Going Green in Your Hospitality Business Can Cost As Little as €2 a Guest

Sustainability is no longer just about going to vegan restaurants or doing your own recycling at home. It’s expected in more businesses as a default setting, and if you haven’t started adding this to your operations, in the next few years, this is going to not only cost you quite a bit to catch up, you’ll lose out on the conscious consumer in the interim.

The hospitality sector, with its significant footprint on the environment, is no exception. Governments are now enacting new laws for businesses to adopt sustainable practices, and travellers are increasingly seeking eco-friendly options. 

Some hotels and restaurants are trying to rise to the challenge by implementing sustainable solutions, and if they are not, their prospects for success are seriously limited (hopefully, as that would mean society is pushing forward together in the right direction).

However, this is not necessarily an easy task. When you, as an owner or manager, start looking into this, you’re assaulted with options ranging from cheap to full refurb-level costs. Then list out all the areas that can be high centers of waste and cost. Talk to them like a friend - these are all obviously necessary departments and operations, so you can’t get rid of them. But you can slightly adjust them, and here’s how.

The challenge in balancing environmental responsibility with guest comfort and affordability is not a small one. Low-cost sustainability for restaurants is possible - you need to know where to start.

Energy consumption for lighting, heating, and cooling is a major concern. Water usage for laundry, guest amenities, and landscaping adds to the environmental impact. Restaurants require significant amounts of energy for cooking, refrigeration, and ventilation. Dishwashing can be a major water user. Kitchens also generate a lot of waste, from food scraps and packaging to disposable utensils and takeout containers. 

Additionally, many restaurants rely on suppliers who source ingredients from afar, contributing to a bigger carbon footprint. In general, food packaging generates excessive waste, with items being unnecessarily wrapped individually in plastic.

Sustainability ROI in hospitality

Whilst we should need encouragement beyond looking after the future of the planet, there is an upside for your business as well! In 2023, the global hospitality market reached a value of over $4.7 trillion. It was forecasted to grow to around $5.5 trillion in 2024 and to around $11.7 trillion in 2029. As of July 2023, more than 50 per cent of global travellers were looking for accommodation that had impressive sustainability credentials and innovation.

The reasons for choosing sustainable accommodations varied, but most travellers were interested in reducing their environmental impact or having a more locally relevant experience. According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), as of February 2023, 80 per cent of travellers worldwide believed that sustainable travel was important.

With that in mind, here are some activities your hospitality business can do to up your sustainability. For ease, I’ve categorised them by cost. The higher the cost, the higher the impact - but there are plenty of things you can do that don’t cost much.

Higher cost and high-impact activities

There are many ways hotels and restaurants can become more sustainable if you have the capital to invest seriously. When replacing or upgrading, look to energy-efficient appliances. Whenever possible, utilise renewable energy sources like solar panels, which can significantly reduce your business’s carbon footprint. These eco-friendly hotel and restaurant practices represent the gold standard.

Water conservation efforts include installing low-flow showerheads and faucets and offering guests the option to reuse towels and linens. Hotels can also implement composting programs for food scraps and reduce single-use plastics by opting for refillable dispensers for toiletries or providing reusable water bottles.

Moreover, hotels can offer guests green transportation options, such as bicycle rentals or partnerships with ride-sharing services that use electric vehicles. Restaurants can invest in water-saving dishwashing equipment, low-energy cooking methods and choose food delivery options that use more eco-friendly vehicles. 

Green hospitality on a budget

Sustainable food sourcing goes beyond just "farm-to-table." Partner with local producers cuts down on transportation emissions and support the local economy. Capture these benefits in your menu, perhaps with a page just about your producers and your sustainability efforts.

You can also reduce food waste through careful menu planning and composting programs - again, be sure to tell your guests in some way that you do this and how it minimises environmental impact.

Lastly, you can always offer more (even just one more) vegetarian and vegan option, or customisation to an existing dish, to reduce the amount of meat being served and therefore your environmental impact. 

Low-cost activities

Encouraging guests to participate in energy-saving measures, such as turning off lights and air conditioning when not in the room, is easy to do. Just add a sign above your light switches, or as a card on the bed when they arrive. Adding low-cost sensors and timers for your lights is also an option for communal areas, like bathrooms, that do not need permanent lighting. 

Growing your own herbs is also easy, whether in your restaurant, the communal areas, a full herb wall, etc. Just make sure you choose plants that suit your environment - Sorry, Northern Europe, but basil won’t thrive in the winter!

Capture your sustainability wins 

When you’ve taken these steps, make them obvious to your guests. Several certifications recognise hotels and restaurants for their commitment to sustainability. Examples include LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), Green Key Global, Green Dining Certification or The Food Made Good Standard. These certifications provide a framework for businesses to implement sustainable practices and demonstrate their commitment to eco-friendly operations.

Sustainability drives a sustainable business

The good news for operators is that there’s plenty of options for upping your sustainability credentials without spending on costly energy systems, pivoting to veggie only cuisine, or irritating your customers with, say, bad paper straws. 

And once you have some sustainability work underway, you’re well on your way to more business. It doesn’t matter if you are the owner of a boutique hotel, a local cafe and lunch place, or a luxury resort. If your business demonstrates a commitment to eco-friendly, sustainable practices, you have a huge chance of enhancing your brand reputation and attracting environmentally conscious guests, therefore fostering a loyal customer base. Sustainable hospitality helps businesses future-proof their operations and paves the way for a travel industry that benefits both people and the planet.

 At Gezelle, we approach sustainability as a holistic practice that implements well into every aspect of your hospitality business - and there’s always something you can do within your specific budget, team, offering, menu, or operation.If you want to get more advice on how your business can plan and implement a sustainability plan, you are welcome to contact me here.  

With that, I have to ask: What other sustainability practices have you seen that work well? Or, perhaps, what have you seen not work well at all? Share the good stories and the horror stories - there’s always something to learn! If you want to get more advice on how your business can plan and implement a sustainability strategy, you are welcome to reach out to us at hello@gezelle.co.