Since launching our first environmental strategy in 2008, Hyatt has collaborated with hotel owners and operators on our sustainability journey to design and operate more efficient, lower impact hotels. We are committed to continuing to advance meaningful actions to address climate change, water risks, and waste.
Managing Energy, Water, and Emissions
We are committed to climate action and are in the process of setting greenhouse gas emissions goals aligned with climate science and working to mitigate impact. Hyatt corporate offices and hotels take a variety of approaches to manage emissions, energy, and water, depending on building type and age, climate, layout, and local infrastructure, among other factors. Typical property-specific projects include, but are not limited to, retrofits of lighting and water fixtures, upgrades to aging heating and cooling plants, installations of new and efficient air handling systems, upgrades of kitchen and laundry equipment, usage of alternative water sources or water recycling, leveraging renewable energy, and implementation of building automation and energy optimization systems.
Reducing Waste
Waste reduction is a core pillar of our environmental sustainability strategy. Hyatt provides guidance materials integrating circular economy principles to help hotels improve waste reduction and waste diversion. We are driving impact in this area through a variety of initiatives, including:
- Aligning with 12.3 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals by working toward a 2030 goal to reduce food waste per square meter by 50% at global managed hotels.
- Advancing best practices related to waste sorting and recycling, food waste management, reducing single-use items, and identifying environmentally preferable product alternatives.
- Donating gently used soaps and shampoos in collaboration with organizations such as Clean the World.
- Partnering with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) to create food waste prevention training materials and joining a call-to-action to advance a U.S. Food Loss and Waste Action Plan to help accelerate progress in this area.
Building and Operating More Sustainably
To help hotel owners and developers integrate energy efficient design features, Hyatt’s Global Technical Standards for new construction and renovation outline key topics such as insulation, lighting, cooling and heating efficiency, ventilation systems, and building materials. Hyatt also contributed to the development of the Business Case for Sustainable Hotels through the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance.
Beyond building and design, we foster a culture of environmental stewardship on properties. Through engaging training materials, departmental managers at hotels reinforce the importance of simple steps such as turning off faucets while cleaning and pre-heating kitchen ovens only as needed.
Beyond building and design, we foster a culture of environmental stewardship on properties. Through engaging training materials, departmental managers at hotels reinforce the importance of simple steps such as turning off faucets while cleaning and pre-heating kitchen ovens only as needed.
Hosting Sustainable Meetings & Events
We recognize many of our customers also strive to advance sustainability considerations. Our hotels’ events services teams are ready to work with each meeting planner and guest to ensure sustainability visions can come to life. Read more about Sustainable Meetings & Events here.
Using Data to Drive Performance
We use an online global environmental management tool, Hyatt EcoTrack, to collect and analyze sustainability data from hotels around the world. The tool provides hotels with easy-to-read dashboards for data analysis and includes projects and best practices for further improvements. Data management has been central to Hyatt’s sustainability initiatives, with energy and water tracking beginning in the early 1990s.
Collaborating to Drive Impact
The biggest environmental challenges cannot be solved alone, so we collaborate with companies, stakeholders, and experts to stay at the forefront of best practices and to contribute to the development of meaningful solutions.
- Hyatt is an active member of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, which brings its members together to tackle key global challenges affecting the planet and its people. Through this alliance, Hyatt and other members developed the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) and Hotel Water Measurement Initiative (HWMI) – common methodologies for reporting carbon emissions and water use.
- Hyatt is an active member of the American Hotel and Lodging Association sustainability committee, which helps to advance best practice and raise awareness of environmental issues across the industry.
- Hyatt worked together with peer hotel chains to launch a freely available Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking Index through Cornell University’s Center for Hospitality Research.
