Green Human Resource Management in Hotels - the winning way forward!

We are further exploring the importance of implementing strategic Green Human Resource management in hotels.

Introduction

What is strategy? How can GHRM be successful in the hospitality sector?

Professor Roger Martin explains the word 'strategy' as a 'noun,' defined as "an integrative set of choices that positions you on a playing field of your choice in a way that you win." (HarvardBusinessReview, 2023)

 

Think Green (Source: Yadav, 2023)

When choosing to implement Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) strategically for hotels, it is essential to consider the following factors to implement it correctly.

1. Firstly, to implement GHRM successfully and strategically in a hotel, where would the property be located, and what would be the style?

Research shows that GHRM goes hand in hand with a Green Hotel concept, where employer brand standards have green policies and environmental initiatives clearly defined in the company's vision and mission statement. For instance, if a Green Hotel is established in the city, the building would need to comprise green infrastructure. However, if the Green Hotel is built in the countryside, the hotel can develop within its natural surroundings and try to preserve its habitat by going green.

Green Human Resources (Source: Pardo, 2024)

2.     How can Green Human Resource Management help the hotel become the best lodging option and the leader in its market?

In the past decade, we have seen that the role of human resources has changed and evolved on a broader spectrum. With the advancement of technology and growth in social media, every employee becomes a brand ambassador of their company when their experiences are shared with an interested online audience, who share with their audiences. Therefore, initial recruitment doesn't start with a job application but with a search online to see how viable the company is and a calculated read of the Human Resources Management's LinkedIn profiles. Hence, HR becomes a direct brand builder and marketer in recruitment, and going 'Green' in its governance makes HR a game changer.

 The popularity of hotels thrives on positive guest experiences, strong hotel branding, and a great hotel narrative. What better strategy can exist for a hotel than caring for its stakeholders, employees, environment, and guests in an initiative to go green through a strong CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy?

 

3.      Capabilities that a hotel begets through Green Human Resource Management.

 

GHRM can be evaluated effectively through these subcategories:

 

Employees — with socially and environmentally skilled employees, GHRM can successfully be implemented. Research conducted by Farrukh et al. (2024) discusses the importance of fostering employees' pro-environmental behavior through green transformational leadership, green HRM, and rigorous training in environmental knowledge and sustainability

 

Marketing systems—With greenwashing taking place in many organizations, where companies claim to be sustainably green while they're not, it is crucial for the GHRM team to step up and work with a hotel's marketing team to showcase the company's green movements positively and correctly.

 

GCSR – Green Corporate, Social Responsibility. Case studies done by Freitas et al. (2020) on some Brazilian firms to see the response of GHRM on CSR have gathered evidence through quantitative approaches of a survey that GHRM practices positively influence CSR practices to be pro-environmental. This evidence was gathered through "practices of performance evaluation, teamwork, and recruitment," demonstrating that GHRM positively influences the pro-environmental psychological climate and pro-environmental behavior to evolve CSR into GCSR.

 

Leadership and management – to counter negative environmental issues, it is seen that ethical leadership within the top tier of hotel management is needed to implement GHRM; when EL (Ethical Leadership) is combined with GHRM, a case study done in Pakistan showed that there was a positive impact on Environmental Performance (EP). Further "findings revealed that employee's environmental knowledge can magnify the indirect impact of ethical leadership via GHRM on green behavior." (Ahmad et al., 2021)

 

Organizational behavior and culture in GHRM – GHRM practices can influence a hotel's BCBs (brand citizenship behavior) through organizational behavior and culture. "A survey was conducted with 328 employees from the five-star hotel were analyzed," and it was seen that "individual green values were found to moderate the relationship between GHRM practices and BCB, indicating that employees with stronger green values are more likely to exhibit BCB."' (Ibrahim et al., 2023)

 

The environmental objectives of GHRM could manifest in many ways that align with the hotel's vision and mission statements. However, GHRM is not just about adopting eco-friendly practices but also about empowering its workforce through a green mindset. With a sustainability focus at the forefront of its operation, GHRM has to hire talented staff who align strongly with the company's sustainable objectives through a comprehensive job analysis and description. Companies like "Dupont in India have linked compensation packages, salary, and bonuses to its middle managers and senior executives if they adhere effectively to environmental stewardship practices." (Chandra, 2023)

 

Lightning striking a tree (Source: AdobeStock, n.d)

4.      Barriers in organizations and the hotel industry in applying GHRM.

 

Lack of awareness and knowledge of green practices. Many hotels and companies, especially in developing countries, need to understand more about the benefits of implementing GHRM. A lack of knowledge of green practices can result in a lack of interest in executing GHRM.

