Vtic 2011 presentation hans van wees

Conserve, Renew and Sustain the

Planet for People and Profit

© Hans van Wees – Van Wees Advisory Group www.van-wees.com

Hans van Wees Van Wees Advisory Group

Hotels, resorts, restaurants:

Reduce strain on environment


Vermont Branding Study* Shows

Vermont considered:

Natural unspoiled landscape Environmentally minded

*VDTM/VSAA study 2010 www.cmo.vermont.gov



Brand Study Key Words

FarmlandForests

AuthenticUnspoiledMountains

Lakes and StreamsFresh Air Beautiful

Down homeUnhurried

How do we maintain this image and how can we successfully build our business on it?

Corporate Social Responsibility


“Short-term profits at the expense of the environment and society are short sighted. For business to be sustainable, the triple bottom line, which measures economic, environmental, and social profits and losses, must be embraced by all of business”

Christine Lynn, Ph.D. – School of Hotel and Restaurant Management, Northern Arizona University


Sustainable Practices


Hoteliers and Restaurateurs tend to be Green Skeptics?


Or not?

Want to do the right thing

This is going to be the way we will do business, like it or not

And…..our customers will select products and services based on CSR practices, not just price and product qualities



How can the Vermont hospitality industry translate sustainable business principles into opportunities for cost savings, increased efficiencies and additional revenue streams?



Sustainability

Sweet Spot

Goal

1. Develop a business plan that plans for profit, social responsibility and environmental impact in easy, measurable terms so they can be easily understood by all stakeholders (owners, employees, clients)

2. Create a competitive advantage as a business by having such a plan and meeting or exceeding our goals


Hotel or Restaurant Business Plan


Hotel/Restaurant Brand Pillars




What can we learn from

leading hotel companies?

Hotel Companies

Fairmont Hotels

Early adapter of Social and Environmental principles: for two decades leader in environmental stewardship

Green Partnership Program

Being “at the heart” of your community

Fairmont Foundation

Hospitality Training and Education

Local: Volunteerism and fundraising

Kimpton Hotels

50 hotels, 48 of which are green seal certified

Kimpton EarthCare® program Run by employees

“Commitment to sparing the environment, and our guests”

Recycling Historic Buildings

Environmentally and Socially Sensitive Purchasing Policy

© Hans van Wees - [email protected]

What can we learn from

the nation’s largest

retailer?

Walmart

Nation’s largest retailer develops a Sustainability Index

New Retail Standard

“When given the choice, consumer will buy product with higher sustainability index”


Walmart Sustainability Index

GOAL:Produce zero wasteSupply: 100% renewable

energyProducts that sustain

resources and environment


SUSTAINABILITY CATEGORIES


ENERGY AND CLIMATE


MATERIAL EFFICIENCY



Energy Efficiency

Alan Hebert - Efficiency Vermont

Waste Management

Mark Casella - Casella Waste Management


Parting thoughts

Will sustainability stick?: Clean technology fastest growing sector, the

new internet boom? CSR investments outperform all other sectors 60% of customers say CSR policies crucial part

of their decision making 92% of new hires want their companies to be

green

Source: greenREACH


Hans van Wees

Van Wees Advisory GroupYour Hotel Executive Committee

Providing short term solutions and long term planning for inns, resorts

and restaurants in New England.

Strategy, Operations, Sales and Marketing,Asset Management, Sustainability Programs

www.van-wees.com802-793-2289 [email protected]


Supplemental Information

Following is a sample implementation plan for a hotel or resort’s CSR policy. It was too long to include in today’s presentation but should be part of any effort to implement CSR in your organization.

The following plan is limited to only those two aspects discussed: energy and waste management, and serves merely as an example. We develop plans for hospitality businesses that are fully comprehensive with measurable results.

Prepared for the Vermont Travel Industry Conference by Hans van Wees, April 2011. [email protected]


Putting the plan to work


CSR planning and implementation


Assess and Identify

Don’t try to do all but start first year with three to four areas that can easily be identified. Today’s sample:

Energy Efficiency Managing Solid Waste and Recycling

Determine total water use


Strategize and Set Goals

What is most relevant to you and the stakeholders involved? Where can you make the biggest impact? Example:

Develop initiatives that will reduce Green House Gasses by 20% next year to “x” tons

Develop a solid waste reduction program that will reduce quantities by 20% next year and 15% year after


Implement and Measure

Activities that will support the strategy and will help us achieve the goals set. Choose simple, easy wins to begin with and get used to measuring. Examples:



Develop initiatives that will reduce Green House Gasses by 20% next year to “x” tons Eliminate vehicles from idling. Measure:

fuel use (given relatively consistent use of vehicles year to year). Multiply reduced fuel use by factor to determine reduction in GHG. And $$ savings!

Turn off appliances in restaurant, kitchen. Measure: electric bill, convert to GHG and $$ savings

Perform lighting audit and install CFL everywhere possible. Measure: electric bill and $$ savings


Develop a solid waste reduction program that will reduce quantities by 20% next year and 15% year after

Kitchen waste composting. Measure: weight of waste reflected in reduced waste disposal cost (invoiced from waste mgt company)

Recycling bins in all guest rooms and in kitchen. Measure: reduction in solid waste cost



Report and Communicate

This Year Plan Diff Last Year Diff

FINANCIAL

Revenues $ 945,000 $ 930,000 $ 15,000 $ 900,000 $ 45,000

Costs $ 771,950 $ 780,000 $ (8,050) $ 790,000 $ (18,050)

Profit $ 173,050 $ 150,000 $ 23,050 $ 110,000 $ 63,050


Report and Communicate

ENVIRONMENTTHIS YEAR PLAN DIFFERENCE LAST YEAR DIFFERENCE

GHG (tons) 12,500

12,000 4%

15,000 -17%

Solid Waste (tons) 19,500

20,000 -3%

25,000 -22%

Water Use (gallons)

885,000

900,000 -2% 1,000,000 -12%

COMMUNITY

Volunteer program (hrs)

320 300 7%

240 33%

Charitable Donations 10,000 10000 0% 5,000 100%



Communicate!

Internal:Create reports and graphs

that demonstrate your initiatives in action

Factor in $$ savingsSpread the word!


Communicate

External: Add page or section to website that

clearly states your TBL initiatives and methods of measurement you use

Report on quarterly basis, just as you would financial information

Be transparent as to where you are in the process and you won’t be accused of green washing


Engage and Instill

Employees and contractors: Workforce is single most

powerful PR point Input and feedback Employees must:

Understand and relate to the problem

Understand and relate to your proposed solution


Engage and Instill

Greater community: Sponsor events with non-profits

to help community causes Enroll guests for input on how

you can improve Pursue environmental/socially

responsible groups to host meetings at hotel

Again: be transparent in marketing where you are in the process


Resources

www.greenwashingindex.com

www.greenreachable.comwww.gmcr.com/csrwww.seventhgeneration.comwww.greenseal.orgwww.fairmont.com/EN_FA/

AboutFairmont/CorporateResponsibility/

www.kimptonhotels.com/programs/earthcare


Hans van Wees

Van Wees Advisory GroupYour Hotel Executive Committee

Providing short term solutions and long term planning for inns, resorts

and restaurants in New England.

Strategy, Operations, Sales and Marketing, Asset Management, Sustainability Programs

www.van-wees.com802-793-2289 [email protected]


Vtic 2011 presentation hans van wees

Documents

environment hans van

profit hans van

unhurried hans van

greenreach hans van

goals hans van

hans van weesvan

climate hans van

sustainable practices