This article was downloaded by: [Georgia Southern University], [Lawrence Stalcup] On: 11 August 2014, At: 08:12 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/whrh20 Human Resources Practices for Environmental Sustainability in Lodging Operations Lawrence D. Stalcup a , Cynthia S. Deale b & Samuel Y. Todd c a Hospitality Management, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, USA b School of Hospitality Leadership, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA c Sport Management, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, USA Published online: 08 Aug 2014. To cite this article: Lawrence D. Stalcup, Cynthia S. Deale & Samuel Y. Todd (2014) Human Resources Practices for Environmental Sustainability in Lodging Operations, Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 13:4, 389-404, DOI: 10.1080/15332845.2014.888508 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15332845.2014.888508 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms &
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This article was downloaded by: [Georgia Southern University], [Lawrence Stalcup]On: 11 August 2014, At: 08:12Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registeredoffice: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
Journal of Human Resources inHospitality & TourismPublication details, including instructions for authors andsubscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/whrh20
Human Resources Practices forEnvironmental Sustainability in LodgingOperationsLawrence D. Stalcupa, Cynthia S. Dealeb & Samuel Y. Toddc
a Hospitality Management, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro,Georgia, USAb School of Hospitality Leadership, East Carolina University,Greenville, North Carolina, USAc Sport Management, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro,Georgia, USAPublished online: 08 Aug 2014.
To cite this article: Lawrence D. Stalcup, Cynthia S. Deale & Samuel Y. Todd (2014) Human ResourcesPractices for Environmental Sustainability in Lodging Operations, Journal of Human Resources inHospitality & Tourism, 13:4, 389-404, DOI: 10.1080/15332845.2014.888508
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15332845.2014.888508
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE
Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the“Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis,our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as tothe accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinionsand views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors,and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Contentshould not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sourcesof information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims,proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever orhowsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arisingout of the use of the Content.
This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Anysubstantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing,systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms &
Human Resources Practices for EnvironmentalSustainability in Lodging Operations
LAWRENCE D. STALCUPHospitality Management, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, USA
CYNTHIA S. DEALESchool of Hospitality Leadership, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
SAMUEL Y. TODDSport Management, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, USA
As sustainability has increasingly become a critical global issue,attention has been focused on the lodging industry’s efforts to min-imize its environmental impact. This study investigates how hotelswith an independently identified focus on sustainability addressthe human resources issues required for maintaining sound en-vironmental practices. Hotels with Green Seal certification weresurveyed about how they trained and motivated employees and, ifnecessary, enforced the policies. The findings suggest that virtuallyall the hotels conducted training for existing and new employees.However, some questions were raised about the depth of commit-ment, particularly in enforcement.
KEYWORDS training, sustainability in lodging operations, envi-ronmental policies, human resources
INTRODUCTION
Environmental sustainability has become a central global issue, command-ing the attention of scientists, politicians, business leaders, and the generalpublic. Commercial enterprises feel the need to demonstrate their sensitivityto the environment, either in actual commitment or to bolster public im-age. The hospitality and tourism industries are no different. “Green” tourism,eco-tourism, sustainable tourism development, and other environmentally
Address correspondence to Associate Professor Lawrence Stalcup, Hospitality Manage-ment, Statesboro, Georgia, 30460-8151, USA. E-mail: [email protected]
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friendly forms of tourism have been studied and discussed in both the aca-demic and general literature. Sustainable or “green” practices in tourism,lodging, and foodservice include: The use of “green” design and constructionprinciples and materials; the use of locally produced organic foods; minimaluse of animal protein sources; minimal use of highly processed foods; cul-tural diversity and sensitivity in food choices; cultural diversity and sensitivityand non-exploitation in human resources practices; the use of reusable cut-lery, cooking, serving, storage, and table linen items; reduction in the use ofwater and electrical energy resources; the use of ecologically safe cleaningagents; recycling and waste reduction; habitat protection; “green” purchas-ing; working with “green” vendors and external partners; and employee andguest education (Fairmont Hotels, 2007; Fien, 2002; Hyatt, 2013; Marriott,2013; Wyndham, 2013). “Green” practices have received particular attentionin the lodging segment of the industry. While managers of hospitality andtourism properties have not always seen their operations as primary con-tributors to environmental destruction or decline, the industry’s activities caninfluence the environment of destination areas negatively in numerous ways,and operators express increasing awareness of and attention to diminishingthe harmful impacts of their business practices on the natural environment(Kazim, 2007). A number of hotel companies have adopted “green” hospi-tality practices such as the use of local, organic foods and ecologically safecleaning agents, recycling, waste reduction, and habitat protection (Fien,2002; Hyatt, 2013; Marriott, 2013;Wyndham, 2013); have written their owninformational materials to detail their philosophies, policies, and practiceswith regard to sustainability in their development processes and daily op-erations (Fairmont Hotels, 2007); and have created methods for evaluationof their environmentally friendly business practices (CERES, 2007). The mostwidespread environmentally-friendly hotel practices include reducing energyconsumption, buying from local suppliers, buying organic produce, monitor-ing waste production, eliminating the use of disposable packaging, recyclingall types of products and materials, and encouraging the use of public trans-portation (Iona, 2013). Further practices related to aspects of sustainabilityinclude donating to environmental groups, donating used hotel furnitureand equipment, and donating to local endangered sectors were applicable(Nicholls, 2012).
