HILLSBORO, ORE.—MindClick SGM along with Marriott International announced the launch of the hotel industry’s first pilot program to gauge the impact of sustainable purchasing on guest perception, satisfaction and loyalty through a vendor sustainability evaluation program, guest marketing program and research study. In the program, the Residence Inn by Marriott Portland West/Hillsboro, owned by Apple REIT Six, will be renovated using approved suppliers who are evaluated and rated by the MindClick Hospitality Sustainability Performance Index (HSP Index).
The HSP Index is the hospitality industry’s first and only supply chain sustainability rating and reporting system to help hoteliers furnish and supply hotels in ways which are better for the guest, the planet and the hotelier. With the increasing demand for sustainability, the HSP Index helps hoteliers meet guest needs for healthier hotel spaces, and corporate travel and meeting RFP requirements for reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, conserving water and increasing recycling.
The validated supplier sustainability performance information gathered will serve as the basis for a guest marketing campaign highlighting how the property has been renovated in ways that are Better for the Guest, the Community and the Planet. A research study will be conducted to determine the impact on guest perception, satisfaction and loyalty and to compare the results with comparable Marriott properties undergoing standard renovations.
A Way to Quantify Bottom Line Benefits
“Sustainability has become increasingly more important to our guests, associates and the communities in which we operate,” said Craig Amos, executive vice president of capital investments, Apple REIT Six. “We believe that sustainability is important for our company, not to mention the right thing to do for our environment. By partnering with our vendors, we can operate, furnish and supply our hotels to benefit all of our constituents, as well as our bottom line. This study will help us quantify that.”
Furniture, fixture and equipment (FF&E) and operating supplies & equipment (OS&E) suppliers in 18 categories such as carpeting, fabrics, case goods, wall coverings, light bulbs, bath fixtures and more are participating in MindClick’s HSP Index, so far.
“The guest is looking for more demonstrable benefits of hotel sustainability which until now focused primarily on operations such as recycling or towel reuse,” said JoAnna Abrams, CEO of MindClick SGM. “Guests want assurances that the products used in the hotels are beneficial to their health and well-being and aren’t harming the local communities or the planet. Research indicates that it will influence their purchasing decision.” According to a 2012 Expedia research study of 5,000 consumers, 90 percent said they would choose a hotel with furnishings and supplies that are better for the guest, the community and the planet over comparable hotels.
Abrams pointed out that sustainability is not about making a “green” product, but about the way a vendor does business. The HSP Index reviews and rates more than 30 globally recognized sustainability categories throughout company operations and products, such as packaging, recycling, distribution and the overall carbon footprint of the company.
Total Enterprise Considered
“The HSP Index looks at the total enterprise, not just its products, and measures performance based on the business needs of the hospitality industry,” Abrams says. “Using reusable packaging and more efficient transportation, for example, are highly important measures because of their contribution to improving a hotel’s sustainability performance without increasing costs. Equally important is positively contributing to the guest experience. Using formaldehyde-free finishes on case goods, for example, contributes to better hotel room air quality.”
Dave Lippert, Marriott vice president architecture & construction procurement, said his company has made a major commitment to sustainability. In 2013, at least 75 percent of the company’s FF&E purchases will be rated by the HSP Index.
“We recognize the importance of our role in reducing the environmental footprint of our hotels which extends beyond hotel operations to our supply chain,” he said. “In our 3,700-plus properties around the globe, our vendors have the opportunity to make a significant contribution to reducing the carbon footprint, energy consumption, waste and water usage in our hotels. Suppliers’ innovations in materials also help to contribute to healthier guestrooms.”
Online, Offline Marketing Program Planned
The Residence Inn by Marriott Portland West/Hillsboro with support from MindClick will educate its guests about their sustainability commitment through an integrated online and offline marketing program.
Sustainability and the HSP Index also will have an increasingly powerful impact on future purchasing decisions, according to Alan Benjamin, president of Benjamin West, whose company will provide the purchasing services for the pilot program.
“Hotel bookings, including group, corporate, business transient and leisure, increasingly will be influenced by sustainability efforts,” he said. “The HSP Index helps us easily include sustainability in our purchasing decision, along with traditional factors, such as design, quality and cost. We see all the major brands moving toward greater sustainability, and the HSP Index provides the third-party rating system with the integrity and credibility to clearly demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. The end result is a process that assists hoteliers in the purchase of sustainable FF&E and OS&E products that are better for the guests, associates and the environment.”
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