The vice president of sustainability at a leading hospitality management company recently sent me a note to say he was leaving the company in order to lead a nonprofit environmental organization. He sent me a job description and asked me to be on the lookout for any candidates who might be qualified to fill his position. The job description was very well thought out and could easily serve as a template for any company or property looking to hire a sustainability officer.
In the past few years I have definitely seen an uptick in the number of hospitality companies who employ people with “sustainability” in their title. The companies tend to be large hotel ownership or franchise companies but they also include management companies and at least one hotel REIT. Less common is a sustainability officer at the property level but that does not mean the property does not have someone charged with leading sustainability efforts.
Let’s assume you own or manage a hotel or a group of hotels and you want to hire a sustainability officer. What are the most important qualities you would look for in a candidate? I would love to know. Perhaps together we can create the perfect job description.
Importance of Education, Experience
In the job description I mentioned at the beginning of this column were the following qualifications: a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, or related field, plus a minimum 10 years professional experience, preferably within the hospitality/leisure industry; excellent written and verbal communication skills; extensive experience in technical writing, public speaking, and interacting with the media; and the ability to demonstrate a political sensibility and be keenly sensitive to various constituencies and the diplomacy appropriate for each.
Also in the job description were the following qualifications: a personal presence and management style that inspires others, encourages employees to present their ideas and motivates a highly diverse group of people to understand what is expected and how to achieve/own those objectives. “He or she must gain the respect of others by virtue of style, character, expertise and example, rather than through force or position,” the job description said.
Finally, the description included the following qualifications: must be highly-organized and have strong administrative and leadership skills, including experience with operating budgets and the related accountability; must be experienced in environmental report writing including Environmental Management System development and environmental compliance auditing; must have experience in developing environmental initiatives and implementing all phases of a company-wide environmental program; and must be familiar with environmental laws and regulations as they relate to the hospitality industry, and have the ability to keep abreast of this developing and complex field.
More Important Qualities
I thought the job description was a great start but I would add the following: a passion for and understanding of the products, processes and technologies that make it easier for a building and operation to be more sustainable; an understanding of team building and empowerment techniques; a willingness to document and borrow best practices—even from competitors—to make it easier for sustainable operations to be repeated and ultimately become the norm; a willingness to recognize, reward and celebrate the successes of employees; a clear understanding of social responsibility and a willingness to get involved in the local community in order to extend the company’s sustainability commitment and message; and, finally, the ability to set realistic, achievable goals.
In a hotel company would a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, or related field be necessary? Ideally, yes. But time and time again I have seen leaders with other types of educational background be successful as sustainability leaders as well. I have seen few follow a straight path from a hotel school to a sustainability leadership position. That said, it makes sense for hotel schools to be preparing students for that type of career.
If you have not yet hired a sustainability officer for your company, I strongly encourage you to do so, even on a part-time basis if necessary. It is a position that has a clear, measurable return on investment and is certainly worth your time.
Don’t forget, if there is a quality or qualification that I have failed to mention above, please let me know. I can be reached by phone at (440) 243-2055, and by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com. I will look forward to hearing from you and will share your responses in a future column.
Who is Your Company’s Green Champion?
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