In addition to altruistic motivations, there are practical benefits to fol-lowing environmentally sound policies. Benefits to the financial bottom lineand the perception of hotels are seen to be gained through the implemen-tation of “green” practices (Bader, 2005; Graci & Dodds, 2008; Henry, 2013).Commonly demonstrated benefits include cost-saving through cost-reductionmeasures, long-term financial stability, attractiveness to lenders, long-termability to stay in business and be profitable, and increased asset value be-cause of long-term business capability (Bader, 2005). Yet while benefits maybe known, there are also perceived barriers to incorporating these practices
into daily operations. These include the cost of implementation, the lack ofknowledge about sustainability (Tzschentke, Kirk, & Lynch, 2004), and thepotential conflict with customer attitudes and perceptions (Graci & Dodds,2008). As noted, many of the practices can result in significant cost savings(Butler, 2008), and “green” certifications can give a hotel a marketing advan-tage over its less-sensitive competitors (Dicum, 2007), as there is increasingevidence that both business and leisure travelers are looking at environmen-tal issues as a factor when determining where to stay (Henry, 2013).
While there has been research on sustainability in hotels (O’Neill &Alonso, 2009; Weaver, et al., 2013), with particular attention given to costsavings (Brown, 1994; Brown, 1996; Chan et al., 2008), and even to thesustainability efforts described on hotel websites (Hsieh, 2012) and somefocus on “green consumerism” (Butler, 2008; Kang, et al., 2012; Millar &Baloglu, 2011), there has been a lack of research regarding how environ-mentally conscious practices in hotel operations intersect with the humanresource function. Employee commitment can be identified as an advantageof implementing environmentally-friendly practices in hotels because em-ployees are “increasingly sophisticated and “tuned in” to current thinkingin society” (Graci & Dodds; 2008, p. 260) and are therefore more apt toidentify with an employer that keeps up with current trends such as environ-mental programs. Some hotels use environmental efforts as staff incentives(Graci & Dodds, 2008; Reid, 2006), and in a labor intensive industry, such aslodging, entry-level employees are often responsible for carrying out manyof the sustainable practices. Some procedures, such as not changing sheetsand towels for stay-over guests, will probably gain easy acceptance. How-ever, others may be more difficult to promote. Activities such as turningoff ovens and adjusting thermostats require remembering yet another stepin the job. And some, such as sorting waste, may be unpleasant. There-fore, motivating, training, and potentially disciplining employees are keytopics.
The purpose of this research was to identify some of the human resourceplanning and structures involved in developing and maintaining a workforcegeared toward environmental sustainability. While this topic is relatively un-developed in the literature, this article is intended to lay the groundwork forfuture exploratory efforts by presenting data from an exploratory survey thatattempted to answer the following eight research questions:
1. Who receives training on sustainable practices?2. What topics are included in the training?3. Was the training primarily oriented toward employee attitudes or skills?4. How is the training delivered?5. Who is primarily responsible for ensuring that the sustainability policies
and procedures are followed? Who does this individual answer to?
