| Paris, 22 September 1999 � A record-breaking 82 �Green Hoteliers� have
entered the annual Environmental Award of the International Hotel &
Restaurant Association (IH&RA), which this year recognises hospitality
industry efforts to promote sustainable tourism.
The award, sponsored by American Express, drew applications from large
and small establishments across the globe, with the highest number coming
from Asia Pacific, followed by Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and
Africa. Said Michael Nowlis, IH&RA CEO, �The overwhelming response
and quality of applications is testimony to the growing sense of responsibility
within the hospitality sector to ensure that it develops in a sustainable
way, in harmony with the environment.�
The award theme was chosen to reflect the focus of the United Nations
Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), which met in April to debate
for the first time the efforts of the travel and tourism sector to implement
Agenda 21, the blueprint for environmental action adopted by 182 governments
at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. Entries are being judged by representatives
of the London-based International Hotels Environment Initiative (IHEI).
The winners of the award � from a corporate and independent establishment
� will be announced during the IH&RA annual congress, which convenes
from 17-21 October in Durban, South Africa. The award ceremony will
be the highlight of gala evening celebrations on 20 October. Winners
will receive a prize of $2,500, an engraved plaque, a trophy and a diploma.
Previous winners include
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Andy Goonesekara, Chief Engineer at the Inter-Continental Hotel Sydney,
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Dr. Ibrahim Birkan, general manager of Club Alda in Turkey,
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Nakul Anand, Executive Vice-President, Hotel Operations of the Welcomgroup,
ITC Hotels, India
-
Suresh Kumar, GM of Welcomgroup Park Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Madras,
India,
-
Mats Fack, Managing Director of Sanga Säby Study & Conference
Centre in Sweden.
The International Hotels
Environment Initiative (IHEI)
| ...is a charity programme developed by the international hotel industry
for the benefit of all hotels and the environment. Our aim is to promote
the benefits of environmental management as an integral part of running
a successful, efficient hotel business.
Focusing exclusively on hotels, IHEI keeps them informed about global
environmental trends and provides hotel-specific guidance to assist hoteliers
in tackling emerging issues.
The IHEI is unique in that it is international, hotel-specific and
non-profit.It was created in 1992, when a group of chief executives of
twelve multi-national hotel companies joined forces to promote continuous
improvement in environmental performance by the hotel industry world wide.
Through this initiative, hotels pool resources and experience to produce
self-help tools for use by the wider industry.
Six Good Reasons For Going Green
| 1 Cost Savings Through
Efficiency |
Any business that maximises efficiency and reduces waste
will be more cost effective. We can show real examples that demonstrate
that the steps taken to make more efficient use of energy and water and
other resources usually have a rapid pay back and make a net gain for the
hotel.
A very simple example is the laundry department at the
Inter-Continental in Sydney discovered they could get their whites just
as white by washing at 60¡C as at 90¡C. This saved them $24,000
in one year alone. |
| 2 Anticipating Market
Pressure |
As consumers become increasingly aware of environmental
issues and as more companies begin to develop environmental policies -
environmental performance is increasingly a factor in the selection of
hotels that they stay in. |
| 3 Attracting and Keeping
Dedicated Staff |
Hotels are very labour intensive industry with an important
part of their product being the people providing the service. Staff can
be very motivated by environmental issues and they associate responsible
companies with dynamic, forward-looking management.
A recent survey carried out by The Prince of Wales Business
Leaders Forum into the opinions of business students, of which 40% were
from Europe, showed that students placed more importance on companies having
a good environmental reputation than on starting salary.(Educating tomorrow�s
global business leaders, AIESEC / PWBLF, 1996) |
| 4 Improving Brand and
Corporate Image |
Association of a hotel�s name and logo with events, publications
and press stories that are clearly focussed on benefitting the environment
can only enhance corporate reputation and help with bridge-building in
the communities in which hotels operate. |
| 5 Minimising Risk |
Increasingly, merchant banks consider environmental performance
before granting loans. There are also many examples where tourism�s very
capital, the natural and/or cultural environment, has deteriorated to a
point at which it ceases to attract visitors. Often the damage is irreversible.
This is a risk we cannot afford to take! |
| 6 Legal Requirements |
The tourism industry is probably more aware than any
of the inevitable increase in environmental regulation at a national and
international level. Through mobilising one sector of business and taking
a lead on self-regulation, the hotel industry can prepare in advance and
avoid expensive remedial measures. It can also position itself as leading
the field on responsible environmental practice and maybe even help to
shape new legislation. |
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