Committed to building a better and sustainable future, Choice Hotels International has released its latest ESG report, which highlights major steps in the group’s journey to reduce costs and save time for franchisees.
The report also highlights steps to increase Choice’s ESG commitments, ranging from innovative water and energy conservation technology to ambitious diversity goals for hotel ownership.
The fourth annual report, titled ‘Building a Better Tomorrow, Today,’, offers detailed insight into the Rockville, Md-based company’s journey and progress as the company aims to build a legacy of sustainability and the measures Choice is undertaking to further integrate ESG principles and standards into its daily and long-term decision making.
Having acquired the Radisson Hotel Group Americas in 2022, the report also includes the recently onboarded Radisson associates and properties.
“Choice Hotels International shares a uniting belief that tomorrow will be even better than today, and we are committed to building that better tomorrow,” Choice Hotels International CEO Patrick Pacious said. “As one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world, we are building on more than 80 years of success in developing a portfolio of diversified brands and creating a lasting, sustainable legacy for the future — one hotel, one family, one community at a time.”
Some of the key ESG measures include:
- Launching Commitment to Green, an initiative to provide sustainability training and resources to its hotel owners, including an automated systemwide utility tracking dashboard to assist hotels in identifying opportunities for electricity, water and fuel reduction.
- Reporting Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions for the first time and aligning ESG disclosures with the standards laid by the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
- Appointing a business-savvy executive as vice president of sustainability and creating two new ESG governance forums to strengthen the company’s ESG strategy and implementation.
- Becoming a part of the Sustainability Hospitality Alliance.
- Reintroducing HERtels by Choice, driving a 53% YOY rise in the group’s hotel franchise deals with woman owners.
- Committing $25 million in incentives for contracts with underrepresented minority and women owners by 2025.
- Setting a goal to boost women’s participation in senior leadership roles to 50%.
These sustainability practices aren’t just good for our people, communities and the planet; they’re good for business, said Megan Brumagim, vice president, sustainability for Choice Hotels.
“That’s why we’re strengthening our commitments and continuing to engage our franchisees on the journey. Whether through Commitment to Green or the recent installation of CarbinX carbon-capture technology at the Radisson Blu Mall of America, we’re focused on practical ways to make a positive impact and deliver financial returns for our owners. Innovative efforts to drive energy efficiency and save water also save our hardworking hotel owners time and money without sacrificing guest experience,” Brumagim said.
Last week, Choice celebrated the achievement of a significant sustainability milestone when the Radisson Blu Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., became the first hotel worldwide to use CarbinX, a small-scale carbon-capture device developed by CleanO2. CarbinX connects to the hotel’s natural gas water heaters, captures CO2 produced by the hotel and converts it into an ingredient that can be used in locally-produced soap and detergent.
The installation was part of a program by CenterPoint Energy, Minnesota’s biggest natural gas utility, to find out the potential of cleaner, new energy technologies.
“While we are proud of our work to date, we recognize we are still at the beginning in some aspects of our ESG journey. We are committed to our franchisees and their success, to our associates and their wellbeing and career development, and to providing our guests with a welcoming stay wherever their travels take them,” said Pacious.
Choice currently operates 7,500 hotels totaling 630,000 rooms across 47 countries and territories under 22 brands.