WORLDWIDE: The World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (the Alliance) has launched its Universal Sustainability Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
The Alliance made the announcement during a joint session of Tourism Ministers and the COP Presidency at COP29.
The Universal KPIs initiative, which is part of the COP29 Declaration on Enhanced Climate Action in Tourism, aims to address global climate challenges, enhance economic sustainability, and drive sustainable consumer choices.
It will establish a structured framework for the hospitality sector to measure and report on essential ESG metrics, such as greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), water consumption, waste and energy usage.
The initiative will focus on adherence to the GHG Protocol, expanding Scope 3 emissions, and establishing a comprehensive system of data verification in preparation for COP30.
The development of the KPIs involved collaboration with industry stakeholders and the methodology followed these key steps:
- Benchmarking existing standards – A comprehensive review of existing sustainability metrics was conducted to ensure alignment with global ESG trends and relevance to the hospitality sector.
- Stakeholder engagement input – This was solicited from a broad range of industry stakeholders through surveys and interviews, ensuring diverse perspectives were incorporated into the development of the KPIs.
- Validation process – Proposed KPIs were subjected to a voting process among stakeholders to achieve broad consensus and ensure that the metrics are applicable and meaningful for the industry.
- Established methodologies – Data collection will utilise established methodologies, such as the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) and the Hotel Water Measurement Initiative (HWMI), to ensure accuracy and consistency in reported data.
Glenn Mandziuk, CEO of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance said: “The launch of the Universal KPIs not only empowers our industry to take measurable actions against climate change but also ensures we are accountable to the consumers who increasingly demand trust and transparency.
“Our partnership with UN Tourism is vital in aligning our ESG frameworks and setting the stage for responsible tourism worldwide.”
Photo by Matthew TenBruggencate on Unsplash