Paul Sposare
The Environmental Media Association has launched a green seal specifically targeting hotel and hospitality assets. The green seal—a first from the environmental non-profit—was developed to spotlight hotels that are implementing green and energy efficient practices. Montage International is the first hotel brand to receive the seal, and it will hang the accolade across all Montage Hotels & Resorts and Pendry Hotels & Resorts Properties.
“In 2009, I opened a hotel that was LEED Platinum certified and it made me realize that there were limited options in place to help hotels on a day to day basis to educate employees and customers on lessening their impact on the environment,” Paul Sposare, executive director of EMA, tells GlobeSt.com. “There are a lot if resources for building a new property but once you open there was little support on what can be done daily. EMA has been around for nearly 30 years advising television and film productions as well as events such as the SAG Awards and more in green practices with our EMA Green Seal for Production. EMA has mastered the art of environmental messaging through storytelling, education and entertainment. Moving into the Hospitality sector was a natural migration. We are excited to use our voice to amplify the positive message of sustainable practices these properties will put in place.”
Implementing green practices is more than a benefit to the environment. It also has a major impact on hotel occupancy. Today, travelers and consumers are looking for more sustainable and healthy environments. Often, they are looking for sustainable spaces. “In the Impact Travel Alliance Bringing Sustainable Tourism to the Masses Survey, 35% of respondents found it difficult to travel sustainably and 50% said they didn't know how,” says Sposare. “Additionally, 40% of those surveyed said they would pay more to use travel service providers that demonstrate environmental sustainability. There seems to be a market for people who want to support hotels and resorts that are making an effort to operate in a way that will minimize their impact on our planet.” Sposare hopes that the seal will give travelers a guide.
To earn the seal, hotels earn points for environmental improvements—and the options are vast and often times easily achieved. It includes bike racks, preferred parking for electric vehicles, employee incentives for carpooling or biking to work, and no idling areas in roundabouts. “One way a property can make a big impact is to eliminate plastic bottles of water with your logo on them,” says Sposare as another option. “Today there are so many other options, such as refillable water bottles as amenities, refill stations throughout the property, or simply using a better packaging option such as just water.”
In addition to implementing cleaner practices to earn points, EMA also recommends the property form an environmental impact committee. “This is an employee driven group that will ensure best practices are followed and new ideas are shared with the rest of the employees,” adds Sposare. “This encourages support and buy in by all so that the practices can effectively be communicated to guests and employees.”
The program just launched, so it is hard to gauge industry response; however, Sposare says that during the development period, the organization received positive feedback from hotel owners and general managers. “They all agree they want to do more for our planet but simply do not have the resources, time or budgets,” he adds. “EMA helps to solve these issues by giving properties an easy to understand guide that can be implemented with little resources. Our goal at EMA is to provide these tools, help to educate the teams, promote the program by leveraging our social reach and hopefully fill some rooms at the same time.”
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Kelsi Maree Borland
