I attended the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Responsible Stay Summit in Washington, D.C. this past week. The day-long event was held at the Four Seasons Washington D.C. Approximately 150 attended this third annual meeting that featured some of our industry’s leading sustainability champions.
Rosanna Maietta, President & CEO, AHLA, welcomed attendees and summarized AHLA’s various green initiatives under the Responsible Stay umbrella. “Responsible Stay has grown significantly since 2022, when it was launched,” Maietta said. “It has become an essential force at AHLA.” The core focus areas of Responsible Stay include energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, and responsible sourcing.
Maietta cited research showing a dramatic jump since 2022 in the percentage of hotels with sustainability teams. “Small changes can have a significant impact,” she said. “We need to convince stakeholders that the long-term benefits outweigh the upfront costs.”
Entrepreneur Editor Presented Keynote
Jason Feifer, Editor-in-Chief, Entrepreneur Magazine, was the keynote speaker and also moderated a panel discussion that included Maria Vargas, Senior Program Advisor, and Director Better Buildings Initiative, US DOE, and Kurt Ritter, Vice President, General Manager Sustainability, Coca-Cola.
“Feifer weaved in stories from his time as a journalist and included comments from actor and entrepreneur Ryan Reynolds. According to Reynolds: “You can’t be good at something unless you are willing to be bad.” “The most successful people are the most adaptable,” Feifer added.
Vargas shared her recipe for organizational success when it comes to sustainability. Her five ingredients:
1. Set a public goal to give everyone in an organization a north star.
2. Data matters. If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.
3. Look beyond technology.
4. It takes a champion—and a team.
5. Learn, teach and evolve. You should be constantly learning and growing. Partnerships accelerate learning.
Ritter spoke about Coca-Cola’s progress using recycled plastic. DASANI water is now available in 100 percent recycled plastic containers, he said, adding that last year his company expanded recycled plastic bottles to all 20 of Coke products nationwide.
Decarbonizing Real Estate
Three JLL representatives addressed the topic of “Decarbonizing Real Estate: Emerging Trends and Strategies for a Sustainable Future.” Shaler Campbell, Senior Project Manager Decarbonization, JLL, said it’s important for hotels to get ahead of the decarbonization trend. LED lighting, guestroom occupancy sensors and submeters can help push hotels down the road toward decarbonization.
“Checking In: The Future of Sustainable Hospitality,” featured moderator Heather McCrory, Chair Green Key Global and Principal, Heather J. McCrory & Associates. Panelists included Townsend Bailey, Head of Corporate Responsibility, Americas, IHG Hotels and Resorts; Megan Brumagim, Vice President, Upscale Brands, Choice Hotels International; Jean Garris Hand, Vice President, Global Head, Sustainability, Hilton; and Caitrin O’Brien, Vice President, ESG, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
O’Brien, when asked about third-party certifications, said, “They are an important part of our strategy. There are a lot of marketing benefits.” In 2023, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts studied the large number of certifications available to hotels and narrowed down the list of possible programs.
O’Brien emphasized that at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts they believe that a hotel can be both luxurious and sustainable—as sustainable as possible without impacting the guest experience negatively, she said. She added that her company has a goal of cutting food waste in half by 2030. Hotels are required to complete waste audits every four years.
All-Electric Hotels
Bailey said IHG Hotels and Resorts is pursuing low-carbon, all-electric hotels and currently has seven in Europe and one in the Americas. An all-electric prototype for Holiday Inn Express has been developed. IHG links manager compensation to sustainability performance, Bailey added.
Brumagim said Choice Hotels is currently piloting a food waste reduction system and hopes to expand upon the implementation of the unique CarbinX system from CleanO2. Currently installed at Minnesota’s Radisson Blu Mall of America, CarbinX is a small-scale carbon capture device that sequesters CO2 emissions from hotel water boilers, reducing carbon emissions by six to eight tons per year and cutting natural gas consumption by up to 20 percent.
Brumagim added that 10 percent of Cambria Hotels are LEED certified and 40 percent have EV charging stations.
Hilton’s Garris Hand said the company’s No. 1 amenity that leads to a booking is EV charging stations. Hilton currently has more than 1,800 chargers installed across its portfolio. Like Choice Hotels, Hilton is working on food waste reduction and a pilot of one system resulted in a 60 percent reduction in food waste.
Hilton’s goal is to reduce carbon emissions by 75 percent by 2030 (2008 baseline). The company has already trimmed emissions by 46 percent.
The panel, when asked to give some last words of advice to attendees, said the following:
Brumagim: “Know your audience.”
Bailey: “Take the long view.”
Garris Hand: “Put yourself in other people’s shoes.”
O’Brien: “Always have a plan B.”
Host Hotels & Resorts
In a session entitled, “Climate-Proofing Hospitality: Risk, Resilience & Action and How Hotel Owners are Preparing for the Next Big Challenge,” Host Hotels & Resorts was the focus. The company has spent $500 million—6 percent of CAPEX—on resiliency, including flood-proofing infrastructure at two Florida hotels.
Procure Impact was the focus of an afternoon session. In February 2024, AHLA and Procure Impact launched the Dignity of Work Pledge to create 100,000 hours of work for overlooked populations. So far, 25 hotel companies have signed the Pledge to select from more than 3,000 products produced by those with barriers to work.
The Summit wrapped up with a spotlight on Hotel Marcel New Haven, Tapestry Collection by Hilton in New Haven, Conn. The hotel, owned by Bruce Becker, President, Becker & Becker Associates, is all-electric and uses zero fossil fuels. Becker told the Summit audience that his hotel is LEED Platinum certified, and Passive House certified. Heat pumps power hot water heating, HVAC systems, and laundry drying. Batteries, not a generator, provide emergency backup power.
Hotel Marcel uses far less energy than a comparable-size hotel. “The asset value goes up when you have a building that uses 75 percent less energy,” Becker said.
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