CHICAGO—Hyatt Hotels Corp. has launched its 2012 corporate responsibility report update, highlighting critical advances in environmental sustainability in support of the company’s signature corporate responsibility platform Hyatt Thrive.
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 3.1-compliant companion piece serves as a mid-cycle reporting update to Hyatt’s full 2011 corporate responsibility report. Together, the reports offer a two-year snapshot of the company’s work to make local communities places where Hyatt associates are proud to work, where guests want to visit, where neighbors want to live and where hotel owners want to invest.
“2012 offered opportunity to build on our strong foundation and extend best practices within our global network and across the hospitality industry,” said Brigitta Witt, vice president of Corporate Responsibility, Hyatt. “With strong central leadership and new tools that promote transparency and agility we are better equipped than ever to make a positive, local impact in communities around the world.”
Continued focus on environmentally sustainable best practices resulted in efficiency gains across Hyatt’s operations. Compared to its baseline year of 2006, Hyatt achieved an 11 percent reduction in energy consumption per square meter, a 13 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per square meter, and a 9 percent reduction in water consumption per guest night. Hyatt also achieved a 3 percent reduction in waste per guest night (baseline year 2010). As a highlight, the number of properties sourcing power from renewable sources like solar, wind and on-site geothermal installations doubled from 2011 to 2012, contributing to the reduction in GHG emissions.
Helped Develop HCMI Standard
Hyatt also played a leading role in establishing consistency and improving transparency in environmental reporting across the hospitality industry. The company teamed up with the World Travel & Tourism Council, the International Tourism Partnership, and other hospitality companies to establish the industry-wide Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) standard, a uniform methodology for the hotel industry to report greenhouse gas emissions. In 2012, Hyatt began integrating the HCMI framework into Hyatt EcoTrack, the company’s in-house system for tracking environmental data.
Additionally, the 2012 report update highlights programs and best practices that fulfill the Hyatt Thrive vision. Key initiatives include:
• Establishing a Formal Corporate Responsibility Council—Chaired by Hyatt’s chief financial officer and led by Witt, this cross-functional team taps into multiple disciplines to build business value for the company and generate positive impacts for society and the environment.
• Instituting Global Standards and Local Tools—Hyatt strengthened its responsible supply chain practices with the global implementation of its Supplier Code of Conduct and by working with the World Wildlife Fund to evaluate its seafood purchases outside of the United States. Hyatt also established a new Disaster Relief Protocol, enhancing its agility and consistency in responding philanthropically when disasters strike the communities where its associates work and live.
• Improving Transparency and Accuracy in Reporting—Hyatt expanded the tracking of its environmental footprint by integrating its managed Hyatt House and Hyatt Place properties into its environmental data set. The company also enhanced tracking and reporting requirements regarding corporate giving, volunteerism and guest donations.
• Extending Associate and Local Community Engagement—Employee network groups at Hyatt have grown from five to 26 chapters since their launch in 2011. Hyatt associates also dedicated more than 59,000 hours to local volunteerism, extending and enhancing the impact of the more than $5.6 million in charitable gifts from the Hyatt Foundation.
Hyatt plans to issue its next complete report, containing standard disclosures from the GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, in calendar year 2014.
Go to Hyatt Thrive.
