Hyatt last year managed to pick up the pace on its slowing greenhouse gas reductions, but it will have to speed up progress even more to meet its 2015 goals, judging by data from the company’s 2012 sustainability update.
In its last sustainability report, Hyatt reported that its greenhouse gas intensity had flatlined from 2010 to 2011 at 141 kg CO2e per square meter. Last year the hotel chain managed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 3.5 percent, to 136 Kg, adding up to a 13 percent decline from the company’s 2006 baseline.
The company is aiming for a 25 percent cut by 2015, so it has achieved just over half of its targeted reduction, with three out of nine years to go.
Last year Hyatt doubled the number of its hotels sourcing power from onsite renewable energy such as solar, wind and geothermal, from six to 12. Its GHG emissions totaled 1.47 million metric tons CO2e, of which 0.241 million was scope 1 and 1.23 million was scope 2.
The company reports that 97 percent of its hotels have installed energy-efficient lighting, and 35 percent have energy management systems that enable central control of guest room thermostats after checkouts.
Overview
The document is a mid-cycle update to Hyatt’s full 2011 corporate responsibility report. Hyatt has declared the update at GRI Application Level C. Data is based on reported information from managed full service hotels that have complete data for the designated year and the year prior (with the exception of waste data, which includes the US, Canada and the Caribbean only). Some data has been updated from previous disclosures as Hyatt continues to refine its methodology, the company says.
In 2012, the company achieved its goal of consistently tracking its environmental footprint across its complete portfolio of managed hotels, by integrating its managed Hyatt House and Hyatt Place properties into its data set.
Hyatt also collaborates with other major hospitality firms on the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI), which has created a uniform methodology for industry to use in reporting greenhouse gas emissions to clients. In 2012, the company began integrating the HCMI framework into Hyatt EcoTrack, its in-house system for tracking environmental data. This will allow Hyatt to systematically apply the HCMI methodology in future reporting, the company says.
Last year Hyatt also established a formal Corporate Responsibility Council, chaired by its chief financial officer and led by its vice president of corporate responsibility. The council includes leaders from a range of functions including brand marketing, corporate communications, engineering, global operations, human resources, innovation, internal audit, product and brand development, and risk. It is charged with setting long-term objectives, identifying what infrastructure Hyatt needs to attain its goal, and leading the company in assessing the sustainability of product, operational and brand decisions.
Energy
Last year the company cut its energy intensity 2.2 percent, to 1,206 MJ per square meter, from 1,233 in 2011. In all the metric has fallen 11 percent from Hyatt’s 2006 baseline year. The company is aiming to cut energy intensity 25 percent by 2015.
In 2012 Hyatt used 13,634 million MJ of energy, including 4,472 million MJ through direct use and 9,161 million MJ through indirect use.
Water
The company’s water intensity fell 2.8 percent over the year, from 0.72 cubic meters per guest night in 2011 to 0.70 cubic meters in 2012, and fell nine percent from the 2006 baseline year. Hyatt is aiming for a 20 percent reduction by 2015.
The company says that over 90 percent of its hotels are installing water-efficient fixtures. It used 27.3 million cubic meters in 2012.
Waste
Waste intensity stayed steady last year at 2.02 kg per guest night, down 3 percent from the company’s 2010 baseline. Hyatt is aiming for a 25 percent reduction by 2015.
The company generated 50,131 metric tons of waste last year and recycled 14,025 metric tons.
The share of its hotels that composted increased from 17 to 23 percent last year. Hyatt says it continues to investigate opportunities to reduce or divert its waste.
Other areas
In 2012, the company implemented its Supplier Code of Conduct worldwide. The code establishes Hyatt’s social, governance and environmental standards for suppliers, who are expected to adhere to the standards as part of conducting business with Hyatt.
Also in 2012, Hyatt partnered with the World Wildlife Fund to evaluate its seafood purchases outside of the US and develop meaningful targets and guidelines, as well as educational materials, for its hotels.