News
News
he American Hotel & Lodging
Association convened hotel
and sustainability leaders in
Washington for the second annual
“Responsible Stay Summit” on Feb. 28,
reaffirming the industry's dedication
to environmental sustainability. The
summit was part of AHLA’s 2022
Responsible Stay initiative and focused
on energy efficiency, waste reduction,
water conservation, and responsible
sourcing, AHLA said in a statement.
The summit addressed environmental,
social, and governance strategies, federal
energy policy, and green financing, while
offering crucial support to hoteliers in
their sustainability efforts, the statement
added.
This year's summit featured two
announcements: AHLA and the Hotel
Association of Canada unveiled a
partnership to oversee the Green Key
Global sustainability certification
program in the U.S. and Canada starting
April 1. Additionally, AHLA and Procure
Impact launched a Dignity of Work
Pledge, aiming to generate 100,000 hours
of paid employment for underserved
populations, thereby promoting
responsible sourcing practices.
“AHLA is proud to host the inspiring
Responsible Stay Summit, which is
designed to help hoteliers build a more
sustainable future for our guests, our
industry, and our planet,” said Chip
Rogers, AHLA’s president and CEO.
“Hoteliers can always count on AHLA for
the latest sustainability tools, resources,
and best practices in this fast-evolving
field.”
The event included speakers such as
Dan Feldman, partner at Covington, Ben
Feller, partner at Maslansky + Partners,
Greg Gershuny, executive director of the
Energy and Environment Program at The
Aspen Institute, and Emily Kreps, global
head of ESG and Sustainable Finance at
Deutsche Bank, the statement said.
‘Green Key Global’
The Green Key Global sustainability
certification program will be launched
in the U.S. and Canada on April 1, AHLA
said. The program evaluates hotels based
on key criteria such as energy and water
conservation, waste management, air
quality, and more, offering a roadmap for
ongoing enhancement.
“This partnership is a gamechanger
for the hotel industry in the U.S. and
Canada and takes our commitment to
sustainability to the next level,” said
Rogers. “Green Key Global provides
important third-party validation for
hotels’ sustainability efforts, and it gives
sustainability-minded travelers the
information they need to choose the
lodging options that are right for them.
AHLA and HAC will be working together
to promote these goals through this
important partnership.”
HAC established Green Key Global
in 1994 to certify hotels' environmental
policies, aligning its criteria with the United
Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“We are so proud of the commitments
hotels are making on the ground as part
of this program,” said HAC President and
CEO Susie Grynol. “Establishing a Green
Key Global North American standard of
sustainability allows more properties to
elevate their leadership in this space, and
through this partnership, we believe we
can make sustainability accessible for all
hotels.”
In October, AHLA teamed up with
IncentiFind to help more than 30,000
AHLA members discover sustainability-
focused cost-saving opportunities,
resulting in significant operational
expense reductions totaling $70 billion in
incentives, including tax credits, grants,
and fee waivers.
AHLA offers hoteliers
multiple routes to a
sustainable future, including:
Enrolling in the Green Key Global
hotel sustainability certification
program.
Utilizing IncentiFind to access
financial incentives for sustainability
initiatives.
Committing to the Dignity of Work
Pledge for sustainable sourcing.
Learning food waste reduction best
practices through Hotel Kitchen.
Endorsing the Responsible Stay
principles.
AHLA hosts second annual 'Responsible
Stay Summit' in Washington
It extends AHLA's 2022 Responsible Stay initiative that promotes
environmental sustainability
The American Hotel & Lodging Association hosted its second annual Responsible Stay Summit in
Washington. Hotel and sustainability leaders attended to discuss ways to strengthen the industry's
commitment to environmental sustainability.
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