6. Can the sustainability policies be enforced through the use of the hotel’sprogressive discipline system? Have employees been disciplined for notfollowing the environmentally oriented standard operating procedures?
7. What are the perceived benefits to the hotel?8. What obstacles to the training have been encountered?
LITERATURE REVIEW
Incorporating sustainability practices into daily operations in the lodging in-dustry and other sectors of the hospitality industry is becoming ever moreimportant to operators, as views of their obligations to guests and soci-ety change, costs rise, and consumers mandate “green” procedures such aswaste reduction, recycling, and energy conservation (Bader, 2005; Hospital-ity, 2007). Sustainability efforts by hotel companies have been documentedby numerous prominent hotel companies, including Hyatt (2013), Marriott(2013), Scandic (2005), Starwood (2013), and Wyndam (2013). Their effortsinvolved specific practices such as the reduction of energy use and theimplementation of green purchasing programs (Bohdanowicz, Simanic, &Martinac, 2005), the addition of employee-training programs, environmentalinformation systems, and innovative collaborations with suppliers (Good-man, 2000). Historically, the main reasons for implementing sustainabilitypractices have been the perceived reduction in operating costs and the pridein corporate responsibility (Bohdanowicz & Martinac, 2003). However, al-though sustainability efforts have been praised, some guests may only beinterested in green practices that do not diminish their experiences, whilehotel owners are primarily concerned with cost reduction (Ricaurte, Verma,& Withiam, 2012). In reality, sustainability efforts may not be as expen-sive as perceived; for example, using survey data from 206 service firms,researchers found that green service delivery and support contributed tocost reduction (Wong, Wong, & Boon-itt, 2013), and other research doc-umented that it enhanced environmental performance (Ayuso, 2006). Ex-amples of environmental sustainability efforts by major hotel companiesinclude:
• Marriott’s (2013) attention to further reduce its properties’ energy and wa-ter consumption, empower its development partners to construct “green”hotels, use a “green” supply chain, educate guests and associates aboutconservation and preservation, and address environmental issues throughrainforest protection and water conservation projects;
• Hyatt’s (2013) focus on education and engaging its associated inns inenvironmental actions and practices that reduce resource consumption,carbon emissions, and waste at all of their properties;
• Starwood’s (2013) emphasis on company alignment around “green” pro-gram goals that involve actively working to conserve natural resources,minimize waste and pollution, enhance indoor environmental quality, de-velop and report on important environmental performance indicators, andincrease awareness among guests, associates, and communities.
Specific undertakings at the property level include projects such as oneundertaken by a Wyndham hotel, whereby it pursues initiatives to purchaselocal food and beverage products in its “buy fresh” program and developedan internal “Green Committee,” composed of 10% of its employees. The com-mittee is responsible for leading the hotel toward green maintenance andcreatively incorporating new green ideas into daily operations (InternationalAssociation of Conference Centers, 2010). Without underestimating the rel-evance of other organizational members, hotel managing directors seem toplay a key role in initiating and leading the necessary organizational changetoward an environmentally sustainable culture.
Yet, while many reports exist about the actual performance indicatorsof sustainability within individual hotels and within hotel companies, lessis known about how these sustainability practices are carried out, how em-ployees are trained to engage in sustainable practices, and who leads theefforts at the property level. Therefore, this exploratory study sought to findout more about these factors.
ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS FORTHE LODGING INDUSTRY
In the United States, there are two major certification programs used by lodg-ing establishments, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)and Green Seal. LEED recognizes performance in the following key areas:Sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials andresources, indoor environmental quality, locations and linkages, awarenessand education, innovation in design, and regional priority. However, LEEDcertification is primarily concerned with the physical structure of a hotel, notits operation (Butler, 2008), while Green Seal’s main focus is on operating anenvironmentally sound property. Green Seal offers standards and a certifica-tion program for a variety of industries, including lodging. Since the 1990s,the Green Seal (2013) organization has been certifying hotels that meet spe-cific criteria in waste minimization, reuse and recycling, energy efficiency,conservation, and management, management of fresh-water resources, wastewater management, hazardous substance, and environmentally sensitive pur-chasing. Certifications are awarded at three levels: Gold, Silver, and Bronze.The standards were initially published in 1999.
