IHCL’s journey towards environmental excellence

IHCL’s Paathya framework outlines ambitious goals for 2030, where does the company stand today?

Through its ESG+ framework Paathya, IHCL aims to achieve significant milestones across environmental, social, and governance aspects by 2030. IHCL has made substantial progress in using clean energy across its hotels. 

As of FY23-24, 37% of our portfolio of hotels is powered by renewable sources, including wind, and solar energy. While 43 of our hotels are partially running on green energy, seven of our hotels have achieved 100% green energy usage, showcasing our commitment to sustainability. 

Moreover, sustainability certifications like EarthCheck and LEED signify our dedication to environmental responsibility and operational excellence. 88 out of 105 eligible hotels are EarthCheck certified, while 59 Hotels are EarthCheck Platinum certified. Our EarthCheck certified hotels have collectively sequestered 3,86,371 tonnes of carbon emissions, diverted 24,323 m³ waste from landfills, conserved 2,155 Mn MJ energy, and treated and recycled 7.01 Mn KL of water. 

In FY 2023-24, Taj Palace, New Delhi, attained LEED Platinum certification, while Ginger Goa, Panjim and Ginger Mumbai, Andheri (East) were honoured with the Hotel Sustainability Basics Certification. We also collaborated with Swimsol, an offshore marine photovoltaics company, to operate the Maldives' largest floating solar park for Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Maldives. With a capacity of 1,080 kWp, this Solar Sea system generates 25% of the hotel’s energy requirements. 

Can you delve deeper into the adoption of energy efficient practices across the IHCL portfolio to achieve Net Zero goals? 

We actively implement energy-efficient appliances, designs, and materials to reduce emissions and improve the energy efficiency of our hotels. We use electrical and LPG appliances to reduce our carbon footprint and are working towards the SBTi validation of our Net Zero goals. 

In collaboration with Siemens India, IHCL conducted a study across 20 properties where we launched programmes to optimise energy usage, resulting in the conservation of approx. 6,600 MWh of energy in FY 2023-24. 

Furthermore, we're promoting EV usage by installing 343 charging stations across 146 locations in India. An example of our effort to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels has been through replacing steam laundry machines with electrical ones. This has resulted in a reduction of 50 MT of CO2 emissions in FY 2023-24, positively impacting the environment. 

Our collaboration with IFC's TechEmerge Sustainable Cooling Innovation Programme has led to a high-efficiency air purification system at Taj Palace, New Delhi, reducing PM 2.5 by over 95%, and a chemical-free water treatment system at Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa, Goa, resulting in substantial operational savings.

India faces a major waste management challenge, and the hospitality industry is known to be a significant contributor. How is IHCL's Paathya framework specifically designed to address waste reduction? 

A key initiative under Paathya, is the phasing out of single-use plastics, especially in F&B areas by introducing glass water-bottling plants, and implementing biodegradable packaging and eco-friendly substitutes. Currently, 40 IHCL hotels in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka have in-house bottling plants to eliminate plastic use. 

Setting a green standard, IHCL recently introduced Innergise Green Meetings, a sustainable solution for corporate meetings and conferencing needs. The customised meetings offer guests a choice to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future.

At present 86% hotels have an organic waste management system and we aim for 100% of our operating hotels to deploy the system by 2030. Additionally, to promote circularity, we collected 7,200 kg used soaps from our hotels that were reprocessed and distributed locally, thereby eliminating waste.

This June, in collaboration with United Way Mumbai, we have launched a waste management initiative called Interventions in Mumbai's G North Ward, with a particular focus on Mahim Reti Bunder and Mahim Causeway. This three-year initiative seeks to tackle the waste disposal challenges through various Interventions, including daily waste collection and segregation, community clean ups, installation of TrashBooms, and setting up a Material Recovery Centre. 

Could you elaborate on the frameworks that guide your water management strategy? 

We have aligned with globally recognised sustainability standards in water management through rainwater harvesting, bolstering our sustainable efforts. Currently, 48% of our total wastewater is recycled. For hotels located in water-stressed regions, we take a more targeted approach. We conducted water risk assessments in 53 hotels, and implemented the recommendations to decrease our net water usage

For example, due to Udaipur's limited rainfall and the palace's extensive grounds, the Taj Lake Palace recycles approx. 2,700 kilo liters of water annually. In fact, apart from adding to the beauty of the dining venue, the beautiful Lilypond in the centre of the premises was re-designed to collect and store rain water. Similarly, with Jodhpur's arid climate, rainwater harvesting was incorporated into the Umaid Bhawan Palace's design from its very inception. A network of storm water channels encircles the palace, effectively capturing rainwater. This modus operandi harvests approx. 1,05,000 KL rainwater during the monsoon season.