By Matthieu Provino, Analyst at Horwath HTL Health & Wellness
The hospitality industry contributes to 3 percent of global carbon emissions, with hotel operations responsible for 1 percent and construction of new hotels accounting for the remaining 2 percent. Additionally, the industry generates approximately 289,700 tons of waste annually, which includes around 79,000 tons of food waste. As concerns over environmental impact and corporate responsibility grow, hotels globally are adopting multiple “green” initiatives aimed at reducing their carbon footprint, conserving resources and improving community engagement.
Numerous “green” certifications have emerged over the last decade and this can be noted as a step in the right direction for hotels that desire to add sustainability in their ethos and make commensurate efforts. Nevertheless, such certificates come at a cost and some challenges towards understanding and implementation that hamper these platforms seem to be widely accepted. As a matter of fact, properties can get discouraged not only with costs associated for obtaining these certificates (ranging from annual fees to various audits fee and potential construction expenses) but also with the extensive lists of measures/best practices (staff training, sustainability criteria to follow) necessary to comply with the certification requirements. Some owners may also question the intrinsic value of a certificate and perceive it only as a marketing tool. As a result of the wider disconnect between sustainability experts and hotel operators, majority of the brands are formulating their own unique policies and guidelines for establishing sustainability practices throughout their chain/network.
In order to understand the context, relevance and adaptation of sustainability practices in wellness resorts, we have researched two leading entities in the wellness hospitality segment, differentiated by their size, programming and target clientele. They are:
- Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, a member of the IHG Hotels and Resorts with 26 properties in 21 countries across the world.
- Fivelements Retreat Bali, a holistic wellness retreat in Indonesia focused on traditional healing, nutrition and aligning urban lifestyles with nature.
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