Managing Change for the better

We all love that cliche -- life is a journey, add in a dramatic rain effect with storm clouds in the background and a tearful hero/heroine and you've got yourself the next box office topping romantic comedy. However, the earth and all its inhabitats have taken a hard journey over the past year -- coal mine disasters in Chili and West Virginia, the deadly tsunami and earthquake in Japan, BP's Deepwater Rig explosion. Add in yet another cliche -- it's time to change for the better -- and you've got a world that needs to change but hasn't yet mastered how to do it.

Managing change is one of the hardest parts of hotel operations -- trust me, working in a restaurant and trying to roll out a new menu is both hilarious and infuriating (cooks will moan and groan and pretend not to see the new items on the ticket, servers will refuse to sell the new dishes, and management will have to deal with managing the change or see the menu crash and burn). Seeing as my project is focused on implementing a new green program, managing change is also one of the most important parts of successful green initiatives in the scope of my project.

We can preach change, make beautiful posters about change, and even create workshops on change. But, until we live it, study it, and know how we're going to manage it, we won't see the results we really need. First step, as always, is knowing the right questions to ask:

1) What behaviors are we trying to change?
2) How do those behaviors affect the goal?
3) What part of the problem can we help solve?
4) What do we want to achieve through this behavior change?
5) What's our short term plan?
6) What's our long term plan?
7) How can we involve all the stakeholders/parties? (guests, employees, management, executives, shareholders?)
8) What are the barriers to changing these behaviors?
9) What are the benefits to all the stakeholders?
10) What is the environment the change is occurring in? Is it conducive to change or do we need to change it and how?
11) What incentives can we provide? Rewards for good behavior?
12) What decisions lead to certain behaviors?
13) How will we quantify success?

It's common sense, exemplary performance and exemplary management produce all the tools needed for change management, you just have to be vigilant in leading change for the better...

Consumers & Green Hotels (Part 1)

This video shows some of the results of a great study by Georgetown University's MBA program back in 2009, it asks some great questions about how "real" the green hotel movement is and how guests love green but don't want their experience to be affected by it.

The class, Consumer Behavior, was asked "to examine consumer skepticism, cynicism, and confusion regarding "green" behavior." This team's focus was green hotels. Video courtesy of Georgetown University. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlbtebxQfv8)

What IS the hospitality of sustainability?

For those of you new to this blog, please check about the About the Project page. But for those too tired to click the mouse (yes, I admit it, I've been THAT tired before) here's a quick explanation about WHY sustainability is essentially hospitable.

This study is part of my Final Project towards my Masters in Sustainable Design but it has reaches far beyond the walls of a classroom. Why the hospitality industry you may ask? Why focus on hotels and restaurants? -- The Hospitality Industry is one of the world's largest export industries, present in every corner of the world (in the richest countries in the world and also in the poorest -- where you can't even step outside of the hotel compound due to violence and civil unrest; in the most populated and also the most remote -- cruises to Antartic anyone?; in landlocked countries and also on islands slowly sinking due to climate change). The sheer size, buying power, market influence, and overall reach of the industry represents a huge opportunity to initiate change.

Utilizing the spirit of service inherent in the sector I hope to initiate change through the power of simple hospitality. People helping people, service with a smile, service from the heart -- whatever slogan it goes by, the values are the same. The goal of this project is to create a environmental program/system built around the empowerment of individual associates - from line staff to management - to make a difference. In other words, building off of a hotel brand's core values in order to push sustainability forward through management to associates to the guests-- so those who live and breathe the brand and service can start to live and breathe sustainability in the communities around them.

Sustainable Destinations: Cruising & Sustainable Meetings: Smooth Sailing?

My professor, who created the great nonprofit Emergent Structures, recently went on a Disney Cruise and got me thinking of cruises and how unsustainable they can be.