Resistant to change: Many establishments are hesitant to abandon traditional HR practices and reluctant to adopt new and innovative practices because they fear the unknown, lack the time to implement them, or are conservative in their beliefs.

Financial or resource constraints: Some of the machinery and technology that assist in GHRM are expensive, and organizations may be hesitant to invest in them, especially if they do not see short-term benefits. This is true for smaller hotels, where there aren't enough financial or other resources to encourage them to invest in green practices.

No governmental support: In some countries, hotels and organizations rely on their governments to regulate and offer incentives encouraging environmentally sustainable practices. Without any support, hotels do not see a value in adopting GHRM.

Employee engagement—GHRM needs to be implemented by employees who welcome its changes and sustainable practices. If, however, employees resist GHRM and do not bother to make an impact with their actions, then GHRM will fail.

Further research in GHRM is required- Although the roots of Green Human Resource Management came to the surface in the mid-90s, the concept of Green Human Resource Management, which we know today didn't develop until 2008. It became prominent at the beginning of 2016. (Susanto et al, 2022)

 

Resourceful GHRM (Source: Everypixel, n.d)

Conclusion

Change is inevitable, and change for the better is much needed, primarily when Green Human Resources focuses on the betterment of the organization and its natural environment at hand. Despite the challenges GHRM is facing, the challenges can be overcome in many aspects as communication of these new concepts is vital to creating awareness amongst its stakeholders, employees, and guests.

With the support of the UN, (its second forum for a sustainable future is to be held on 12^th September 2024), it is possible for countries and their governments to focus on sustainability and the green movement at a more prominent scale.

 Many hoteliers and other industries are investing heavily on renewable energy, green infrastructure, and other innovative equipment to reduce the use of resources as they know that although the cost may be high, their return on investment (ROI) will multiply in the years to come so that the initial costs will be covered easily.

 Also, Green Human Resources in Hotels (or any other industry) helps to effectively manage diversity, especially if it is a melting pot of different cultures and nationalities. With the world becoming more unified in its environmental objectives, GHRM brings everyone together by investing in workplace health, to educate and empower new leaders, bringing equal opportunities, accepting advancement of new technology, and diversity management as part of its social responsibility. GHRM harmonizes ecological, economic, and social developments as three pillars and inculcates a positive, sustainable, active lifestyle for a hotelier and any other member of a different industry. Green Human Resource Management holds the keys to win over the challenges of existing in a new world tomorrow.

 

References:

Adobe Stock (no date) Lightning+Tree Images – browse 45,317 stock photos, vectors, and video, Adobe Stock. Available at: https://stock.adobe.com/search?k=lightning%2Btree (Accessed: 11 April 2024).

Ahmed, S. et al. (2021) Promoting green behavior through ethical leadership: a model of green human resource management and environmental knowledge , Leadership and Organization Development Journal. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-01-2020-0024 (Accessed: 11 April 2024).

AxisRooms (2022) Hotel Green Marketing Effects on your business performances, Hospitality Net. Available at: https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4112583.html (Accessed: 04 April 2024).

Elshaer, I.A. et al. (2023) ‘Green Human Resource Management and brand citizenship behavior in the hotel industry: Mediation of Organizational Pride and Individual Green Values as a moderator’, Administrative Sciences, 13(4), p. 109. doi:10.3390/admsci13040109.

Every Pixel (no date) Forest business images - search images on everypixel. Available at: https://www.everypixel.com/q/forest-business?image_id=1413523709060941532 (Accessed: 11 April 2024).

Farrukh, M. et al. (2023) ‘Climate change needs behavior change: A team mechanism of Team Green Creative Behavior’, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 36(5), pp. 1577–1596. doi:10.1108/ijchm-04-2023-0515.

Freitas, W.R. et al. (2020) ‘Green Human Resource Management and corporate social responsibility’, Benchmarking: An International Journal, 27(4), pp. 1551–1569. doi:10.1108/bij-12-2019-0543.