As previously stated, the purpose of this study was to review how hotels,with an independent certification in environmental sustainability, addressthe human resources issues highlighted in the listed research questions.Thus, because the questions to be addressed in this study concernedoperations, Green Seal Certification was used as a filter for identifyingpotential participants.
Executives from Green Seal were contacted and graciously agreed tohelp with the development of the questionnaire and the recruitment of par-ticipants. The study used a survey, hosted on the www.surveymonkey.comwebsite that contained a mix of qualitative and quantitative questions. Dueto the exploratory nature of the research, this mix of questions was the mostappropriate technique, allowing the investigators to learn more about thenature of the topic itself for further studies. The survey items were initiallydeveloped by the researchers, then examined and amended by the execu-tive director of the Green Seal certification organization. The resulting surveywas then pre-tested by three hoteliers involved with green programs. Eachcompleted the survey and provided feedback on its contents. Only minorchanges in grammar were made. The survey was in two parts. The first wasa series of open-ended items based on the research questions. The secondsection dealt with the questions about the hotel’s size, location, and type.At the suggestion of Green Seal, the survey was limited to 15 questions.Next, the executive director of Green Seal sent an e-mail message to themanager designated as the Green Seal contact at all of the certified lodgingproperties with an explanation of the research and a request of their partici-pation. The electronic survey information address and instructions were alsoincluded. After three weeks, a follow-up reminder was sent. Green Seal wasnot involved in the actual data collection or analysis.
The quantitative results were tabulated using Excel. A content anal-ysis was conducted of the qualitative questions. The participants’ writtenresponses were coded by one of the researchers to develop the variables.This coding was reviewed independently by each of the researchers. Theresponses were then reviewed to count the number of times each variablewas cited. Again, this step was reviewed by the other researchers.
RESULTS
The study resulted in 36 useable surveys out of a population of 119 certifiedhotels, for a response rate of 30.3%. The hotels were located in 12 statesand the District of Columbia. The average size of a lodging property in thesample was 403 rooms. The median size was 325 rooms, with a range of55 to 804 rooms. The overwhelming majority of the hotels (93.8%) reported
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Training for Sustainability in Hotels 395
TABLE 1 Table of Results
Do NEW employees receive training on sustainability and environmental procedures?
What sustainability topics are addressed in your training? Check ALL that apply
Response ResponseAnswer Options Percent Count
Waste Minimization 90.6% 29Energy Efficiency, Conservation and Management 93.8% 30Management of Fresh Water Resources 43.8% 14Waste-Water Management 43.8% 14Hazardous Substances 84.4% 27Environmentally and Socially Sensitive Purchasing Policy 71.9% 23answered question 32skipped question 4
Are these topics oriented towards the “Task of doing” or “Attitude about doing”?
Response ResponseAnswer Options Percent Count
Task of doing 15.6% 5Attitude about doing 0.0% 0Both 84.4% 27answered question 32skipped question 4
What methods are used in the delivery of training?
Response ResponseAnswer Options Percent Count
Classroom style 77.4% 24Hands-on laboratory 41.9% 13Computer-based interactive 3.2% 1Self-instructional Video or Workbook 6.5% 2answered question 31skipped question 5
having restaurant(s) and catering operations on-site (i.e., full service hotels),35.5% reported that they were properties aimed at commercial travelers, and32.3% reported being either a convention or a resort property.
As noted in Table 1, the following results were obtained from the surveyresponses:
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1. Who receives training on sustainable practices?All (100%) of the respondents reported that existing employees receivetraining on sustainability and environmental issues. Only 88% indicatedthat new employees received such training.
2. What topics are included in the training?Of the six general categories outlined previously, the most common top-ics included were energy efficiency conservation and management (94%),waste minimization (91%), and handling hazardous substances (88%). En-vironmentally and socially sensitive purchasing policies were the nextmost mentioned topics (72%). The management of fresh and waste waterwere each cited by fewer than 50% of the respondents.
3. Was the training primarily oriented toward employee attitudes or skills?The majority of respondents reported combining attitude and task orien-tation (70.6% for new employees and 84.4% for existing employees).
4. How is the training delivered?The most common type of training was classroom style (72%), fol-lowed by hands-on practice (50%). Both computer-based and self-pacedvideo/workbook tools were cited as being used by less than 10% of thehotels.
