This follows the company’s global commitment to cut its environmental footprint in half and double its social impact investment by 2030.
Hilton will eliminate plastic straws across its managed hotels in Asia Pacific by end 2018, and transition away from plastic bottles from its conference and event spaces.
This follows the company’s global commitment to cut its environmental footprint in half and double its social impact investment by 2030.
The company will also double the amount it spends with local and minority-owned suppliers, and double its investment in programmes to help women and youth around the world.
These goals are part of Hilton’s Travel with Purpose corporate responsibility strategy to further the United Nation’s 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
“As a global hospitality company operating more than 5,300 hotels in over 100 countries and territories, we are committed to have a positive impact on the communities we operate our hotels in,” said Alan Watts, executive president and president, Asia Pacific, Hilton.
“We believe waste is a solvable problem. By focusing first on plastic straws and plastic bottled water, we take another step forward in our journey to ensure that the destinations where travellers work, relax, learn and explore are vibrant and resilient for future generations to come.”
Since 2008, Hilton has reduced carbon emissions and waste by 30%, energy and water consumption by 20% saving more than US$1 billion in operating efficiencies.
Hilton’s new 2030 goals include the following social and environmental targets:
Reduce water consumption and produced waste by 50%.
Since 2008, Hilton’s managed hotels in Asia Pacific have recorded reductions of 15.1% in water use intensity and 6% reduction in waste output.
The company’s hotels have begun to intensify efforts to reduce single-use plastics in its operations. Across Greater China & Mongolia, its managed hotels removed plastic water bottles from meetings and events, health clubs and spas since September 2017 – a move that eliminates the use of 13 million plastic bottles annually.
Sustainably source meat, poultry, produce, seafood and cotton.
In support of its industry-leading sustainable seafood goals, the company completed a global roll-out of responsible sourcing and sustainable seafood eLearning modules, and partnered Marine Stewardship Council to deliver sustainable seafood workshops for local suppliers and Hilton team members in China and Thailand.
Contribute 10 million volunteer hours through Team Member initiatives
In 2017, Hilton Team Members in Asia Pacific contributed 53,443 volunteer hours during Hilton’s Global Week of Service.
Double the amount spent with local, small and minority-owned suppliers
Through Hilton’s partnership with WEConnect, the company opens opportunities for women-owned enterprises to work with its hotels. For instance, Conrad Bali procures its coffee beans from Java Mountain Coffee – an indigenous social enterprise majority-owned by women.
In China, Hilton encouraged one of its suppliers to get certified with WEConnect, and further supported this women-owned business with a contract to provide uniforms for its Hilton Garden Inn properties in China.
Double investment in opportunity programmes for women and youth, including partnering with local organisations and schools
Hilton partnered Room to Read to improve child literacy and support girl’s education in India and Sri Lanka, and jointly impacted more than 70,000 young people since 2012. This included the introduction of a Job Shadowing Programme to provide hundreds of girls with exposure to various career opportunities within the hospitality industry.