Hotel Analyst Sustainable
agenda Hotel groups are pushing sustainability up the corporate agenda, as a trio of recent initiatives illustrate.
Marriott’s second annual report puts their progress on record, while Rezidor has announced ambitious plans under its Think Planet! campaign. And in the UK, IHG is working on plans to create a sustainable legacy off the back of its sponsorship of the London Olympics. Marriott focuses on a wide range of human interest angles in its report, from empowering more people through employment opportunities, to fighting human trafficking and protecting fresh water supplies in China. The company has improved the transparency of its reporting of resource usage at its hotels, and reports a 12% reduction in water use and 4% cut in energy consumption since 2007. Marriott places great emphasis on employment as a sustainable way to reduce poverty and help the disadvantaged into work. It is working through a number of initiatives internationally to reduce youth unemployment and help skill the disabled to enable them into work. The company expects its hotels to hire 100,000 people over the next two years, of which two thirds will be outside the US. “Creating
a sustainable
future includes preserving the environment, but it also means creating more jobs and stronger communities,” said Mari Snyder, vice president of social responsibility. “These programmes are equipping disadvantaged
www.hotelanalyst.co.uk
youth with employable skills that can hopefully prepare them for jobs with Marriott.” Chief executive Arne Sorenson described the Marriott mission as being “to provide the opportunity for rewarding travel experiences for our guests, the opportunity for personal and professional growth for our associates, and the opportunity for a better and more sustainable future in the communities where we live and work.” Rezidor, in contrast – and perhaps unsurprisingly as a Scandiavian company - puts saving resources higher up the agenda. The company has set its hotels tough targets including a 25% reduction in energy use, under its Think Planet! campaign. The aim is to hit the target by 2016 in all hotels across EMEA, across a number of metrics. “Think Planet reinforces Rezidor’s position as one of the industry leaders in terms of sustainability,” said Inge Huijbrechts, director responsible business at Rezidor. “Many of our hotels have already introduced progressive, environmentally friendly measures – now we are spreading these initiatives into all our properties and focus on key energy-saving investments that will have the biggest impact.” Such moves aren’t just altruistic, as they benefit the bottom line, too, noted chief operating officer Wolfgang Neumann. “We are currently faced with significantly rising energy costs in many countries, along with government carbon taxation. Moving forward, reducing our energy consumption will also contribute to maximizing our profits.” The Rezidor starts with simple operational habits, such as encouraging staff to switch off lights, turn down air handling
132 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2012
WWW.SLEEPERMAGAZINE.COM
systems and ensure prompt maintenance. The company also looks at any new equipment upgrades in air conditioning, refrigeration and building operations that deliver a financial return within seven years. Think Planet! is the latest element of Rezidor’s Responsible Business Programme which consists of three themes: the health and safety of guests and employees, respect for social and ethical issues within the company, and a reduced environmental footprint. At IHG, the company is looking to leverage legacy off the back of its considerable investment in the London Olympics. IHG has launched a Corporate Responsibility Innovation Fund, to identify and support partners “innovating environmental and societal solutions that might positively impact the hotel industry”. A number of “Calls for Collaboration” are planned, and the first of these is looking for a partner that can come up with bright ideas to extend InterContinental’s
Olympic
legacy. A GBP12,000 grant has been made available, along with IHG staff support, to be provided to the best idea chosen from those submitted by a mid October deadline. “The perceived tension between tourism and sustainability creates a space for innovation,” said David Jerome, senior VP of corporate responsibility. “Corporate responsibility is at the core of our business strategy. It is about how we do business and create value for the company as well as for society. This Innovation Fund clearly demonstrates IHG’s commitment.”
HA Perspective: Sceptics of the whole corporate social
responsibility agenda predicted that the recession would see companies abandoning sustainability initiatives and focusing instead on redeploying resources on profit. While the flakier elements of CSR have indeed been cast aside, a more meaningful interpretation of sustainability is gaining hold. Hotel companies realise that sustainability is not just about a bit of feel-good marketing but is an integral part of maintaining profitability. The issue has much further to run.
Motel One pushes into
the UK German designer economy hotel group Motel One is unleashing its brand on the UK market, as it continues to drive aggressive growth in its home market.
The company is shortly to open its first UK hotel in Edinburgh, and has a pipeline of five further sites already under way, with plans to add plenty more. The growth – and apparent
success with customers – comes from a unique approach to both the brand and the business that flies in the face of highly standardised, asset light brands from the major hotel groups. The company, promising high
design at a price point not much above budget chains, sets itself apart by designing every hotel lobby uniquely, often with local references: in Edinburgh, the corporate turquoise has even been worked into a tartan design. Constants are key classic furnishings which feature in
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204