Worldhotels, one of the leading groups of independent upscale hotels, has launched a new Worldhotels Sustainability Programme aimed at assisting affiliate hotels to increase efficiency through sustainability.
The initiative sees the publication of a group-wide Sustainability Policy, as well as the introduction of resources and tools to assist hotels in their individual efforts towards sustainability.
In November 2011 Worldhotels undertook an extensive survey of its affiliate properties, which now number nearly 500 across the globe, on their current engagement in sustainability initiatives. All regarded Corporate Social Responsibility as important, while 85 per cent reported that their corporate clients now demanded disclosure of CSR policy and activity.
Based on the survey findings and recommendations by UK-based The Carbon Consultancy, Worldhotels’ Sustainability Programme identifies five core areas of opportunity for its hotels:
Energy: reducing energy usage and associated carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.
Water: reducing water consumption through water saving programmes and technology.
Waste: reducing waste by more efficient purchasing and usage of food and other materials, as well as recycling, re-use and food donation.
Carbon: Worldhotels encourages its hotels to focus on emissions reduction rather than offsetting emissions.
Measurement Support: Worldhotels supplies properties with online tools and guidance to effectively measure and manage the use of resources.
“Corporate responsibility and sustainability are clearly of growing importance to hotel guests, so for that reason alone our affiliate hotels recognise the importance of engaging in sustainable practices,” said Robert Hornman, Worldhotels’ Managing Director. “We are seeing a clear trend with more and more corporations asking for more disclosure – the most recent example being Global Business Travel Association adding several CSR-related questions to their contracting process.”
“However, sustainability is also closely linked to profitability - the cost savings from reducing energy bills, water consumption and food waste are highly significant. The Worldhotels Sustainability Programme commits us to offering our hotels support, guidance and solutions to enable them to effectively measure and manage their resources.”
The Worldhotels Sustainability Policy can be viewed at worldhotels.com/sustainability.
About Worldhotels:
Worldhotels is an exclusive collection of the world's most unique independent hotels. Under the banner "Unique Hotels for Unique People", it now has almost 500 affiliate properties in 250 destinations and 65 countries worldwide.
For over 40 years, the company's mission is to offer business and leisure travellers easy access to a wide range of 4 and 5 star hotels with character and distinction. Each hotel in the Worldhotels portfolio has passed a rigorous selection process and meets the group’s stringent quality standards. Over 1,000 quality criteria are anonymously tested on an annual basis. 3 Worldhotels' guests benefit from an extensive selection of partnerships, including frequent flyer programmes from 21 of the world's leading international airlines, including Air France/KLM, United Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa.
Through an unparalleled range of services covering global marketing, sales, training, and e-commerce as well as state-of-the-art distribution and technology, Worldhotels gives independent hotels the collective strength of a global hotel brand whilst still allowing them to retain their individual character and unique identity. In addition to its classic “affiliation model”, the group offers a “full licence” branding solution for independent hotels which is the perfect alternative to standard franchise contracts.
