UK: This year’s Independent Hotel Show, which takes place in October, is introducing an ESG self-audit for all brands taking part in the event.
Following feedback from the ESG Hub at last year’s event, all exhibitors are being encouraged to complete a mini ESG self-audit, which includes a 30-question survey covering areas such as renewable energy use, waste reduction, diversity policies and whether ESG is a permanent agenda item in senior leadership meetings.
Those who take part will receive an instant report with their scores, along with downloadable educational flashcards to support ongoing learning.
Certificates will also be issued prior to the show, allowing exhibitors to display their audit results and make sustainability credentials clear to attending hoteliers.
The idea behind this addition to the show is to reflect the greater emphasis hoteliers are placing on working with suppliers who demonstrate environmental and social responsibility.
As well as the ESG self-audit, the show’s design partners have also been tasked with delivering feature spaces that prioritise sustainability.
Lee Birchall, owner of DV8 Designs, one of the design partners for the show said: “For the Hotel Business Stage, we have combined real, dried, and artificial plants, all of which can be reused in future projects.
“Fabrics were selected for their recycled content, including materials derived from plastic bottles, demonstrating that sustainable design can be both high-quality and visually compelling. Every decision reinforces our commitment to responsible, long-term design solutions.”
Sustainability will also be a discussion point for this year’s seminar programme. On the Innovation Stage, designed by Design Command, the session “Profit with Purpose: Why Sustainability is Smart Business” will explore how independent hotels can translate environmental responsibility into stronger guest loyalty, operational resilience and brand reputation.
Moderator Sarah Duncan, co-founder and director of Sleeping Lion, said: “I am constantly looking for ways to highlight how behaving more sustainably is not just the right thing to do (for us and the planet) but that it also makes complete business sense in terms of saving money through efficiencies and protecting the long-term viability of your business offering. I have a fantastic panel to debate this and show how sustainability and profitability do go hand in hand.”
Ed Perryman, co-founder of Replacer, and part of the panel said: “For me, this topic is more relevant than ever; I think we’re about to see a shift in emphasis from sustainability reporting and measurement, to investment in innovation and tangible action where it counts, and that’s where environmental and social impact meets organisational priorities.”
Fellow panellist, Ufi Ibrahim, chief executive of the Energy & Environment Alliance added: “Independent hotels are on the frontline of change. I’m looking forward to sharing practical, investor-grade insights that help turn sustainability from a compliance burden into measurable margin, resilience, and access to capital — so owners leave with actions they can use the next day.”
The Independent Hotel Show takes place at Olympia on 6-7 October.