Read on to find out about cruises and sustainable operations. This post is courtesy of a fantastic "green" blog I found recently: http://greendestinations.blogspot.com/

Sustainable Destinations: Cruising & Sustainable Meetings: Smooth Sailing?: "Three floating hotels are moored in front of my house this morning. Must be a Saturday in the height of cruise season in Vancouver! Accorto Cruise Lines Association International group travel for weddings, education, incentives and meetings accounts for 5-40% of passenger volume, depending on the cruise line. Which has me thinking: if I was to plan an event on a cruise ship, what unique sustainability considerations might ship-based meetings have that are different from a traditional hotel or convention center venue? What issues would I need to be aware of? What questions should I ask?

Environmental issues:
No surprise: environmental issues associated with cruise ships are complicated. Not only do you need to consider corporate policies and practice on the ship, but requirements vary greatly between different ports, states, provinces, and nations. For example, cruise ships must not dispose of waste within 12 miles of the Washington state shoreline. This distance is reduced to 4 miles once the ships cross into British Columbia waters. So, if you really want to get a grasp on the unique environmental issues of this kind of venue you need to research three things:

1. the areas you'll be visiting
2. the cruise line, and
3. the ship you'll be using.

To know what you're dealing with, ask some basic questions:

• How is waste water treated? Ships produce different kinds of waste water. Black water includes human sewage and medical waste. Grey water tends to be the highest volume of waste water and includes that remaining from baths, laundry and kitchens. Oily bilge water describes condensation that collects in the hull and often includes a mix of residues. These kinds of waste are typically treated by a Marine Sanitation Device (MSD)or Advanced Wastewater Treatment System (AWTS). While an AWTS is typically better to use, they can still result in non-compliance with water quality standards. Be clear about what kind of system is in place on your ship and what kind of testing is done to ensure conformity with water quality standards.
• How is waste water disposed of? Once treated waste may be flushed at sea. Because discharge zones and laws vary, it's important to know if your cruise line follows any voluntary, consistent guidelines for dumping and/or port-side disposal.
• What happens to solid waste produced on ships? Cruise passengers produce about 3.5 kg of trash per day. Waste may be recycled, incinerated or tossed into the sea within acceptable discharge distance from shore, provided it fits through a 2.5 cm screen. Be clear about what happens to solid waste and ask to receive data that substantiates recycling is taking place.
• What guidelines are followed for emissions? Cruise ships burn fuel, produce emissions and can therefore contribute to air pollution. Confirm your ship will be using low sulfur fuel that burns cleaner. In Canada and the USA this means the ship should be working toward using fuel that has less than 0.1% sulfur content in compliance with pending International Maritime Organization guidelines. Cruise ships may also burn waste, so ask about what strategies are used to collect and dispose of incinerator ash.
• Has the cruise line ever been cited or fined for environmental infractions? Although this is a good question, it's important to bear in mind that enforcement of maritime law is spotty at best. For example while $50 million in fines were levied against cruise lines in the USA between 1999 - 2009, fines in Canada were non-existent. Still it's an important question to ask to establish a trusting, transparent relationship. If these are not tracked, or no fines or citations are noted something, may, as they say, be fishy.
• How might environmental requirements vary between the different ports being visited? As indicated above practices by and regulation of cruise lines varies. Given this it's particularly important to research and ask about any special local issues in the waters you'll be traveling and at the ports visited.

Social issues:
While environmental issues are important, moral issues related to workers and passenger safety are also critical. Cruise meetings become complicated in this respect as again, unlike a land-based venue, jurisdiction can be fuzzy. Ships are often foreign-flagged. Workers and passengers are of different nationalities and may be afforded different protections. Depending on the time of the crime different laws might apply based on whose national waters are being traversed. All of these can make it very confusing to know what laws apply to whom, when. For these reasons voluntary guidelines adopted by cruise lines themselves that exceed prevailing law have a critical role to play.