Hameed, R.et al. (2022) The role of Green Human Resource Practices in Fostering Green Corporate Social Responsibility, Frontiers. Available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.792343/full (Accessed: 04 April 2024).

Harvard Business Review (2022) A plan is not a strategy, YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuYlGRnC7J8 (Accessed: 06 April 2024).

Pardo, B. (2023) Sustainable practices to integrate into your global mobility program, Ineo Site. Available at: https://www.ineomobility.com/mobility-trends/sustainable-practices-to-integrate-into-your-global-mobility-program/ (Accessed: 05 April 2024).

Susanto, E.et al (2022) ‘Green Human Resources Management in hospitality industries: A systematic literature review’, European Journal of Human Resource Management Studies, 5(4). doi:10.46827/ejhrms.v5i4.1212.

Yadav, I. (2023) Going green in e-commerce: How to make a difference with sustainable supply chain practices, RSA GLOBAL. Available at: https://www.rsa.global/blog/sustainable-practices-in-ecommerce-supply-chain (Accessed: 05 April 2024).

Green Infrastructure facilitating Green Human Resource in hotels & other industries

Initiatives to progress sustainability across the hospitality industry (Source: TTG Asia, 2022)

Green Infrastructure facilitating Green Human Resources in hotels 

Introduction

Since the early 2000s, we have seen green infrastructures being built through investments made in them compared to conventional buildings. We see the environmental impact vastly reduced by these green buildings, and we see Green Human Resources play a vital role in the sustainability of these establishments. Usually, a traditional Human Resource Team is not utilized effectively or efficiently in organizations to support infrastructure, but Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) does this. GHRM, being one of the newest concepts in human resources, is reinstating a green response from its employees.

Park Royal Hotel, Pickering, Singapore (Source: Conde Nast Traveler, 2024)

Green Buildings

"Green building is defined as the practice of creating structures using environmentally responsible and resource-efficient processes throughout a building's life cycle from inception and design to construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction." (WGECO citing USEPA, 2014)

Does going green cost more? Many people have the misconception that green infrastructure and equipment would cost a lot. While this is true initially, the savings generated by reduced energy costs increase more than tenfold to cover the money spent initially. Not only will the investment save you money, but it will also support the well-being of the environment and be a win-win for everyone involved.

Hotels of the future are taking a step forward and heading towards net zero (zero energy buildings). Let's take a small-scale hotel example. One of the best initiatives "is the Boutique Hotel Stadthalle in Vienna, which uses solar panels, photovoltaic technology, and groundwater heat pumps to generate 100% of the energy it needs to operate." (Bergstrom, 2021)

Front Office of the Park Royal Hotel, Pickering, Singapore (Source: Conde Nast Traveler, 2024)

How to manage water efficiently?

• Build low water demand toilet (e.g. Thailand) these would use only one-fifth the water of older toilets (5 liters per flush as compared with up to 25 liters in older toilets)
• Low volume shower and water basin nozzles are designed to use about one-third the water of older designs.
•  Recycling gray water for the use of garden watering.

Waste Management

Hotels generate a large amount of waste such as from single use hotel amenities to single use plastics and a lot of food waste because hotels are based on the concepts of indulgence. Now with use of PPE (Personal protective Equipment), hotels are paying more attention to hygiene and waste management.  

Still food waste is worst in most hotels and is “the single largest component of US landfills with roughly 80 billion pounds thrown away each year in America.” (Romuno, 2021)

Locally in Sri Lanka, “in terms of solid waste management, over 65 percent of the hotels’ waste is collected by the municipality council in Sri Lanka. Good solid waste management practices include composting (22%), recycling (22%), and solid waste segregation (18%).” In Sri Lanka today “there are 42 percent of the hotels have sewage treatment plants.’’ (Wickramasinghe, 2015)

 Steps for Waste Management

• Donate excess food
• Use traditional composting methods (especially for the hotel’s organic gardens)
• Recycling
•  Use artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze discarded food and to monitor waste streams.

-      “Waste Management plans (E.g. “Grand Hyatt Singapore has built its own on-site waste management plant with a Biomax thermophilic digester that processes approximately 1000 kilograms of food waste generated per day into organic fertilizer used for landscaping.’’ (Bergstrom, 2021)

                             (Park Royal Hotel, Pickering, Singapore. Source: Youtube, 2023)

Universal need to “go green.”

