WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Hotel & Lodging Assn. (AH&LA) has teamed up with the London-based International Tourism Partnership, which is a program of The Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum, to launch its Going Green initiative. Going Green offers guidelines for hotels to set minimum standards to improve sustainability and achieve goals for better environmental management.
A set of six defined standards have been established to assist hotel managers in designing a framework for making choices that are good for the environment and the bottom line. These standards involve hotel policy; staff training; environmental management; purchasing; communities; and destination protection. By enacting a comprehensive plan, hotels reduce the waste they produce, improve the working environment for staff, attract guests who seek out establishments that address sustainability, and save money.
“The Going Green effort is win-win, and AH&LA is proud to partner in this effort,” says Joseph A. McInerney, AH&LA president and CEO. “Our member hotels realize the responsibility they have to protect the communities they serve, and the obligation they have to maintain a healthy environment for staff and guests. By partnering in the Going Green effort, we can give our members another tool to help them make good choices when making business decisions.”
This effort is one of several programs supported by AH&LA to promote environmental awareness in the hotel industry. Other green initiatives include the AH&LA Good Earthkeeping program and a series of Energy Star Webinars with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. To access a Going Green brochure, click here.
