ESG Metric: GHG Scope 3 emissions
Ease of implementation: Medium
Suitable for: Business travelling workforce
Suggested functional lead: HR, Finance department
Summary
To decrease the Scope 3 hotel emissions, we suggest booking hotels which are actively reducing their environmental and carbon impact. The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance has created a list of their accredited hotels globally, all committing to various ESG targets. As an alternative, Booking.com has set up its own verified Sustainable Travel badge to indicate which hotels are a sustainable option.
Background Information
Hotels are accountable for 1% of global carbon emissions, mainly due to their heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, restaurants and bar refrigeration, and pool heating. The Sustainable Hotel Alliance found that the hotel industry must reduce its carbon emission by 66% per room by 2030 and 90% by 2050 to ensure the industry’s growth does not increase its carbon emissions. Thus, further emission reductions must take place to limit warming to 1.5oC. This can be achieved by solely booking sustainable hotels as they save an average of 128,810 CO2 annually, equivalent to planting 886 trees.
Implementation Steps
Identify hotel budget
Collaboration is required between the members of staff organising travel and the finance department to identify the current budget set aside for hotels. Review the budget together and assess whether any agreements have been made with specific hotels. You may find that booking on a case-by-case basis is cheaper than a pre-existing hotel agreement.
Terminate any agreements with hotels
If an agreement was signed between your business and a specific hotel or chain, ensure you terminate the agreement before transitioning to other accommodation options.
Set up new Corporate Travel Policy to include sustainable
Create a new corporate travel policy outlining the new hotel options. See template for the policy here. We suggest using
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance hotels
Members of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance make up 30% of global hotel industry, including 18 of the large globally renowned hotel chains. For a hotel to be considered sustainable, they must follow and fulfil practices including protecting natural surroundings, contributing to community development, low energy consumption technology, sustainable HVAC systems, water saving systems etc.
They have a range of large or small hotel options globally. We suggest solely booking hotels accredited by them to ensure you are making the most sustainably conscious business travel decisions. Find a list of hotels here. You can also find additional information on their pathway to net zero here.
Alternative option: Booking.com Business Sustainable Travel badge hotels
If an appropriate hotel cannot be found on the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance website, we suggest using booking.com which has set up an independently validated programme to identify sustainable accommodation. Their Sustainable Travel badge is assessed through an independent verification criteria model to increase transparency and ease of booking sustainable hotels.
Collate new travel planning information
Collate information and design training on the new method of booking accommodation. Emphasise the positive environmental impact of sustainable hotel nights and the need for the transition. Put together an information and guidance pack on how to book the new hotels.
Give training for logistics departments/assistant who arrange travel plans
Give training outlining the positive environmental impact sustainable hotels have. It can include the current hotel emissions, projected decrease, the two suggested sustainable hotel options and how to use their websites to make a booking. Send out the information packs for employees to refer back to later.
Monitor the travel arrangement to ensure
Assign responsibility to a member of staff to monitor and track the number of sustainable nights versus the other original hotel nights.