Message to all industries around the world from global experts carry the same message: “reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment to net-zero by 2050.” (Van Houtte et al, 2023)

For hotels, moving towards sustainability is mandatory because hotels have a huge impact on the environment and the location it operates from. Let’s take an example with Spain. In Spain, due to a high volume of tourists within Europe as well as its own local tourism within the country the beaches have gotten eroded. “Satellite images have been analyzed to show that three beaches in the port area of Valencia lost 70% of their sand over three decades. The area has suffered from the some of the worst coastal erosion over the years in the Valencian Community causing some sections to completely disappear.” (Trelinski, 2024) This applies to Sri Lanka too as the Sri Lankan coastal tourism accounts for eighty percent of the total tourism infrastructure of the country and therefore makes a significant portion of the national economy. (Moramudali, 2018)

Conclusion:

Due to negative impacts and the growing population, nature and its habitants are struggling to survive. There is more news of natural disasters, earthquakes, floods, extreme weather due to rising global temperatures that are already affecting the world and most importantly the hospitality industry. If a move towards sustainability isn’t made, the cost of operations will rise higher and if a destination loses its impact, it is bound to get reduced number of tourists.

In Sri Lanka we see “adopting green practices has become inevitable for the hotel industry in Sri Lanka since customers have become sensitive when making purchasing decisions thereby giving priority to green hotels. The Green Building Council of Sri Lanka (GBCSL) has introduced a Green SL rating system including eight categories to evaluate the green aspects that have to be followed by new buildings and existing buildings to go green.”  (Moramudali, 2018) In his study of implementing green buildings in Sri Lanka and especially in the hotel sector, Moramudali, (2018) has found that “considering the financial liability, all the implemented green retrofits have a positive return on investment and less than ten years of payback period, except for LED televisions. Amongst the implemented retrofits, biomass boilers, energy-efficient chillers, and solar PV systems had the highest energy saving efficiency, followed by VFDs (Variable Frequency Drives) and LED lighting.” 

With Green Buildings and green installations been provided, we note that that this infrastructure change would need skilled people to monitor, use and train these systems. Therefore, a Green Human Resource Management can step in and take control of these aspects to play a more wholesome role in the hotel industry as well as other industries. 

References:

Bergstrom, S. (2021) How the Hotel Industry Is Going Green, Consulting - Specifying Engineer. Available at: https://www.csemag.com/articles/how-the-hotel-industry-is-going-green/ (Accessed: 04 April 2024).

CondéNastTraveler (2023) Reimagining the future of hotels: Grounded, inspired, rejuvenated, Condé Nast Traveler. Available at: https://www.cntraveler.com/sponsored/story/reimagining-the-future-of-hotels-grounded-inspired-rejuvenated (Accessed: 04 April 2024).

Moramudali, W.K. (2018) Adoption of Green Practices in Hotel Industry in Sri Lanka: An Evaluation Based on the Green SL Rating System, 15th International Conference on Business Management (ICBM 2018) . Available at: http://dr.lib.sjp.ac.lk/bitstream/handle/123456789/8095/Adoption of Green Practices in Hotel Industry in Sri Lanka An Evaluation Based on the Green SL Rating System.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y (Accessed: 03 April 2024).

PARKROYAL COLLECTION Hotels & Resorts (2023) Parkroyal Collection Pickering: A decade of eco-elegance, YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0q_W9Csg3Y (Accessed: 05 April 2024).

Trelinski, A. (2022) ‘vanished’ Costa Blanca sandy beach to be restored in multi-million euro project in Spain, Olive Press News Spain. Available at: https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2022/11/17/vanished-costa-blanca-sandy-beach-to-be-restored-in-multi-million-euro-project-in-spain/ (Accessed: 03 April 2024).

Trelinski, A. (2024) Outrage as three beaches lose 70% of their sand on Spain’s east coast following the expansion of a nearby Port, Olive Press News Spain. Available at: https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/01/15/outrage-as-three-beaches-lose-70-of-their-sand-on-spains-east-coast-following-the-expansion-of-a-nearby-port/ (Accessed: 03 April 2024).

