The group saw an opportunity to improve how the hotel
industry communicates its impacts. Currently, approaches to measuring and
reporting on carbon emissions vary widely. This can lead to confusion amongst
consumers, particularly corporate clients, looking to understand their own
potential carbon footprint and meet their own goals/targets in this area. In
addition, the number of methodologies and tools in use make transparency of
reporting within the hotel industry difficult to achieve.
The Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) Working
Group, comprising of hotel members within ITP and WTTC, was formed in early
2011 at the request of member companies to devise a unified methodology based
on available data and to address inconsistencies in hotel companies’
approaches.
THE METHODOLOGY TO ADDRESS INCONSISTENCIES
The methodology, named ‘HCMI 1.0’, launched today is a
consolidated move, led by the hotel industry, to establish a global
standardised approach to this common problem for the hotel sector and its
corporate customer base.
The methodology, informed by the GHG Protocol Standards,
was first developed in 2011 and has since been tested in hotels of different
style and size in different geographical locations and refined through a
stakeholder engagement process, with input from consultants KPMG. It has also
been reviewed by the World Resources Institute.
HCMI demonstrates how effective collaboration can provide
solutions which benefit customers, individual companies, and wider industry.
Through common measurement and language, stakeholders will now be able to
greater understand their footprints and impacts.David Scowsill, President &
CEO of WTTC said, “WTTC has long been advocating that industry speaks with ‘one
voice’. Through this initiative we have seen major hotel companies come
together to agree a means of communicating carbon impacts which ultimately will
result in more transparency and clarity for the consumer. HCMI has broken new
ground in its industry driven approach and I congratulate the companies
involved on their leadership in ensuring this important initiative comes to
fruition. We expect this industry common language to be widely used within the
next two years.”
Stephen Farrant, Director of ITP said, "This has
been a model of competitive collaboration that may serve as a useful template
for other industry sectors to learn from in addressing the challenges of carbon
management. It is inspiring to see so many leading hotel companies across the
industry working together over so many months to make this unique and
ground-breaking initiative a reality.”
Yvo de Boer, KPMG Special Global Advisor, Climate Change
& Sustainability added, “Carbon measurement is one of the key challenges of
our time and the myriad of systems to measure and report carbon usage,
particularly in the hotel sector, results in confusion and scepticism amongst
consumers. This initiative to ensure that hotels are aligned in their approach
to carbon measurement is a vital step in addressing the challenge.”
WHO'S INVOLVED
The
Working Group comprises of leading international hotel companies such as Accor,
Beijing Tourism Group, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Diamond Resorts
International, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Worldwide, Hong Kong &
Shanghai Hotels, Hyatt Corporation, InterContinental Hotels Group, Jumeirah
Group, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Marriott International Inc, Meliá Hotels
International, MGM Resorts International, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts,
Orient-Express Hotels Ltd, Pan Pacific Hotel Group, Premier Inn - Whitbread
Group, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., Shangri-La Hotels and
Resorts, The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, TUI AG, Wyndham Worldwide.
The
priority for the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative moving forward will be to
maximise the take up and recognition of the methodology by a broader range of
hotels and their customers. A review process has been put in place to ensure
the methodology may be further refined as user feedback and new research come
to light.
For
further information, please contact: info@hotelcarboninitiative.org
Source: World Travel & Tourism Council
Source: World Travel & Tourism Council
1 comment:
This is a great approach to carbon measurement that can clearly address a number of inconsistencies. Good move made by the ITP, WTTC , and the rest of the leading hospitality companies for coming up with a standardised calculation.
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