At ITC Hotels, sustainability is a way of life. It was more than a decade ago that the company coined the term ‘Responsible Luxury’, to define its commitment to environmentally friendly policies and practices across all its properties.
All its hotels and services are designed around this concept, and it is a matter of pride for the organization that ITC Gardenia Bengaluru was certified as Asia’s first LEED platinum hotel.
Elaborating on the ethos of ‘Responsible Luxury’, Amaan Kidwai, General Manager of ITC Gardenia Bengaluru stated that it is a philosophy that aims to deliver superlative experiences to guests while adhering to conscientious practices that is in harmony with the environment. All this is done without compromising on guest experience. “Our guests are discerning, who have travelled the world and expect us to follow certain initiatives in our hotels that are environment friendly and leave minimal carbon footprint,” he added.
ITC Gardenia Bengaluru has undertaken several initiatives to ensure this. For starters, its has a naturally ventilated lobby. It sources it electricity through wind farms. “This reduces our fossil fuel intake, which pays off in the long turn by bringing down our electricity costs drastically,” Kidwai added.
Similarly, water at the property is recycled through a STP, which is later used for its cooling towers, flushing needs and for horticulture. This minimizes its requirement for fresh water and reduces the water bills.
Kidwai said that guests visiting the property, especially corporate clients and business travellers, appreciate these steps. Corporate clientele are keen to be associated with and prefer empanelling hospitality brands that follow sustainable practices. “Going ahead, sustainability will gain even more importance. Our discerning guests will expect hotels to take care of the environment and at the same time, they will want to contribute to this effort,” he added.
Brands, like ITC Hotels, which are strong proponents of green practices and have invested in walking the talk are better poised to reap the benefits of this evolved customer expectations, not just now, but for years to come.