TTGAsia (2022) Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, Greenview Partner to advance sustainability across the hotel industry, TTG Asia. Available at: https://www.ttgasia.com/2022/11/10/sustainable-hospitality-alliance-greenview-partner-to-advance-sustainability-across-the-hotel-industry/ (Accessed: 04 April 2024).

Van Houtte, D.N. and Mandziuk, G. (2024) Building Green and Resilient Hotels: Investing in our planet, EDGE Buildings. Available at: https://edgebuildings.com/building-green-and-resilient-hotels-investing-in-our-planet/ (Accessed: 03 April 2024).

Wickramasinghe, K. (2015) Good Environmental Management Practices in the hotel industry in Sri Lanka: Determinants and barriers, Talking Economics. Available at: https://www.ips.lk/talkingeconomics/2015/02/09/good-environmental-management-practices-in-the-hotel-industry-in-sri-lanka-determinants-and-barriers/ (Accessed: 03 April 2024).

Workman, B. (2020) 1 hotels leads by example with their Zero waste mission: RTS, Recycle Track Systems. Available at: https://www.rts.com/blog/1-hotels-leads-by-example-with-their-zero-waste-mission/ (Accessed: 03 April 2024).

World Green Economy Council (2017) Green building, World Green Economy Council. Available at: https://wgeco.org/green-building/ (Accessed: 03 April 2024).

-             

Keynote Speech by Eric Ricaurte, Founder and CEO of Greenview: What is the Hotel of the future?

 Introduction

 

Image: Eric Ricaurte - Founder & CEO of Greenview (Source: AHLA, 2024)

Eric Ricaurte – He founded the company "Greenview in 2008," which is "an international consultancy and data intelligence firm catalyzing innovation and best practice in sustainability and ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance), providing services for strategy, programs, data management, bench marketing, and reporting. Greenview's clients include most of the world's largest hotel companies as well as hotel owners and developers, event organizers, cruise lines, NGOs (non-governmental organizations), DMOs (Destination Management Organizations), OTAs (Online Travel Agents), and industry organizations including the WTTC (World Travel & Tourism Council), UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization), and AHLA (American Hotel and Lodging Association)." (AHLA, 2024)

Topic: What is the hotel of the future?

 Eric Ricaurte extensively discusses how sustainability plays a significant role in hotel operations within the hospitality sector and how hoteliers must progress quickly to be sustainable and reduce environmental impact.

 We see how Eric speaks on sustainability trends evolving and how the sustainable measures taken in the 1990s are "laggard" and barely making a significant difference to the environment when comparing a hotel's green initiatives now. Eric states that twenty years ago, the reuse of linen towels was seen as being innovative, but it had taken hotels twenty years to implement the reuse of linen towels as a best practice that we now see today. He remarks on the need for hotels to speedily adapt to sustainability practices before 2030 to solve the ever-looming problems of climate change.

Points taken from Eric's speech in a nutshell:

 

              ENGAGED OWNERS / STAKEHOLDERS / INVESTORS

 

1.     In this talk, Eric states that hotels cannot be sustainable in 2030 unless owners or crucial stakeholders aren't "engaged" or "interested" in a sustainability agenda. Therefore, it is essential to establish an ongoing dialogue to ensure everyone is on board with the green movement and its green practices, as there is a high overhead cost involved.

 

              EMPOWERED TEAM

 

2.     An empowered team on sustainability is needed as sustainability practices need precise implementation because it "cannot just be compliance in dollars and cents." Responsible employees in the hotel industry must implement green practices in their workplace. For example, how many people care about reducing energy consumption in a hotel? Will they take the responsibility and the necessary steps to reduce it? How many people care about community and making a difference? How many staff members are willing to be passionate about giving good experiences to guests? Will they be happy to engage in a green team or have roles that empower them to make decisions that make a difference?

 

                 GSTC CERTIFICATION

 

3.     GSTC is the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. This internationally accredited body manages global standards for sustainable travel and tourism and provides sustainable tourism certification. In some countries, like Turkey, Thailand, and Singapore, GSTC is mandated as a platform based on criteria so that OTAs (online travel agents) like Booking.com can see hotel companies adhering to sustainability policies and certifications.