Arming yourself with answers to these questions can help you learn where your cruise meeting venue stands on social issues like labour, health, safety and crime:

• Who is employed on ships? Ask about employees, where they come from and conditions of their work and lodgings. Probe about how many hours they work, how much they are paid and benefits provided, particularly medical care. Make sure you consider all staff, including those that may not work in customer-facing positions.
• What policies are in place to ensure a safe and healthy workplace? Ask about staff training. Is it provided, particularly for those working in positions that are high risk for injury? Note during your site visit if there appears to be clear and adequate availability of first aid, fire extinguishers and safety equipment. Be sure to ask about specific work hazards unique to ship-based work as well as accident rates and worker's compensation for injury.
• What policies are in place to address crime among passengers and workers? While the industry claims cruising is the safest form of travel, others cite high rates of robbery and sexual assault on ships that call this record to question. Be clear on prevailing types of crime risks and ensure your ship has a process to prevent, address and disclose them.
• What reports can be provided about fatalities, crime, and injuries? Because there is such debate about how much crime and how many injuries are reported on ships, it's important to ask for yourself. You may not get a complete answer, however knowing if the cruise line you're considering has these issues on their radar and is reporting is a key way to build trust and do your due diligence to ensure your participants are not subjected to unexpected risks.
• What policies exist to ensure the interests of host destinations and populations are considered? Many concerned with the cruise industry point to a discrepancy between the benefits derived by cruise lines compared to the expenses incurred by ports of call and local residents. This exists at a macro level where destinations provide infrastructure to support cruising and may struggle to recoup investment unless there are long-term commitments to visit ports. Concern is also expressed over the commissions taken by the cruise industry from local businesses that provide shore-side excursions. Ask what approach the cruise line you are considering takes to these local stakeholder concerns, and what examples exist to demonstrate policies in place in the area you are visiting.

Needless to say, when it comes to being sustainable, cruise meetings sail in murky waters. Because a ship can move between jurisdictions in a single trip, this can afford the opportunity to exercise different levels of responsibility in different waters. This isn't hard to understand if you consider how standards of 'green' hotel practice within a single chain can change city to city. The difference here is your hotel property is generally not shifting how diligent it is about its sustainable responsibilities within the span of a single meeting as a result of moving down the block. Therefore it's critical for cruise meeting hosts to take questions like these to the cruise industry to uncover if they are consistently addressing sustainability issues in a way that hopefully exceeds highest regulatory requirements across jurisdictions.

At least that's what I'll plan on doing, when I set sail to plan a cruise meeting.

Many thanks to Ross Klein and his Cruise Junkie web site which provided much food for thought and information for this introduction to the sustainable considerations of cruise meetings."

The post courtesy of Shawna McKinley and her blog sustainable destinations.

True ecotourism with a big heart

Here's a sneak peak at this week's property of the week -- sustainable at its heart, Guludo Beach Lodge is an impressive example of how much positive impact a hospitality establishment can have on a local community. Images courtesy of the lodge.

Every story starts at the beginning...

So does the story of sustainable hospitality, like every spring has a source and every path has a starting point -- when looking at "greening" a hospitality operation it's very important to look at the source. Although not every hotel operation is lucky enough to benefit from green construction and new sustainable technologies, every hotel and restaurant can take a second to look at their procurement/purchasing practices and utilize their buying power to support sustainable suppliers and "vote" against environmental degradation.

When I first started this project, (a whole 4 weeks ago!), Suganthi Simon at the EPA mentioned the recent launch of the Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium - founded by a multidisciplinary group of industry leaders from suppliers, purchasing companies, architecture firms, and sustainability gurus to corporate lodging brands.

 

What is it?
"Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Index (HSPI) [is] a web-based industry wide purchasing database that comprehensively measures and reports on the corporate social responsibility, environmental, and product sustainability performance of suppliers."

How will it achieve this?

• Streamline how the industry gathers sustainability data from suppliers
• Establish criteria for sustainability performance measurement
• Translate complex sustainability data into meaningful information that can be used by all stakeholders in the purchasing of products for hospitality
• Align sustainability standards with USGBC’s LEED rating system, globally recognized sustainability guidelines, and as appropriate, with approved product category specific sustainability standards
• Ensure non-biased performance measurement
• Create fair access to HSPI results for all stakeholders

It is great to see this diverse group of hospitality leaders coming together to design an industry-wide purchasing index that will benefit all parties involved while reducing the industry's impacts on the environment. (HSPI consortium is led by MindClick SGM ).

