Chapter 2: Fostering a Green Culture and Management System

Hotel Management’s Role and Responsibilities

Implementing environmental practices can benefit both business and the public. Hotel management needs to make
a commitment to environmental protection; they should develop the appropriate environmental management
policies and working cultures for their operations.  Good management should adhere to the following guidelines:

• Be a role model.  Practice what you preach by following the same measures you expect your staff to follow.  This
will demonstrate your commitment to your hotel's environmental programme.

• Involve in environmental programmes and activities.

• Provide environmental training and enhance communication with your employees in order to improve their
congnition of environmental protection.

• Set up targets for environmental improvement and establish incentives to encourage environmental conservation
works by presenting awards to those employees who are highly committed to undertaking environmental measures,
for example.

Environmental Programme Establishment

No matter how environmentally committed management may be, it will not be able to achieve targets without the
motivation and support of staff.  Over time your programme will acquire its own momentum as staff and even
guests feed into the process and help you to build up your environmental improvements.  Here are some simple
steps to set your hotel to a more environmentally responsible operation.

a. Conduct an initial review of your hotel operation
You cannot reduce your environmental impacts until you have identified what they are and ranked them in
priority.  The areas of environmental aspects that you may need to look at include:

• Energy consumption – electricity, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and fuel oil.

• Water consumption – for irrigating, laundry, swimming pools, cleaning, drinking, etc.

• The amount of your waste disposal – e.g. glass, cans, plastics, paper, metals, kitchen grease, food waste, toner
cartridges, electrical appliances, used furniture and what could be recycled.

(Photo 2.1) Conduct an initial review of your hotel operation first.	(Photo 2.2)  Ensure environmental policy is available to the public. e.g. Post it on the notice board.

• Emissions and indoor air quality – e.g. equipment,
heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
systems, synthetic materials for building
construction and furnishings, personal care
products such as cleaners and fabrics, processes
and operating procedures that contribute to
harmful emissions.

• Noise – e.g. noisy and vibrating equipment such
as washing machine, lawnmowers, vacuum
cleaners, and systems such as heating, air
conditioning and ventilation systems, guest
rooms, entertainment areas such as karaokes,
discos and night clubs,  construction and
renovation projects.

• Landscaping – e.g. type of
fertilisers, choice of plants,
locations of trees and shrubs,
etc.

• Use of chemicals and
hazardous materials.

• Purchasing supplies and
services – Are there
environmentally preferable
alternatives?

• Contractors – Do they have
sufficient environmental
training and effective
environmentally friendly
operation?

* Note: Environmental impact is
any change to the environment,
whether adverse or beneficial,
wholly or partially resulting from
an organisation's activities,
products or services.

b. Devise an environmental policy
An environmental policy outlines the aims and the principles a hotel plans to follow.  A formal policy is invaluable
in telling your stakeholders – employees, guests, business partners, local residents that management is committed
to environmental improvement.  The policy should reflect the commitment of the top management to compliance
with applicable laws, continual improvement and pollution  control.  You could use the following environmental
policy as a basis.

c. Set objectives and targets
To measure progress you need to monitor your performance against a set of targets and objectives.  This can also
facilitate the achievement of continual improvement in environmental performance. During the setting of objectives
and targets, the following issues should be considered:

• How the established objectives and targets are linked to the hotel’s environmental aspects and impacts.
• Whether your objectives and targets are specific and measurable.
• Whether you mean a percentage reduction in consumption or in cost.
• When you plan to meet the target.
• Who is responsible for the actions needed to meet the target.

When setting objectives, do so in consultation with those who will be responsible for achieving them.  This will ensure that they feel a sense of involvement in the process.

d. Design an environmental programme
After setting the objectives and targets, the hotel can then compile a corresponding environmental programme.
The programme should clearly specify the implementation schedules for the objectives and targets, the required
resources, the staff responsibilities, the work priorities, etc.  The programme should be flexible enough and can be
revised in case of any change in the objectives and targets.

