Bringing about the real change

Over 8 per cent of India’s workforce work within the hospitality industry alone. It’s a destination that is continuing to see growth for travel and tourism and has attracted an increase in Foreign Direct Investment in recent years. The sector is, no doubt, one of the most profitable industries within the country and when looking at how it ranks in terms of sustainability, India has made significant progress in recent years. 

A study by our partner, Greenview reveals that 68 per cent of Indian hotel respondents have sustainability teams, the sixth highest country. India is also ranked as the highest country for offering guests the opportunities to support environmental and social initiatives. A total of 97 per cent Indian hotel respondents are planning and implementing initiatives to reduce carbon emissions and India is ranked the highest for offering vegetarian menu options for every course and meal. These are a handful of the milestones India has achieved to date.

At Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, a large focus of our work is across Asia, specifically in India. The Alliance has been operating for over 30 years and we have been working in India advising and supporting the sector on strategic programmes to improve its sustainability credentials.  

Many of our members have been working hard working towards reducing their footprint. An example is ITC Hotels, which are all LEED Platinum Certified, and 12 are the world’s first LEED Zero Carbon Certified Hotels. Hotels have on-site water treatment and bottling plants, served to guests in glass bottles, eliminating need for SUP plastic bottles and over 57 per cent  of electricity is generated through renewable sources.  

Hilton India has been piloting water-saving laundry products: two hotels in India have piloted the use of a low temperature laundry programme, Advanced by Diversey, which uses up to 28 per cent less water and 24 per cent less energy and produces 28 per cent less effluent waste. Based on the positive results of this pilot, Hilton plans to roll out this programme to further hotels in the region.

In 2021, Marriott engaged with Convergence Energy Services Limited in India to install Electric Vehicle (EV) charging units across hotels in India and has extended this to more hotels over the last 18 months. 

Radisson’s community projects are making real changes to lives in India, an example is their sanitary water project. They implement a new toilet block and water tank at the Paravour School in the Villupuram district in Southern India. Just a Drop provided the school with a completely new sanitary toilet block which includes separate facilities for girls and boys. This allows the school to expand by an additional 400 children. The project involved the local community throughout the whole process by using local materials and providing jobs, supporting the social sustainability focus of the project. 

Wyndham Hotels in India are utilising sewage treatment plants to reclaim gray water for use of irrigation for landscaping as well as implementing a comprehensive food waste reduction initiative to combat food waste at each stage – pre-consumer waste, post-consumer waste and disposables. 

Earlier this year, along with Greenview, we published the second edition of the Destination Water Risk Index in a bid to prioritise action within the hospitality sector on destinations facing high water-related risks (including water scarcity) and to future-proof the industry. Asia, the Middle East and Africa showed the highest concentration of those at risk of water-related issues in the near future with four locations with very high water-related risks flagged, one being Delhi. Water stress presents a key example where hotels in India need to strongly consider how their future developments, operations and even supply chain choices have very real consequences on the resources of the local populations where they are based. India must prioritise incorporating water stewardship strategies into its corporate plans to ensure sustainable growth and prosperity of the industry.

Through our Employability programme we give young people from disadvantaged backgrounds an opportunity to gain skills and practical experience that can help them find employment within the hospitality sector and beyond. Our employability programme in India started in 2012 and supports youth from economically challenged backgrounds, young adults at risk of being trafficked, survivors of trafficking and bonded labour. In 2023 we aim to train 365 youth in India across 10 cities. For most young people taking part in the programme, it is their first step into the professional world, leading toward financial security and meaningful careers in the long term. Our member brands like Hyatt, Marriott, and Four Season & IHG participate and have been supported through our programme.

Our focus at the Alliance is for a global effort to get to Net Positive Hospitality – giving back more than we take away. By working together as an industry, India has the collective power to ensure that tourism destinations and communities are protected and regenerated for now and future generations. 

Author Bio: Glenn Mandziuk is CEO, Sustainable Hospitality Alliance