Supply-chain management is such an important part of sustainable hospitality operations (I mean what's the point of having a gorgeous LEED-certified building just to buy massive amounts of petroleum-based, sweat-shop produced products?), plus, some suppliers provide such delicious products...

Leading by example - Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality

Another great "property" I've come across in research - Winner of Travel and Leisure's Global Vision Awards in Environmental Leadership for 2010...

"Costa Rica’s status as a forerunner in green travel is built on pioneering hotels such as Lapa Rios Ecolodge and Latitude 10 Beach Resort. What these properties have in common is Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality, a small management company that works with them (plus three more in Costa Rica and one in Nicaragua) to help combine luxury with sustainability. Rooms are carefully set within forests, infinity pools are maintained with salt and ionization, and refillable water bottles are provided at check-in." -T&L

It is refreshing to see a hotel management company taking the initiative to make impressive changes (especially since reading Cornell Hospitality Research reports that found that management company operated hotels have lower sustainability scores).

This proves that sustainability isn't rocket science, it's simply good management practices. So go lead by example!

It is what it is... OR is it?

"It is what it is..." has to be one of the phrases I dislike the most. Whenever one of my servers would say that in response to a bad service experience or mistake it would make me two times angrier than if they would have just admitted to messing up. As a "gift" to me today, riding the ferry in Savannah over to the Westin, "it is what it is" is the response I got after remarking to a tourist the disgusting amount of plastic floating in the water around the boat... plastic cups, plastic bags, plastic forks, plastic wrappers... and OH, finally something organic/plastic, a package of croutons wrapped in plastic...

As I replied back... "yeah, it is what it is...
..EXCEPT when it isn't!"

This is especially true of the sustainability hospitality movement -- a movement that is of course motivated in part by cost savings and market share, but a movement nonetheless. One that addresses the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit. One that addresses the growing issues of our changing world. As I watch CNN and hear the story of a 4 year old girl, Sarah, in Africa dying of starvation because of the drought and hear stories of the growing number of climate refugees around the world I realize that sure, it is what it is... EXCEPT when you do something about it.

Engagement: A big fat key to sustainable operations

Refining a subject as big as Sustainable Hospitality is not so easy. So many players, so many pieces of the puzzle, so many obstacles -- but one defining factor of successful hotel environmental programs is employee engagement.

You can make big shiny graphics, catchy slogans, photos of your GM shaking hands with various non profit organizations, and paper hangers that tell your guests to reuse their towels -- all of this doesn't make a success environmental operation program -- if not implemented correctly, all of this lead to nothing more than pure and simple greenwashing.

This seems to be the ultimate challenge, getting associates on board and truly engaged in new sustainable programs. Back in the days when the towel reuse program was in its beginning stages one of the biggest complaints from guests was that the program wasn't being fulfilled by hotel employees. Green-minded guests would hang up their towels only to come back to a new towel. This lack of associate interest and adoption of new practices almost led to the end of the towel reuse program entirely.

So, this is the ultimate question -- how to create a program that "entices" employees to adopt sustainable practices, not only in the workplace, but at home. Let's face it, what really makes a great hospitality experience is the people and service from the heart.

My goal: find a way to integrate sustainable practices in a hotel's SOPs and core brand values so associates can live sustainability the same way they live and breathe great service and brand culture. Got any ideas? I'd love em!

Talking Stories: Conversations with the Industry

Been a busy week -- had the amazing opportunity to meet Dartmouth's big green bus crew. What a great program, can't think of anything better than travelling the country in a biodiesel bus, spreading awareness and meeting quite a few interesting people along the way. A big Mahalo to all of them for visiting!

It's always fantastic to get new ideas and inputs from other sustainability gurus.

Here's a rundown of a few of the individuals I've been lucky enough to talk to in the past few weeks and a piece of wisdom each of them offers for greening the hotel industry.

Suganthi Simon -- EPA Pollution Prevention Coordinator, Region 4 (Atlanta).
Wisdom: Standardization and measurement tools are important parts of any industry's sustainability initiatives. Read more about EPA's green initiatives in the lodging industry here.

