In cooperation with the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, H World International contributes to a comprehensive sustainability project

The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, the leading global network in responsible hospitality, has launched the Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality for the Planet. The vision of the Pathway is that every hotel around the world can, and must, aim for net positive environmental impacts, whatever their starting point. To achieve this goal, the Pathway provides a practical, four-stage guidance framework as a free resource that supports all parts of the hospitality value chain to progress in a cohesive, strategic manner. It includes detailed action guidance for hotel operators, brands and asset owners, applicable to both single and multi-unit organisations.

The Pathway outlines increasing environmental ambitions and scope across the four stages which take account of the different levels of sustainability maturity across the industry. The accompanying resources enable users to build individualised action plans which are relevant to their specific situation and location.

The Pathway recognises that sustainability is crucially important to the sector’s long-term success and that all businesses need to evolve and innovate as stakeholder needs and expectations change. With 83% of global travellers stating that sustainable travel is vital, combined with the vulnerability of the industry to environmental impacts such as extreme weather and water scarcity, a robust sustainability strategy is now an essential element for all hospitality businesses.

Climate action failure is ranked as the top global risk in the 2022 World Economic Forum Global Risks Report, which also includes extreme weather, biodiversity loss, human environmental damage, and natural resource crises. The Pathway has addressed these key environmental issues in relation to the hospitality industry, and includes emissions, water, consumption, waste and biodiversity in the action planning.

The Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality has both been created in direct collaboration with the hospitality industry and its value chain, in consultation with environmental and industry experts. The vision and approach are supported by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, and aligns with their work to provide a robust foundation for sustainability across the industry.

Wolfgang M. Neumann, Sustainable Hospitality Alliance Chair said: “Our Pathway fills the current vacuum of a co-ordinated and focussed strategic plan across the hospitality industry to tackle the urgently needed climate actions. It is a practical tool for any hotel, no matter their starting point, to obtain guidance on how to prioritise and sequence targeted and measurable climate actions. The Alliance wants to encourage all hotels to embrace the journey all the way to net positive. We are spearheading the dialogue beyond having ‘zero’ impact and setting a vision for what we can be putting back into the natural world with a lasting ‘positive’ impact on our planet and its people.”

Marcus Bernhardt, CEO and Chairman of the Board of H World International adds: “We have only one chance with planet earth. H World International with its approximately 11,000 employees is aware of this responsibility. Participation in the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance’s ‘Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality’ therefore is a matter close to our hearts. Let’s seize the opportunity to make a big difference together.”

To prioritise supporting the industry with its near-term needs, the first two stages of the Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality launched in March 2022. The final two stages of the Pathway will be released later in 2022 after further consultation to account for the changing landscape and fully explore the more complex challenges.

Find out more www.sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/pathway