Example of an Environmental Programme

(Photo 2.3) An environmental working group i.e. environmental committee, task force or green team holds a regular meeting. (Source: Environmental Protection Department, Hong Kong).

e. Communication
Hotel management should implement a procedure for receiving,
documenting, and responding to relevant information and requests from internal and external parties and consider appointing a senior staff member as a green manager to be responsible for managing the environmental works.
In addition, an environmental working group i.e. environmental committee, task force or green team including representatives from key departments could also be formed for coordination and implementation of the established  environmental policy and measures.                 

f. Operational Control
The hotel should establish procedures for operations with significant environmental aspects in line with its policy, objectives and targets.  It is also necessary to communicate relevant procedures and requirements to suppliers and contractors.

g. Training
The hotels should establish and maintain procedures
for identifying training needs and require their
contractors to have the requisite training. A good way
to raise environmental awareness is to organise training
courses for at least environmental co-ordinators and
managers.  They will then be able to implement training
for their department staff.  Tips for successful training
are as follows:

(Photo 2.4 ) A good way to raise environmental awareness is to organise training courses.

• Conduct environmental training sessions during normal, paid working hours.  This affirms the management’s
commitment to the programme.

• Allow sufficient time for staff to debate and exchange their views in order to stimulate real interest.

• Relate savings and other improvements to tangible images that people can understand, e.g. enough water was
 saved this month to fill a 25-metre long swimming pool.

Apart from training courses,  there are other steps to motivate staff to implement the environmental management
programme, such as :

• Reward and recognise efforts – A letter from the general manager, employee’s record of performance, cash
 incentive, best environmental ambassador competition.

• Celebrate success – Success stories in company magazines or on notice boards, a company leaflet with
 environmental achievements.

• Campaign – A hotel-wide slogan.



h. Audit of environmental performance
The hotels should make use of documented records to regularly monitor their overall environmental performance
as well as the implementation status and results of their environmental programmes.   The scope of audit should
cover:

ISO 14001 Environmental Management System To further enhance the effectiveness of environmental management, hotels can consider establishing an environmental management system. In 1996, the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) published an international standard ISO 14001 : 1996 Environmental Management Systems - Specification with Guidance for Use. This standard certification can be achieved on a voluntary basis. About 61,000 establishments (updated to Dec 2003) all over the world have already been certified to the ISO 14001 : 1996. Some elements of the ISO14001 Environmental Management System are similar to the ISO 9001 Quality Management System and some key elements have been discussed above.

• Environmental programme implementation status and performance.

• Compliance with environmental objectives and targets of the hotel.

• Checking of different environmental aspects and impacts of the hotel.

• Overall environmental performance of the hotel.

• Compliance with the relevant regulations.

                                        
i. Preventive and corrective actions
The green manager shall work with colleagues concerned to
handle and investigate the non-conformance.  Corrective and
preventive actions should be taken to eliminate the causes of
actual and potential non-conformances.
                                            
j. Management review                       
Hotel top management should regularly review the
environmental management system (EMS) to ensure its
continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness.  The
management review shall address the possible needs for changes
to policy, objectives and other elements of the environmental
management system, in the light of environmental management
system audit results, changing circumstances and the
commitment to continual improvement.

Case Studies

a.Case study 2.1 –	A Hotel Group with Hotels
	Located in the Asia-Pacific Region

One hotel group with hotels located in the Asia-Pacific region set out environmental guidelines  in a handbook and
it focuses on individual departments, each of which is responsible for specific environmental actions and practices.

Various in-house green competitions are regularly organised, including one on the creative use of waste.  Each
hotel has a “green corner” in staff areas such as the canteen displaying information on environmental protection.
A regular newsletter is also produced featuring green activities such as the recycling of plastic bottles by staff.

Each year, a hotel group holds a group-wide competition.  A different topic is chosen by top management.  Previous
topics include “Waste Prevention Associated with Food Preparation and Cooking”,  “The Green Team”, etc.

(Source : Green Hotelier Issue 25 & 26 May 2002)

b.Case Study 2.2 – A Hotel in Hong Kong

Having attained the ISO 14001 standard, a hotel owned by a Japanese company in  Hong Kong acted as an
Environmental Management System (EMS) pathfinder for other local hotels.  It has launched an instructive CD-
ROM called “Environmental Management for Hotels in Hong Kong”, which consists of practical guides and templates
for setting up an EMS, supported by case studies on implementation.  In addition to an environmental management
manual, the guides covered energy and water conservation, waste management, indoor air quality and environmental
legislation.

(Source : Green Hotelier Issue 25 & 26 May 2002)