It was a busy news week again this past week—as most are given the momentum of sustainability efforts in our industry. First, I would like to highlight that Choice Hotels International appointed Megan Brumagim to the newly created role of Vice President of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). In this new role, Brumagim will lead Choice’s sustainability and corporate social responsibility initiatives. Brumagim knows Choice well, having joined the company in 2015 as the head of the company’s flagship Comfort Hotels brand and quickly ascended to the position of Vice President of Brand Management, Design and Compliance, where she oversaw the strategy and performance of Choice’s largest brands.
Expect Brumagim to step up Choice’s ESG efforts which, while ambitious and successful, have not been as aggressive as other companies in energy, water and waste reduction goal setting.
Russia Voted Out of UNWTO
Also this past week, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) voted to suspend Russia from the organization. It was a formality since Russia announced its withdrawal from UNWTO before the debate took place. Of course, UNWTO’s step was more than appropriate given Russia’s terrible aggression and atrocities in Ukraine.
More Surveys Supporting Sustainability
Within 10 days of the release of Booking.com’s latest traveler survey, Expedia Group Media Solutions, and the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) both released the results of their own studies on the state of sustainability in travel. Be sure to look at all three studies. There is a lot of information to digest, and all the studies concur that most leisure and business travelers prioritize sustainability when making their travel decisions.
Do not forget to participate in this year’s global Green Lodging Trends Report 2022. Greenview’s Green Lodging Trends Report (GLTR) is the leading global benchmarking study on sustainability best practices in hotels. The GLTR benchmarks hotels from around the world to understand which best practices are in place. By participating you will get a free benchmarking report and learn where your property is aligned with best practices, and where it is behind among peers locally and worldwide. You will discover new innovative practices that hotels are implementing and have an opportunity to highlight your own hotel’s innovations to showcase to the world.
The GLTR will be published in the fourth quarter this year. More than 4,000 properties participated in the 2018 version.
Mogul Hotel and Residences
Finally, don’t miss the article posted this past week on Mogul Hospitality. Its Mogul Hotels and Residences will include workplaces that offer chef-hosted culinary innovation, high-tech experiential learning zones, leisure and well-being areas, and daycare services for employees. Sustainable food and beverage options will be provided via on-site farming, in partnership with Freight Farms. The partnership will utilize their modular hydroponic farms to build a sustainable model of growing delicious, healthy food for all hotel patrons and the local community.
Green Lodging News Adds Insight Energy Solutions as Founding Sponsor
Green Lodging News has added Insight Energy Solutions as a Founding Sponsor at the Bronze level. Insight Energy Solutions is committed to engineering proven, turn-key, brand agnostic energy solutions and sustainability projects with its clients. Opportunities are particularly large with hospitality due to its comparatively high energy intensity, varied building loads and seasonal nature.
“Being green does not mean sacrificing the core business of hospitality which is guest experience and comfort,” the company says. “Energy efficiency can and should co-exist within this business model and, in most cases, enhances it.”
Insight Energy Solutions services cover a range of applications but for hospitality the company focuses heavily on HVAC, water and sewer, and smart room controls to maximize savings. The process begins with an energy benchmark and a site visit to baseline consumption, operation, habits, equipment condition, etc. Insight Energy Solutions has tailored, individual solutions for the smallest boutique hotels to the largest premier properties. In addition, it has put together a comprehensive ESG package for shareholders and sustainability managers to facilitate reporting metrics.
The company’s guiding and core principle is to treat every facility as if it were its own. Accordingly, it is brand agnostic and solution driven.
“It is our duty to understand the latest energy technologies and employ them in a viable, use case manner with owner driven outcomes at the forefront,” Insight Energy Solutions says.
Call (615) 922-0773, e-mail scott.stephens@insightac.com, or go to www.insightac.com for more information.
Green Lodging News Adds Healthway to Product & Service Directory
Green Lodging News has added Healthway to the “Air Filtration/Purification” section of its Green Product & Service Directory. Located in Upstate New York, Healthway designs and engineers scalable, efficient air cleaning solutions for any environment. For hospitality, Healthway has innovated to protect customers and staff from the spread of airborne viruses. The company’s complete line of air purification solutions is built to solve indoor air quality challenges specific to hosting guests in a hotel space. From plug and play portable units to HVAC retrofit systems, Healthway applies its expertise to outfit a hotel’s built environment, wherever that may be. Call (315) 298-2904 or e-mail ccobb@healthway.com for more information.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers, and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Get in the Green Suppliers Spotlight!
Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, publishes Green Suppliers Spotlight, an e-blast to 22,067 subscribers that features the lodging industry’s leading green products and services. The e-blast features multiple vendors—unlike the current Green Supplier Spotlight that allows one supplier to “own” the Green Lodging News subscriber list for one e-blast. (Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample.)
Green Suppliers Spotlight is published weekly on Thursdays to general managers, owners, management companies, directors of sustainability, directors of engineering, facilities managers and many others who are either in purchasing positions or who influence purchasing decisions. Suppliers of green products and services throughout North America and beyond are invited to participate in the e-blast. (Minimum two suppliers per e-blast.) Green Suppliers Spotlight was created to give vendors an opportunity to reach a high number of industry purchasers at a very low cost—as low as $200 per e-mail. (Click here for rate sheet.)
Those advertising in Green Suppliers Spotlight can include up to 100 words, one image, contact information and multiple links to their website in their ad. At the end of each week, a report will be sent to each supplier with information on delivered e-mails, opens and click-throughs.
Planning Advertising for 2022?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2022. Many excellent spots are available on our website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2022 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com. A media kit can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Newsletter & Green Supplier Spotlight Circulation
The circulation of our weekly e-newsletter and Green Supplier Spotlight currently stands at 22,067. Thank you to our new subscribers for signing up. Be sure to encourage your colleagues to do the same. There are “subscribe” links on the Green Lodging News home page. You may also e-mail greenlodgingnews@gmail.com to be added to our list.
Green Lodging News & Social Media
Green Lodging News now has 1,749 Twitter followers. Thank you to all of those who follow our tweets. In addition to following us on Twitter, be sure to bookmark the Green Lodging News Blog in your browser. More importantly, participate with your comments. Green Lodging News is also on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us there. Green Lodging News now has 981 Facebook likes.
As always, I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