5. Who is primarily responsible for ensuring that the sustainability policiesand procedures are followed?A wide variety of individuals were responsible for sustainability training.The Human Resources Director was the most commonly mentioned posi-tion (31%), followed by individual department heads (26%). Some hotelsidentified specific individuals with titles such as Eco Champion or Envi-ronmental Director (8%). Approximately the same number assigned theresponsibility to the Director of Housekeeping (8%).Who does this individual answer to?Of those sampled, 76% of the individuals responsible for training answeredto the General Manager. Another 21% answered to an executive committeemember.
6. Can the sustainability policies be enforced through the use of the hotel’sprogressive discipline system?Fewer than half (45.5%) of the respondents indicated that sustainabilityand environmental procedures were enforceable under the hotel’s pro-gressive discipline system. Have employees been disciplined for not fol-lowing the environmentally oriented standard operating procedures? Ofthose that do allow use of punitive control systems, only a third (33%)have used them.
7. What obstacles have been encountered?The most commonly cited obstacle was achieving employee acceptanceand understanding the importance of sustainability (30% of responses).Representative responses included: “A lot of people coming from
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Training for Sustainability in Hotels 397
different countries and not understanding the issues at hand”; “Many as-sociates in the Los Angeles area are transient or come from different areasof the country. We have found that sustainability concepts as simple asrecycling or sorting food waste are not part of social norms in some partsof our country”; and “Breaking old habits learned at home, especially ina city where recycling is still ‘new.”’
The second most frequently mentioned obstacle was a lack of timeand problems with coordination (17%). A lack of proper managementsupport (presumably from managers other than the respondent) was citedin 13% of the responses. One participant wrote: “The attitude is ‘I’m notpaying for it so why should I care.”’ A lack of resources was also cited13% of the time. Two respondents mentioned an actual or perceivedinferiority of sustainable substitute products. Language differences (10%),consistency of procedures (7%), and a lack of enforceability (7%) werealso cited multiple times.
8. What are the perceived benefits to the hotel?The most commonly mentioned benefit was an increase in employee prideand a strengthening in the organizational culture (37%). As one respon-dent stated, “It is carried throughout the hotel. While it also creates anatmosphere of ‘I work somewhere special because no other hotel is doingxxxx in our market.”’ A reduction in energy and water consumption andwaste (20%) and the related financial return (14%) were commonly men-tioned benefits. Contrary to some of the literature, espousing the benefitsof marketing the subject was only mentioned in 6% of the responses. How-ever, external social benefits were mentioned in 17% of the responses. Anexample of this type of response included, “That when shown as a priorityfor daily operations in the Resort then this practice could carry over to thehome life and thus reduce the home-life eco footprint.”
DISCUSSION
The results of the study indicate that in hotels where the managers andowners have demonstrated an interest in sustainability, training is nearlyuniversal for both new and existing employees. The hotels appear to em-phasize both the need for environmental sustainability and hands-on practi-cal applications. Logically, the three most common topics—energy efficiencyconservation and management, waste minimization, and handling hazardoussubstances—are areas where individual line employees can have the great-est impact. The management of fresh- and waste-water handling tends to bemore technical and capital intensive (Green Seal, 2013). Therefore, it is notsurprising that the survey results indicated that the individual employee hasless effect.
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398 L. D. Stalcup et al.
The respondents noted that classroom instruction was the most fre-quently used method to train employees about sustainability. However,the extensive use of classroom instruction may not be the most effectiveway to reach employees, particularly for those with limited educationalbackgrounds. Ten percent of the respondents mentioned language diffi-culties, raising questions about whether the training may be viewed as astandardized “one size fits all” program rather than job specific. Perhapstraining in the workplace itself rather than in the classroom needs to begiven more attention for its relevance where sustainability practices are con-cerned. Researchers have suggested that, “classroom theory and simulatedrole play is not an adequate substitution for exposure to the real workplacecontext” (Baum & Ogders, 2001, p. 106). In addition, taking advantage of“learning moments” when employees are most open to training and listento the insightful and creative suggestions of other employees may increaseeffectiveness, as engaging their expertise can help to improve the usefulnessand staying power of training overall (Weitzel, 2009). Finally, live, one-on-one training and the use of technology have been viewed as importantand useful training methods for foodservice employees (Berta, 2007), andthey may well be effective for further training opportunities with regard tosustainable lodging practices.
