Our efforts are really focused around integration into the guest experience , rather than disruption — we want to create the association that sustainability efforts are a ‘ normal ’ part of our business , without anything detracting from the hospitality and comfort our guests experience when they stay with
“ INSTEAD OF REPORTING WHAT YOU ’ RE GOING TO DO , REPORT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE .”
MURRAY AITKEN , SIX SENSES us ,” says Colleen Keating , chief operating officer , Americas , at IHG .
Some guests are interested in the details — and more are making booking decisions based on the hotel ’ s green profile . “ They actually come and ask ,” Aitken says . “ What we need to do is train as many people as we can who are guest-facing , who have the top 10 or 20 things , the basics of what we ’ re doing , so that they can talk to the guests and then the guests understand why we ’ re doing it .”
It also means engaging others who spread the message . Aitken was dismayed when a small local supplier delivered food to his properties , the Maxwell and the Duxton , in Styrofoam coolers , so he bought reusable ones that could be exchanged with each delivery . The supplier wound up doing the same with other clients , saving money and waste in the process .
It ’ s an ongoing process , Hohenlohe says . “ Sustainability is about innovation . And it ’ s about finding new solutions . It ’ s got to be a fun process , and I think the problem is that the narrative was dominated by the science , which is scary . We need to ... say , yes , it is scary , but equally we can find great new solutions , and we are prepared to do this , and let ’ s do it together and let ’ s make it fun . This is what finds the biggest resonance with people . Keep the urgency but take the fear factor out .”— B . B .
June 2019 hotelsmag . com 57