I have always had a strong connection to the United Kingdom. My grandparents and aunt were all born in Scotland. I have an ancestor who worked in a house of the Royal Family, have one aunt who attended the current Queen’s coronation, am somehow related to Robert Burns and throughout my life I have been a big Beatles fan. I have crossed the famous Abbey Road where the Beatles stepped for their Abbey Road album and this summer my family and I will travel “across the pond” to visit parts of England and Scotland we have not yet seen.
I thought about the U.K. this week while watching bits of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend. It is amazing how one person can serve a country for 70 consecutive years.
The festivities this past week reminded me of the strong connection between the Royal Family, the hotel industry, and sustainability.
The Prince Charles/Hotel Industry Connection
What is now the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance was founded in 1992 as the International Hotels Environment Initiative (IHEI) by a consortium of chief executives from 10 global hotel companies because of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. From launch, IHEI was part of the Prince’s Charities group, with HRH The Prince of Wales (Charles) as president—first as a program of the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) and then in 2013 relocating to Business in the Community (BITC), The Prince’s Responsible Business Network.
The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance was previously known as the International Tourism Partnership, which operated the Youth Career Initiative and Green Hotelier. Following a period of growth, the Alliance became an independent charity and united its programs under Sustainable Hospitality Alliance in 2020.
Today, the Alliance comprises 30 percent of the global hotel industry by rooms and includes 18 world-leading hotel companies and strategic partners, with a combined reach of over 40,000 properties and 6 million rooms. In addition, affiliate members represent other partners in the hospitality value chain to further drive collaboration on industry sustainability. To see a list of current Alliance Members, click here.
The Alliance’s Mission
- Bringing together senior executives from engaged hospitality companies and strategic partners to work together on collective areas of action.
- Developing practical tools, resources and programs to enable every hotel to operate responsibly and grow sustainably.
- Using its collective influence and reach to advance responsible business across the industry supply chains and stakeholders.
- It partners with nonprofits, philanthropic organizations, governments, and the private sector on shared sustainability challenges.
Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Alliance commits to drive continued action in four areas: Human Rights, Youth Employment, Climate Action, and Water Stewardship. The Alliance offers the free Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative tool to help our industry understand and benchmark its carbon footprint and energy usage. Other tools, research, and resources are available. Be sure to check them out.
It is great to see the work of Prince Charles and others continue in The Alliance. It is just one example of the environment-related work of the Royal Family.
Green Lodging News Adds Southern Aluminum to Product Directory
Green Lodging News welcomes Southern Aluminum to its Green Product & Service Directory in the “Furniture/Indoor & Outdoor” category. Southern Aluminum has been handcrafting and manufacturing linenless tables, banquet buffet systems, event bars, and numerous mobile displays that are dynamically designed to be lightweight, durable, storable, and sustainable since 1978. Dedicated stewards of the environment, Southern Aluminum takes great care in being socially responsible and environmentally conscious from the beginning to the end of its manufacturing process. Green practices of the facility are continually studied in the daily production process. Southern Aluminum is based out of Magnolia, Ark. Call (800) 221-0408 or e-mail info@southernaluminum.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 21,934 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 21,934. 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.
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As always, I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
