Source: AH&LA

WASHINGTON – The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) yesterday brought together hotel and sustainability leaders in Washington to highlight the hotel industry’s continued commitment and expanding set of programs regarding environmental sustainability at the second annual Responsible Stay Summit.

AHLA member companies are increasingly incorporating environmental goals into their business models. AHLA’s Responsible Stay Summit is designed to help hoteliers continue this work through exclusive discussions on topics like Environmental, Social, and Governance strategies, federal energy policy, and financing the green transition.

This year’s event highlighted two new developments that support these goals:

  • AHLA and the Hotel Association of Canada announced a partnership to operate the Green Key Global hotel sustainability certification program in the U.S. and Canada.
  • AHLA and Procure Impact launched a Dignity of Work Pledge aimed at creating 100,000 hours of paid employment for underserved populations, which supports responsible sourcing practices.

Speakers at this year’s summit included:

  • Dan Feldman, partner, Covington, on ways to partner on ESG regulation
  • Ben Feller, partner, Maslansky + Partners, on how to talk about ESG
  • Greg Gershuny, executive director, energy and environment program, The Aspen Institute, on the future of energy
  • Emily Kreps, global head of ESG and sustainable finance, Deutsche Bank, on financing the green transition

The summit was born out of AHLA’s Responsible Stay® initiative. Launched in 2022, Responsible Stay is a hotel-industry-wide commitment to strengthening sustainability that focuses on four core principles: energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, and responsible sourcing.

AHLA offers a host of ways for hoteliers to take steps toward a more sustainable future. These include:

AHLA is proud to host the inspiring Responsible Stay Summit, which is designed to help hoteliers build a more sustainable future for our guests, our industry, and our planet. Hoteliers can always count on AHLA for the latest sustainability tools, resources, and best practices in this fast-evolving field. AHLA President & CEO Chip Rogers

About the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is the largest hotel association in America, representing more than 30,000 members from all segments of the industry nationwide – including iconic global brands, 80% of all franchised hotels, and the 16 largest hotel companies in the U.S. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AHLA focuses on strategic advocacy, communications support, and workforce development programs to move the industry forward. Learn more at www.ahla.com.