While sustainability is of interest to these hoteliers, some doubts existabout the perceived importance of environmental issues to hoteliers andsome problems with sustainability in practice were shared. Only 8% of thehoteliers indicated that their property has an individual whose primary re-sponsibility is sustainability. In addition, comparatively few hotels in thesample allowed for the use of the discipline system in the enforcement ofsustainability practices. And very few of those that do, have used it. Anotherproblem that was frequently cited was the lack of manager buy-in as faras sustainability practices in the hotel’s daily operations. Additionally, timeconstraints for training may be a further indication of a non-universal com-mitment. The largest obstacle cited, a lack of employee buy-in, may also bean indication that the employees do not perceive sustainability to be a keyfactor in job success. However, a mitigating factor may be the timing of thedata collection. The study was conducted as the hospitality industry (and theeconomy as a whole) was emerging from the worst downturn in decades.The property’s survival may have taken a priority in this case.
An interesting result is that over half of the responses profiling the bene-fits of sustainability were focused on intangible items such as organizationalpride and community development. Perhaps a greater appreciation and em-phasis on the potential financial savings and marketing opportunities mightincrease the commitment to sustainability from the top executives.
More attention could also be paid to best practices for environmen-tal sustainability that are already being implemented by hotels, and thesecan be shared among hotel managers and their associates. As noted,
hotel best practices aimed at protecting the natural environment and reducingoperational costs involve such activities as saving water and energy, imple-menting eco-friendly purchasing policies, and reducing emissions and wastedisposal (Lee, Hsu, Han, & Kim, 2010). Specific examples of “green” hotelpractices highlighted by the American Hotel and Lodging Association (2013)include:
• Implementing long-term recycling programs that involve not only recyclingin the property itself but also recycling on the part of associates, such asthe program implemented by the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort;
• Receiving the Energy Star designation by the Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) through a series of changes that included replacing thebuilding’s original chillers with variable frequency drive chillers, installinga guestroom air-conditioning energy management system, replacing lightbulbs with energy-efficient T-8 bulbs, and installing motion sensors to shutoff back-of-house lighting, as earned by the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber;
• Applying specific strategies to go “greener” such as placing blue recyclingboxes throughout the hotel, recycling all kinds of items, donating old linensand soap to charity, and using energy-saving light bulbs, as practiced bythe Radisson Suite Hotel at the Toronto Airport;
• Making effective facility-related changes to go “greener” that include con-verting the indoor pool and whirlpool to mineral saline, installing low-volume toilets and shower heads, using energy efficient fluorescent andLED lighting, and employing auto censors for heating and cooling, such asthose implemented by the Country Inn & Suites at the Manchester, NewHampshire Airport;
• Engaging in community and educational projects such as the one startedby the Nontanum Resort in Kennebunkport, Maine that participates in anongoing annual project with local middle school children whereby thestudents design a hotel room in an environmentally friendly way;
• Enhancing environmental stewardship efforts through a project to conservehoney bees by maintaining an apiary on its rooftop, also improving itsculinary offerings, such as the project undertaken by the Fairmont Hotelin Washington, DC; and
• Implementing a “green” team or committee charged with making changesto improve environmentally-friendly practices, an initiative implemented inproperties that include the Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort and the ArizonaBiltmore.
In addition, other areas may be deserving of attention through trainingefforts with regard to sustainability. For example, hotel professionals mayneed help in figuring out how to document their sustainability efforts. Re-porting sustainability projects can be complicated, but helpful systems existincluding the reporting procedure of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
(2013). It is a widely accepted systematic way to chronicle a property’s orcompany’s sustainability efforts on an annual basis, similar to the way that ahotel reports its financial performance, and is used by firms such as Marriott(GRI, 2013; Marriott, 2013).
