How can hotels effectively balance guest luxury with meaningful sustainability practices? In this episode of the Sustainability Stories podcast, host Radhika Arapally explores this intriguing question with Jacqueline Kneebone, the ESG Head of Sustainability and Wellness at One Hundred Shoreditch London Hotel, which is part of the Lore Group. Jacqueline shares her journey into sustainability, emphasizing the intertwined nature of wellness and sustainability and how these concepts shape her work.

Jacqueline discusses the sustainability initiatives at 100 Shoreditch, highlighting the hotel's adaptive design approach and efforts to reduce single-use plastics and incorporate renewable energy. She elaborates on the advanced phase of sustainability that the hotel has entered, focusing on mandatory ESG reporting and establishing carbon baselines.

The conversation also covers Jacqueline's continuous learning journey, including her participation in the ESG Executive Program at King's College, and how she upskills her team and stakeholders in sustainability practices. Jacqueline talks about the importance of making sustainability convenient and commercially sound to ensure buy-in from all stakeholders.

The episode concludes with insights into the future of sustainable hospitality, the challenges faced, and the innovative partnerships and community projects that 100 Shoreditch is involved in, such as their collaboration with Made Blue for responsible water use and Earnt for community volunteering.

Listeners are encouraged to stay updated by subscribing to the Sustainability Kiosk newsletter and to explore further learning opportunities mentioned in the show notes.

This episode is part of the podcast series "Hotel Sustainability Stories #BeyondCOP28," featuring sustainability stories from participating Green Collection hotels. Hosted by Radhika Arapally, this episode celebrates the one-year anniversary of the Green Collection hotels by Global Hotel Alliance, highlighting their journey and achievements in sustainability over the past year.

Notes:

Earnt Community Volunteering: https://www.instagram.com/p/C7CcstBIIoo/

Future Plus, sustainability management reporting platform: https://www.future-plus.co.uk/

Made Blue Partnership for Responsible water use: https://loregroup.com/made-blue/

Hotel Information on Sustainability: https://www.onehundredshoreditch.com/hotel-info/sustainability/

ESG Executives program at Kings College London: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/business/executive-education/open-course/the-kings-eea-executive-esg-programme-for-hospitality-leaders

Sustainability Stories Podcast: Green Collection with Global Hotel Alliance

How are global hotel chains embracing sustainability and community support? In this episode, we speak with Jelena Kezika, Global Director Strategy, Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), about their Green Collection initiative on the one-year anniversary since launch.

The Green Collection is a group of 200 hotels within the GHA Discovery loyalty program that are committed to protecting the environment and supporting local communities. We discuss what criteria hotels need to meet to be included in the Green Collection and how GHA is helping its member hotels to become more sustainable.

Listeners will learn about the significant positive impact the Green Collection has had over the past year, including a 10% collective reduction in carbon emissions by the participating hotels. Additionally, Jelena discusses the enhanced guest experiences, with members of GHA Discovery loyalty program choosing to pay more and stay longer at Green Collection hotels, reflecting a growing preference for eco-friendly accommodations.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the interview:

• The various sustainability initiatives implemented by GHA's member hotels.
• The measurable environmental benefits, such as the collective reduction in carbon emissions.
• The increasing consumer demand for sustainable travel options, evidenced by longer stays and higher spending at Green Collection hotels.

For anyone interested in sustainable travel and hospitality, this episode provides valuable insights and inspiration. Be sure to listen to the full episode and subscribe to the Sustainability Kiosk newsletter for more updates and information on green travel initiatives!

This episode is part of the podcast series "Hotel Sustainability Stories #BeyondCOP28," featuring sustainability stories from participating Green Collection hotels. Hosted by Radhika Arapally, this episode celebrates the one-year anniversary of the Green Collection hotels by Global Hotel Alliance, highlighting their journey and achievements in sustainability over the past year.

The two-part episode is with ⁠John Roberts⁠, Group Director of Sustainability & Conservation at Minor Hotels.

John is a visionary leader with over two decades of experience, overlooking the 500 hotels in the field of sustainability.

Under his leadership, Minor Hotels, which includes Anantara, Avani, NH Collection, Oaks, nhow, Tivoli and Elewana hotels has achieved significant milestones, including a 20% reduction in water consumption and a 30% reduction in carbon emissions. But John's passion goes beyond the numbers.

John shares his vision of the changing landscape for sustainability, and what the future holds for sustainability at MINOR Hotels.

We hope to continue the discussions with John in a future episode, where he will discuss the Anantara Golden Triangle hotel, known for elephant conservation.

Notes:

Minor Hotels Sustainability Report: https://www.minorhotels.com/en/sustainability