Singapore's hospitality industry is making strides towards achieving
its sustainability goals outlined in the Hotel Sustainability Roadmap,
launched in March 2022. This progress was unveiled during the second
Hotel Sustainability Conference and Marketplace 2023, where industry
initiatives and updates were shared in alignment with the roadmap.
The event, organised by the Singapore Hotel Association and supported
by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Enterprise Singapore
(EnterpriseSG), emphasised key milestones from the roadmap, including:
- A target of having 60% of hotel room stock in Singapore certified
with internationally recognised sustainability credentials by 2025.
- The initiation of emissions tracking by hotels in Singapore in 2023,
with an aim to reduce emissions by 2030, ultimately working toward
achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
A quarter of the way there
As of August 2023, about a quarter of the hotel room inventory in
Singapore has either obtained or embarked on efforts to get
internationally recognised sustainability certification. These include
hotels such as Marina Bay Sands (MBS), The Fullerton Bay Hotel and The
Fullerton Hotel which have obtained certification under the Global
Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Industry Criteria for Hotels.
Innovative green solutions
The industry is continuing to test-bed and adopt innovative
sustainable solutions. As part of a cross-sector pilot under the Future
Economy Council Lifestyle Cluster, Andaz Singapore, Grand Hyatt
Singapore and MBS have joined retailers such as Causeway Point to pilot
the use of a food valoriser which uses patented technology to turn food
waste into re-usable products.
Parkroyal on Beach Road rewards guests with a GoGreen Award if they
actively contribute to the hotel’s sustainability efforts. Guests who
opt to have their rooms cleaned on alternate days get a S$10 (US$7.30)
dining credit.
Winner of the Sustainability Impact Challenge: N&E Innovations’ Jaslyn Lee (third from left).
Additionally, more innovative efforts were seen from the Singapore
Hotel Sustainability Award that was conferred on 48 hotels to recognise
their leadership in championing green practices. Among these winners,
won the Sustainability Impact Challenge, receiving S$30,000 for their
eco-friendly disinfectant, C2+ made from food waste. They're also
developing banana peel-based biodegradable packaging and have S$1.5
million in sales, with clients like Singapore Airlines and Jewel Changi
Airport.
New pledge and playbook
During the event, the Hotel Industry Sustainability Pledge was
introduced, aiming to "minimise single-use packaging for drinking water
and guest room amenities, while maximising the use of recycled contents
by 2025." Additionally, a new online Sustainability Playbook was
unveiled, providing a comprehensive range of industry-specific content,
including best practices, case studies, and valuable resources to guide
informed decisions on sustainable initiatives.
Kenneth Li, President of the Singapore Hotel Association, emphasised
the significance of these initiatives, with 136 hotels committing to
support the Hotel Industry Sustainability Pledge and the launch of the
online Hotel Sustainability Playbook. These efforts represent a crucial
step in advancing sustainable practices within the industry.