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Although the sample for the study was small, it did represent a large portionof the Green Seal hotels, and therefore, the respondents’ answers providesome insights into how those involved in managing several leading hotels insustainability perceive training and the implementation of green practices intheir properties. It appears that staff training in a hotel is a vital step towardpromoting and practicing sustainability on an ongoing basis. As hotels gogreen, hoteliers need to be sure that their employees are indeed practicinggreen. For without the actual daily practice of sustainability, guests may getmixed messages about the hotel’s commitment to the environment. Sugges-tions include paying attention to the customer-service aspects of green train-ing, making sustainability training part of the hotel’s environmental healthand safety training, following up on the training, and repeating the trainingoften to keep the green plan at the forefront of employees’ minds and actions(Environmentally Friendly Hotels, 2013).
For hotels just getting started with green plans and programs, learningabout green activities from other hotels and organizations that assist hotelswith green programs could be a key first step. Many companies provideresources that can serve as templates for change (i.e., Hyatt, 2013; Marriott,2013; Scandic, 2005; Starwood, 2013; Wyndam, 2013). Companies and indi-vidual properties that have already headed in the direction of green practicescan offer innovative ideas and activities to help guide those who are new tothe concepts and practices of environmental sustainability. For example, theGreen Seal certified Emory Conference Center Hotel (2013) engages in inno-vative practices that include some relatively easy steps toward going green,such as only purchasing energy-efficient appliances, working to reduce wasteoverall, and donating old linens to charity, as well as more time-intensive,advanced, and more costly initiatives, such as recycling cooking oil andusing it to run the property’s vans on bio-diesel fuel. Using readily avail-able information, hoteliers can increase the understanding and awareness ofsustainability and the perceived need for sustainable practices at their ownproperties.
Industry professionals at all levels can benefit from understanding theconcepts of the greenhouse effect, climate change, and global warming,learning the green vocabulary, determining one’s own hotel’s environmentalimpact, and surveying the hotel to analyze such items as its energy use,water consumption, building and design considerations, waste management
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Training for Sustainability in Hotels 401
(Eco Green Hotel, 2013), and purchasing options and procedures. Taking acareful look at all of these, creating a green team, developing a plan, trainingemployees thoughtfully, at times enforcing compliance, and beginning toimplement a plan are all steps toward engaging a hotel property in moreenvironmentally responsible practices.
Finally, working toward a more-integrated industry approach to envi-ronmental sustainability would be helpful. Currently, Green Seal recognizeshotels that pursue specific standards, and yet many hotels that are LEED cer-tified, even at the highest platinum level, do not have any kind of Green Sealcertification. While the authors of this article are not advocating membershipin a specific organization, it would perhaps be beneficial for industry orga-nizations that have environmental initiatives to collaborate more closely toincrease the visibility of green practices in the lodging industry so that bothemployees and guests realize the importance of environmental sustainabilitytoday and in the future.
LIMITATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
This was an exploratory study using a limited sample. Also, as noted, the sur-vey was conducted as the hospitality industry (and the economy as a whole)was emerging from the worst downturn in many years. The responses mayhave been influenced by the timing of the data collection, and perhapschanges in the patterns would be seen if the survey were conducted today.Furthermore, the responses reflect the participants’ perceptions of the train-ing, which may be subject to some biases. The primary purpose of the workwas to generate questions rather than to provide answers; thus, more re-search is needed to determine how representative the views expressed by thesurvey respondents are in the lodging industry in general. The participatinghotels were among the leaders in “green” practices, having self-selected tobecome designees of the Green Seal certification, and therefore, the generalhotel industry may have different practices and ideas regarding environmen-tal sustainability. Furthermore, the hoteliers in the sample are considerablylarger and more complex (as indicated by the existence of food and bever-age operations) than the typical U.S. Hotel. Therefore, no attempt was madenor should be made to generalize the results.
Future studies are needed to determine how and what kind of trainingin sustainability practices is conducted in hotels in general. This pilot studydid not address the length of training available, and a more detailed in-depth survey of a broader sample of hotels might provide a bigger picture ofthe actual sustainability training practices in lodging properties. Additionally,comparisons need to be made between regional, national, and internationalchains, and property types (full-service, limited-service, and different lodgingsizes), all of which would be helpful, as would information about why hotels
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seek green certification and others do not. Ultimately, there needs to be more“best practices” articles to allow hotels to develop effective programs morequickly and efficiently. This is not an area for competition between hotelsbut rather one for cooperation toward a common goal. The aim of thispilot study was to begin the conversation about human resources and thepractices involved with environmental sustainability in the lodging sectorindustry.
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