 

    POWERED BY RENEWABLES

 

4.     Hotels would need to have renewable energy or at least run on low electricity. Additionally, they'd need to uplift their standards on onsite PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).

  

                NET ZERO

 

5.     To be the leaders in the sustainability niche, hotels should target Net Zero. A hotel must plan to decarbonize and be actively and successfully running by 2030.

 

             GREEN CLEANING

 

6.     The products used by hotels should be made of natural materials, biodegradable, non-toxic, recyclable, innovative, and come in bulk packaging. These products should be given to the guests and utilized by the employees.

 

 

            PLANT-BASED MEAL OPTIONS

 

7.     The market for plant-based food is growing, and this is a much sought-after element within the luxury hotel markets as guests are becoming increasingly diet-conscious and prefer vegetarian or vegan. By 2030, it may be commonplace to have oat milk in the cappuccino rather than cow's milk.

 

            PROCURES WISELY

 

8.     Where is the food coming from, and where is it going? Do hotels source their food organically? Do they purchase produce from local suppliers, and is their food sustainable?

 

               CIRCULAR ECONOMY

 

9.     Sustainable hotels would be part of the circular economy, where everything used in the hotel will be accounted for (where does it come from? Where is it going?). This will ensure no unnecessary waste is generated.

 

            COLLABORATES WITHIN ITS DESTINATION

 

10.  A sustainable hotel needs to collaborate within its destination to find solutions. As per Eric, Phuket, Thailand, is an excellent example because they closed Maya Bay and came together as a community to discuss sustainability-related issues. They also created an event called PHIST (Phuket Hotel Island Sustaining Tourism), which brings together award-winning hotels. They also give practical solutions to constantly educate and catalyze content relating to sustainability.

 

Conclusion:

We can see that Eric uses the term sustainability, coined with the term 'green' as sustainability focuses more on using products or services that do not damage the future generations' use of resources while going green sheds light on using environmentally friendly products and services. (Hyseni, 2021) However, both "sustainability" and "green" words resonate with the idea of being aware of the environment and preserving natural resources while boosting economic vitality and social benefits. Eric talks about the importance of going green and how hotels of the future must think strategically with a long-term vision if they need to be on the path to success. His mode of communication is direct and practical, and he shows appropriate statistics of how the hospitality industry has lagged within the past decade by needing to be faster to adopt green and sustainable practices.

I believe therefore that this is a good speech to take as a case study, not just for the hospitality industry but for other industries as well because many other sectors such as banking, tourism, restaurant, retail, IT, apparel, construction etc. all are turning towards sustainability and researching on greener methods and practices. Consequently, I would like to sum up stating that a Green Human Resource Management team would then be the heart of a company that is striving to work towards a sustainable and green agenda.

References:

American Hotel & Lodging Association (2024) Eric Ricaurte, AHLA. Available at: https://www.ahla.com/staff/eric-ricaurte (Accessed: 02 April 2024).

C9 Hotelworks (2023) What is the Sustainable Hotel of the future? - thailand tourism forum 2023, YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jzarNVyIz0&t=184s (Accessed: 02 April 2024).

Hyseni, V. (2021) Green Sustainability, PECB. Available at: https://pecb.com/article/green-sustainability#:~:text=Green%20vs.&text=Going%20green%20means%20using%20environmentally,not%20be%20sustainable%20at%20all. (Accessed: 02 April 2024).

Bibliography

Fernando Garcia et al, R.L. (2022) ‘The effect of green human resources management on Green Outcomes Among selected hotels in the Philippines towards Enhancing Environmental Strategies’, The Review of Contemporary Scientific and Academic Studies, 2(12). doi:10.55454/rcsas.2.12.2022.006.

Fletcher, W.D. and Smith, C.B. (2020) ‘What would it take to reach net zero?’, Reaching Net Zero, pp. 107–122. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-823366-5.00009-9.

Magro, B. and Borg, S.P. (2023) ‘A feasibility study on CHP systems for hotels in the Maltese Islands: A Comparative Analysis based on hotels’ star rating’, Sustainability, 15(2), p. 1337. doi:10.3390/su15021337.

Merli, R. et al. (2019) ‘Why should hotels go green? insights from guests experience in Green Hotels’, International Journal of Hospitality Management, 81, pp. 169–179. doi:10.1016/j.ijhm.2019.04.022.

