WORLDWIDE: Choice Hotels International has published its 2023 ESG Report, with a commitment to set targets for reducing its carbon footprint through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Choice is one of the world’s largest hotel groups, with around 630,000 rooms across 7,500 franchised properties.
It has engaged a third-party consulting firm to help guide the SBTi validation process, which will include calculating its full Scope 1, 2 and 3 inventory and determining appropriate decarbonization pathways.
The SBTi is a collaboration between the CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, the We Mean Business Coalition, the World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
The organisation develops tools that allow businesses to set greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets in line with data-driven methodology.
Meanwhile, Choice has also revamped its in-house Room to be Green certification programme, which it says now takes into account “the most recognised third-party certification standards, the most frequent sustainability requests from corporate clients, and expectations from our broader stakeholders and industry”.
The programme has been expanded to include four certification levels, with all domestic and international hotels in direct markets required to meet the Level 1 standards by early 2025.
Examples of Level 1 requirements include utility data reporting, basic water and energy saving measures, and switching to bulk amenities (applicable to domestic brands, excluding the Ascend Hotel Collection and Radisson Collection).
Choice has also selected 35 hotels for a pilot Environmental Property Improvement Plan (ePIP), which will see the hotels participate in sustainability audits conducted by third-party experts.
The properties will receive recommendations and solutions to help drive more sustainable operations and investments, ranging from building envelope enhancements, rainwater reuse, water mitigation solutions, energy-saving smart thermostats in guest rooms, and the replacement of natural gas water heaters with electric heat pump high-efficiency units.
The group said it plans to embed the insights obtained from the pilot into its existing property improvement plan processes.
As we reported earlier this year, Choice has also signed a partnership with Tesla to offer EV Universal Wall Connectors to guests staying at participating hotels across its US portfolio.
Currently around 40 per cent of the group’s Cambria hotels offer EV charging, and by the end of 2024 all are expected to be outfitted with at least one charging station.
Commenting on the report Patrick Pacious, president and CEO of Choice Hotels International, said: “Our sustainability practices aren’t just good for our communities and the planet – they are also good for business. Finding new ways to reduce water and energy use at our Choice-branded hotels, for example, can benefit the environment while also boosting our franchisees’ bottom lines.”
To read the Choice Hotels International 2023 Environmental, Social and Governance Report in full, click here.
Image from media.choicehotels.com