Pat Maher -- AH&LA's green guru himself. A key player in the creation of AH&LA's Green Task Force.
Wisdom: Establishing a green committee at a property is a key part of successfully executing environmental goals.

Peter Goren -- AGLHA President (American Green Lodging and Hospitality Association).
Wisdom: Sustainability isn't easy, you have to be constantly vigilant about associates, suppliers, and partners upholding their promises. In addition to energy and water savings, waste management is also a huge cost for hotels and a huge opportunity to be green and save green.

Neel Inamdar: Fund Manager, Verde Ventures, Conservation International.
Wisdom: Implementing green programs isn't rocket science, it takes good management practices. In making the shift towards sustainability you have to look at your supply chain and make the shift towards sustainability go all the way down the line.

Marriott Associates -- thank you to the Marriott properties I've talked to -- as I've learned, committment to people is the key to sustainability and great service.

Going forward, a lot more people to meet and talk to, and a lot of knowledge to be gained and give. Thanks everyone!

Stylishly Sustainable: Proximity Hotel, NC

The great thing about researching for this project is coming across all these great sustainable properties -- one of the most famous, The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina.
A LEED Platinum certified property, this 147-room luxury hotel is the epitome of luxuriously stylish sustainability. In their own words: "Built to use 40% less energy and 30% less water than a comparable hotel, the AAA Four Diamond, locally-owned Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina, offers a glimpse of the future while celebrating the past. Sustainable practices, custom-designed furnishings, commissioned art and innovative design await guests in every corner."

Often heralded as "The Greenest Hotel in America," the property utilizes an impressive array of the best that sustainable design and construction have to offer. The property's restaurant, Print Works Bistro, also shares the glory of its LEED certification and efficient technologies. Boasting over 70+ sustainable practices, the hotel utilizes ultra efficient technologies such as solar, geothermal, a regenerative drive elevator by Otis, a green roof and other initiatives. For more detailed information on the Proximity's green style, click here.

My Project Goal -- summed up in 2 paragraphs

Although the sustainability movement in the hospitality industry has seen significant improvements in the past five years, there’s still a long way to go. In the US alone, the lodging industry consumes “four billion kWhs of electricity, five million therms of natural gas, and seven billion gallons of water” every year (University of Florida). As a worldwide industry, this resource-heavy sector has the power to significantly reduce consumption while benefitting the environment as well as the bottom line.

While many leading hotel companies and third party organizations have worked towards defining sustainable standards, “the industry still needs a reliable definition of what ‘green’ means” (Cornell Hospitality Report, 2010). In order to make a greater difference and successfully implement sustainable design initiatives, industry leaders need to agree on consistent standards and foster employee and guest education. The goal of this project is to design a sustainable strategy that not only addresses the triple bottom line, but also embodies the tradition of service, people, and social responsibility inherent in a hospitality brand’s culture.

Sustainable Hospitality... utopia or reality?

Just spent my walk to the local grocery store having a refreshing conversation with one of Savannah's local basket weavers on what tourism has done for the area and the pluses and minuses of drunk and not-so-drunk crowds during major holidays. Major plus -- revenue for his beautifully woven pieces (for which he spent all morning climbing trees for). Major minus -- noise, disrespect, and overall ignorance of non-tourist related areas. That topic got me talking about my current project -- the hospitality of sustainability -- and first thing he mentioned was that "all that" is for the rich in order to preach "better ways" to the community that they left behind. So, is sustainability, with all its great movements, technologies, and innovations, really that hospitable? Or can it be seen as a ignorantly planned out movement to make shareholders happy and luxury consumers feel better about eating a 4 pound lobster for lunch at a destination resort? This conversation definitely strengthened my resolve to see how sustainability, instilled through a hospitality brand through to its people and subsequently to its guests and community, can make a truly POSITIVE difference not only for the property and wallstreet but for the communities that surround the Earth's many beautiful destinations.

Greening the Hospitality Sector

Welcome to my project -- a designer's look at how sustainability brings value to a hospitality brand and how to implement sustainable practices across a international hospitality chain.