Greengage Solutions has found that hotels and meeting venues are accelerating their sustainability efforts in response to consumer demand.
The hospitality industry, however, is still lagging behind sectors such as construction when it comes to measuring their carbon footprint.
Greengage has analysed recent searches on its ECOsmart database (made up of hundreds of accredited venues) and compared them to those in 2022. The environmental sustainability specialist found significantly more searches for venues with sustainability policies. It was also discovered that bookers were unlikely to shortlist venues without eco plans.
In response to this, hotels and meeting venues have begun to focus on water consumption, waste (especially food), eliminating single-use plastic and creating greener guest rooms and meeting facilities, as well as providing ethically-sourced food and CSR.
Greengage has identified key trends, including plans to monitor energy; reducing water usage; increasing EV chargers for electric vehicles; and contributing to their local community.
Venues are now actively encouraging visitors to participate in sustainability efforts, such as bringing their own water bottles to meetings and opting for dishes made from locally-sourced ingredients.
They are also striving to educate consumers on green policies, including why toiletries are being phased out or recycled. Those working in buildings that are difficult to make ‘green’ are encouraged to make strides in other areas, such as reducing plastic usage and connecting with local suppliers.
Andrew Perolls, CEO of Greengage, said: “Our research reveals that sustainability is now a top priority for hotel and venue bookers. Our partners report that many bookers won’t even consider a venue if it can’t show that sustainability is at the heart of its operations.
“Our ECOsmart accreditation provides an easy route for bookers to identify sustainable venues and benchmark them knowing that they have all been assessed against the same criteria. We’re also pleased to see that venues see sustainability as a journey. In the past year we’ve seen 30% of ECOsmart properties move up the scale as they continue on their sustainability journey.”