Tokarz-Kocik, A. (2023) ‘Eco-friendly solutions in hotels as an example of CSR activities: A case study of hotels in Poland’, A Sustainable Green Future, pp. 429–445. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-24942-6_20.

 

Green Hospitality – Examples and evidence of the Lodging Industry going ‘Green!’

MN7234ES - People and organisations: principles and practices in global contexts

Green Hotels – the Future Crowning Glory of Hospitality?

Green hotels can include a variety of establishments, including resorts, chain hotels, motels, homestays, and motels, as well as other lodging establishments. A property committed to reducing its environmental impact on travel and tourism can be labeled a green hotel.

To understand how the concept of Green Hotels has expanded around the world, I have listed a few examples, from midscale rustic retreats to small family-owned hotels, budget-friendly farm-stays, as well as niche high-end places of stay:

 

1. Three Camel Lodge – Mongolia

This lodge is in a very remote area, and the property has been designed to create a self-sustaining waste management system. Although the Three Camel Lodge is luxurious and intended for high-end tourists, its philosophy is based on sustainability. The property practices "environmental stewardship, natural and cultural preservation, and community empowerment." TheThreeCamelLodge (2023) They are "guided by the United Nations Development Programme's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and each guest stays directly supports efforts to conserve" their "natural resources, protect" their "cultural traditions and improve the quality of life for Gobi residents." (NormadicExpeditions, 2022)

  

The Three Camel Lodge, Mongolia  (Source: TheThreeCamelLodge, 2023)

  

 2. The Das Rübezahl Hotel, Bavaria, Germany

 

Built by the Thurm family in 1959, the Das Rübezahl Hotel in Bavaria, Germany, is a cozy romantic retreat committed to sustainable stays. Much of the hotel is built with "native natural and mature wood" (GreenPearls, 2024), and the hotel nurtures "six bee colonies with around 300,000 bees looking after the natural compensation site containing rare wild herbs, orchids, and other protected plants with views of Neuschwanstein Castle." (GreenPearls2024) Another novel concept I liked about this hotel is using directly filtered Schwangauer mountain spring water for their restaurants underneath the Schwangau Mountains. For the employees, the Thurm family has a "handshake mentality" with "regular and year-round employment, in a 4-to 5-day week, family flexibility, training, bonus" and "staff members are provided with free bicycles upon request to ensure that their commute to work is climate neutral." (GreenPearls, 2024)

  

Hotel  Rübezahl (Source:  Hotel Rübezahl, 2024)

 

3. The AMBA Estate, Ella, Sri Lanka

With a hundred and thirty acres of towering mountains, waterfalls, caves, and forests, AMBA Estate is in the Uva highlands and just a short drive from Ella. This farm-stay B&B has hired many locals from Ambadandegama and created many economic opportunities for over a hundred local families. Deforestation is a significant issue in Sri Lanka, as is poor land management and overuse of pesticides and agrochemicals in food production. "Amba is therefore designed to minimize" their "' impact on the environment while restoring natural habitats and eco-systems." (AMBA Estate, 2020)

 

AMBA Estate (Source:ReddotTours, 2024)

 

4. Hotel Marcel, Connecticut, USA

As "part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, the Hotel Marcel is a zero-emission hotel encompassing 165 rooms, a 9000 plus square foot conference center, and a full-service restaurant. It has earned both Passive House and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certifications." (CCNTravel, 2024). Hotel Marcel is on the path to being the USA's "first Net Zero hotel by the end of 2025." (HotelMarcel, 2024) Unlike other hotels, "instead of fossil fuels, the building runs on 100% renewable energy for lighting, heating, air conditioning, and hot water, harnessing energy with over a thousand solar panels on its rooftop and parking canopies." (CNNTravel,2024)

Hotel Marcel (Source: HotelMarcel, 2024)

 

