Sustainability at Hersha Hospitality. Starting on separate paths, they eventually came together as “sustainability allies,” each determined to transform the hospitality industry through environmental stewardship.
SUSTAINABLE HOSPITALITY
Led by Thomas, who joined Hersha Hospitality in 2007, the EarthView program has bolstered sustainability conscientiousness across
and all conservation of Hersha Hospitality’s practices independent
lifestyle, luxury and upscale hotels, which are located in major markets, including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Miami, Los Angeles and San Diego. EarthView’s cross-functional team works within the open-forum program to cultivate new concepts for sustainable hospitality.
This initiative is quickly becoming the gold standard for sus- tainable hospitality practices in the industry, says Thomas. “We know our guests care about the environment and want to do their part to help,” he adds. “And EarthView provides a way for guests to make a tangible difference. EarthView enhances guests’ experiences by delivering environmental and conservation programs that improve the well-being of guests, employees, communities and the planet.”
“Focusing on sustainability not only aligns with our com- pany’s core values, but it is also a strategic move. Sustain- ability and financial success are not mutually exclusive– you can run a profitable business and be environmentally conscious at the same time. EarthView is proving to be a win-win for all of our stakeholders, including guests, employees and shareholders,” says Thomas.
Campbell and Thomas joined forces in 2013 when the Courtyard by Marriott San Diego joined the Hersha Hospitality portfolio. “It has been a great experience working with Dave and seeing his leadership not only at the Courtyard by Marriott San Diego but also his influence at additional properties in our West Coast region. I often reference Dave and his San Diego team as the prime model of sustainable operations on our properties.”
EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS
“Without corporate sponsorship and backing, EarthView and our sustainability measures would have been hard to
Bennett Thomas, Senior Vice President of Finance and Sustainability at Hersha Hospitality Trust.
achieve,” says Campbell. “But we did it. We proved that our industry could be sustainable; we’re making a difference.”
Campbell, a Coleman University graduate and U.S. Army veteran (he was a helicopter crew chief/door gunner), is a certified LEED Green Associate who holds Level II Building Operator Certification from the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council. For years, he’s spent much of his time thinking outside of the box to solve one of the industry’s biggest challenges: sustainability.
Due to his five-year plan to meet a set of aggressive sus- tainability goals at the historic Courtyard by Marriott San Diego—built in 1928 and previously home to the San Diego Trust and Savings Bank building before it was converted to a hotel in 1999—the iconic landmark now serves as a note- worthy example of adaptive reuse done right. In June 2016, Campbell won a prestigious EBie Award from the Urban Green Council for this effort; he has also overseen several additional retrofit projects throughout San Diego.
The key to changing the sustainability of any industry, Campbell says, is to have a goal, work as a team, and be consistent. His advocacy of sustainability in the hospitality industry really came to fruition in 2011, when the Environmen- tal Protection Agency (EPA) started its Battle of the Buildings program, which allows organizations across the country to compete to reduce energy and water use over the competi-
POWERED BY THE BLUE BOOK NETWORK - SAN DIEGO & IMPERIAL COUNTY / FALL 2016
9
COURTESY OF HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST
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