The hospitality industry’s role in tackling global warming: The hospitality industry has historically had a dramatic impact on the environment through energy and water consumption, and use of consumable goods. However, in the current era, ‘sustainability’ has evolved from a buzzword to a critical business priority. The hospitality sector now faces the challenge of meeting the rising expectations of discerning customers and conscientious stakeholders. Sustainable practices help hospitality organizations stand out. Today’s travellers, restaurant patrons, hotel bookers, and shoppers prioritize sustainability, seeking assurance that the companies they support follow environmentally, socially, and culturally responsible practices. Building on this premise, sustainability is an intelligent business strategy that also provides hoteliers with several advantages, including reduced costs, operational performance, stimulation of innovative practices in the organization, as well as in the industry, improvement of brand image and reputation, competitive advantage on long-term, supply chain optimization and increased employee engagement.
Marriott’s environmental sustainability goals: Marriott International’s extensive portfolio of 150 hotels in India and 162 across South Asia (comprising Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka) is committed to reducing its carbon footprint as part of the company’s 2025 sustainability goals. To enhance transparency, guests can now see a stronger emphasis on sustainability efforts such as solid waste and food waste management, as well as natural capital restoration. The company’s sustainability and social impact platform, ‘Serve 360: Doing Good In Every Direction,’ underscores Marriott’s commitment to addressing the world’s most pressing social, environmental, and economic challenges. This platform not only delivers value to associates, customers, owners, environment, and communities but also builds on Marriott’s long history of integrating sustainability into its business strategy, operations, and value chain. From the core value of ‘Serve Our World’ to the first-generation environmental impact reduction goals and the latest waste reduction initiatives, we are dedicated to promoting sustainable development in the communities we operate.
Environmental certifications, and the roadmap towards getting there: As hoteliers grow more eco-conscious, environmental certifications showcase their dedication to sustainability, enhancing both guest experience and brand reputation. Green-certified hotels actively reduce their carbon footprints through recycling, composting, responsible sourcing, and waste management. Energy-efficient practices lower utility bills and operational expenses, while eco-friendly accommodations tend to command higher rates, giving brands a clear competitive edge over competition. We are working at securing ISO 14001:2015 certification and driving our sustainability goals for 2024 to align and support this objective. Some of the key initiatives include: Energy reduction; water reduction and conservation; energy audits; sustainability certification; responsible sourcing; waste reporting in MESH (internal online platform).
