UK: This year a key theme at The Independent Hotel Show, London will be ESG and how it impacts and challenges the hospitality sector.
The show will have an ESG Hub with activities and advice available as well as panel discussions and debates.
In a panel moderated by Felicity Cousins, editor Sustainable Hotel News, ‘The sustainability showdown: How on earth to make it work’ will see Kai Parfitt, ESG manager at The Athenaeum, Georgina Keighley-King, operations director at The Yan at Broadrayne, Jessica Manley, commercial director at The Yan at Broadrayne and Sarah Duncan, sustainability and ESG advisor at Sleeping Lion, discussing ESG insights and offering practical guidance and real-life case studies.
The importance of collaboration within the hospitality industry will be a focal point of the discussion.
Kai Parfitt, ESG manager at The Athenaeum, said: “The sustainability space needs collaboration if we are to achieve the targets set out by the Paris Agreement. We are lucky that hospitality is one of the few industries that recognises the value of collaborating, not gatekeeping.”
The aim of the session is to turn sustainability from a goal into an achievable reality for independent hoteliers. “We all need to do more than just talk about sustainability,” added Parfitt, stressing that the panel’s purpose is to inspire attendees to take actionable steps.
“I’m hoping our session provides hoteliers with the knowledge, contacts, and processes they can follow to implement sustainability and ESG at their hotels.”
Georgina Keighley-King, operations director at The Yan at Broadrayne, believes that the journey begins with small, practical steps.
“Small changes make a big impact within sustainability,” she said. The Yan at Broadrayne, located in the Lake District, is a family-run business that has successfully integrated sustainable practices into its operations without compromising on its high-end guest experience.
“We’re excited to shout about what we’ve achieved as a small family business,” Keighley-King added.
Sarah Duncan, sustainability and ESG advisor at Sleeping Lion will also be on the panel and encourages hotels to stop waiting for the perfect solution and take immediate action.
“My advice would be get on with it! Stop talking and start acting,” she said. “This is not about perfection; it’s about understanding your imperfections and showing people what you are doing to address them.”
One of the highlights of the session will be the opportunity to hear real-life case studies from the panellists. By sharing concrete examples of what hotels are doing right now, the panellists hope to provide attendees with practical ideas they can implement in their own operations.
As media partners for the Independent Hotel Show, London, Sustainable Hotel News will be covering key sustainability stories from the show.
Those interested in learning more about sustainability initiatives, products and services can also pay a visit to the ESG Hub.
The Independent Hotel Show, London takes place on October 15th-16th at Olympia. Register for your complimentary trade ticket here.
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