5. The Brando Resort, Tetiaroa, French Polynesia

The Brando Resort (Marlon Brando's private island) is famous for combining luxury and environmental sustainability. Known as one of the prominent eco-friendly resorts in the world and is "100% energy independent and supports several research and conservation initiatives." (Tahiti.com, 2024) Even President Barack Obama had stayed at the Brando for three months and has a three-bedroom villa named after him called the "Obamaville." Brando also has a LEED Platinum certification and a negative carbon footprint. The resort is, in fact, ahead of its time because it has its environmental research center and uses SWAC (Sea Water Air-Conditioning), where a novel concept of "' freezing deep-sea water is drawn up and circulated through the buildings to keep them cool, reducing energy consumption by 90 percent." (MrandMrsSmith, 2024) "Rainwater feeds the resort's pool and laundry, bathrooms use desalinated sea water, and a wastewater recycling system irrigates the kitchen gardens." (MrandMrsSmith, 2024)

 

The Brando (Source: TheBrando, 2024)

Conclusion

 

Through this research, we can see that "going green" is not just a trend. Travelers today are not just looking for a place to go on holiday, but they are searching for sustainable experiential travel that supports environmental values. Therefore, we see a massive shift in the lodging and travel industry where properties respond with unique innovations, green human resource policies of employee wellbeing, training, reskilling, and improvements. Whether it is a small initiative of installing solar panels to rainwater harvesting or having zero-waste policies, recycling, and farm-to-table dining, the world's hospitality industry is shifting its focus toward new sustainable 'green' ideologies and implementations. "Booking.com lists that 75% of travelers would book a hotel certified as green compared to other properties. Also, 43% of travelers are willing to pay more if it is a green hotel," as stated by the World Economic Forum (2024). Therefore, with increased awareness, people are becoming more mindful and responsible about the best travel practices and sustainability in the leisure sector.  

References

 Bell, S. (2020) Impact, AMBA Estate. Available at: https://www.ambaestate.com/sustain (Accessed: 01 April 2024).

BeyondGreen (2024) Intentionally gracious & sustainable ecotourism - about: Beyond green, TRANSFORMING TRAVEL Intentionally Gracious. Available at: https://staybeyondgreen.com/about (Accessed: 28 March 2024).

Cullen, S. (2023) The world’s most sustainable hotels, The Hotel Journal. Available at: https://thehoteljournal.com/worlds-most-sustainable-hotels/ (Accessed: 30 March 2024).

Ecobnb (2023) Green hospitality: Sustainable practices for hotels, Ecobnb. Available at: https://ecobnb.com/blog/2023/05/green-hospitality-sustainable-practices-hotels-resorts/ (Accessed: 28 March 2024).

GreenPearls (2024) Book the sustainable hotel rübezahl in the German allgäu, Green Pearls - the future of traveling. Available at: https://www.greenpearls.com/hotels/hotel-ruebezahl/ (Accessed: 01 April 2024).

Hilton Honors (2023) HOSPITALITY FOR THE PLANET, Hotel Marcel. Available at: https://www.hotelmarcel.com/new-haven-hotels/sustainability (Accessed: 01 April 2024).

NormadicExpeditions (2021) Wild Journeys, Responsible Travel: An Earth Day Message, Nomadic Expeditions. Available at: https://www.nomadicexpeditions.com/wild-journeys-responsible-travel-an-earth-day-message/ (Accessed: 21 March 2024).

Stephens, R. (2023) How a neglected building was transformed into America’s greenest hotel, CNN. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/hotel-marcel-new-haven-connecticut/index.html (Accessed: 01 April 2024).

The Telegraph (2019) Amba estate Sri Lanka, The Telegraph. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/sri-lanka/hotels/amba-estate-sri-lanka-hotel/ (Accessed: 01 April 2024).

TheThreeCamelLodge (2023) The three Camel Lodge, THREE CAMEL LODGE. Available at: https://www.threecamellodge.com/ (Accessed: 29 April 2024).

Thurm family (2023) Romantic Hideaway & Boutique Hotel near Füssen, Hotel Das Rübezahl, Romantic Hideaway & Boutique Hotel near Füssen - Hotel Das Rübezahl. Available at: https://www.hotelruebezahl.de/en/ (Accessed: 28 March 2024).

WilliamsKent Ltd (2024) What is green HR?, What is Green HR. Available at: https://www.williams-kent.com/insights/what-is-green-hr-/ (Accessed: 04 April 2024).

World Economic Forum & EcoWatch (2023) Survey of travellers finds 76% want more sustainable options, World Economic Forum. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/04/survey-of-travelers-finds-76-want-more-sustainable-options/ (Accessed: 01 April 2024).