Sustainable communication is how you communicate: specific, respectful, and mindful of impact. Sustainability communication is what you communicate: your goals, actions, and progress. Hotels need both. This guide explains the difference, the core principles, and the wording that helps you avoid greenwashing.

Greenwashing continues to stain the hospitality industry, with hotels making claims that are bigger than reality, and consumers are understandably distrusting as a result. Let’s look at these findings by The Sustainable Agency (2023) that show the perils of greenwashing and the risks of getting your sustainability communication wrong:

• 42% of online sustainability claims were found to be “exaggerated, false or deceptive” in a high-profile study by the European Union.
• 88% of consumers don’t immediately trust a brand that claims to be sustainable, showing the importance of walking and talking sustainability.
• 30% of millennials will unfollow accounts that believe to be posting inauthentic content.
• 90% of millennials – one of the demographics most invested in sustainable living – say authenticity is a top influence when deciding to buy.
• 40% of people wouldn’t recommend a product to their friends and family if they felt a brand was falling short on its environmental claims.
• 17% of people would actively discourage their friends and family from buying a product if they felt environmental claims were overstated.
• 55% of people are looking for companies to explain the sustainability credentials of their product compared to alternatives – simply labelling your product ‘sustainable’ is no longer enough.
• Companies who mislead online (including greenwashing) could face a fine equal to 10% of annual turnover under proposed legislation in the UK. More laws are likely to follow on questionable environmental claims made online.

To practice Sustainable Communication, it’s important to ensure your communication reflect the following:

1. TRANSPARENCY:
Promoting honesty, openness, and trust in your sustainability initiatives.

2. INCLUSIVENESS:
Promoting equality by supporting People of all backgrounds and avoiding discriminatory practices.

3. CULTURAL SENSITIVITY:
Prioritising understanding and respect of local cultures and traditions.

4. CLARITY:
Fostering engagement and building understanding among audience members.

5. RESPONSIBILITY:
Taking responsibility for your actions and avoiding harmful communication practices.

6. AUTHENTICITY:
Making your sustainability journey heartfelt and personal.

7. PROGRESS:
Continually improving your communication practices.

8. RELEVANCE:
Explaining how new sustainable products and services impact your stakeholders.

9. INSPIRATIONAL:
Keeping communications positive and inspiring.

10. ETHICAL:
Ensuring that you never Profit from difficult situations People might be in.

Dear Franziska, thank you for your time! First of all, can you tell us more about you and what inspired you to found Good Travel?

Franziska: First of all, of course, being a passionate traveller myself. I love travelling, discovering new places and getting inspiration from these. And as it happens, normally you spend a lot of time looking for the right accommodation – often without the desired result. And when you’ve actually found a really great accommodation, you wonder why there are not more of them, or where you can find them. Especially in German-speaking countries, we have seen a big gap in this area. So this led us, my partner Judith and me, to the decision to start Good Travel…

How did your own sustainability journey start? And what has been your biggest learning so far?

Franziska: I think it started with having my kids or maybe even before that. We live in Berlin so there was already a community that was engaged in sustainability way before it became mainstream. And of course, becoming a mother myself, even enhanced my desire to live more sustainably - in every aspect. And I’d say my biggest learning so far has been that it is always the person that makes the difference. Every one of us can have an impact - far bigger than the actual “doing”, but by being a role model and inspiring others.

You know, Franziska, that we truly love your approach: “Good places for Good people.” Can you tell us more about what makes a place a good one for you?

Franziska: This ties into my previous answer: I truly believe that people make the difference. And "Good Places for Good People" includes the idea that both our hosts and Good Travellers share a value system and appreciate each other’s commitment.

At MAp we are specialised in supporting independent hoteliers to become more innovative and sustainable, also through crafting unique hotel concepts and brands. What are your thoughts and observations on sustainability in the hospitality industry? What do you believe the future holds for the industry?

Franziska: I think that sustainability will become the new standard in the hospitality industry. Alone the costs will be reason enough for many to think about green energy and similar. With this, the greenwashing practices will become more common as well. And this will be a challenge for us travellers: how to differentiate between good marketing and real commitment? In a lot of cases, this will be only visible when being a guest.

Do you have any recommendations for independent or boutique hoteliers on how they can start and / or advance their sustainability journeys?

Franziska: For me, authenticity is the key. So a hotelier should always start with measures that are heartfelt concerns. For example, starting to grow their own vegetables, including locals in activities for hotel guests, reducing costs by getting solar panels for the pool heating, etc.  

What’s your biggest wish for the future?

Franziska: That travelling does not become a privilege for rich people only. Travelling, seeing other countries, getting to know other cultures, is always horizon-expanding. I really hope that our kids won't have to travel virtually only.

As always, our final MAp meets question: what makes a hotel experience a truly outstanding one for you personally?

Franziska: Sleeping well, eating well, a peaceful view and a host that makes me feel welcome :-)

About Good Travel

Good Travel was founded in January 2016 by Franziska Diallo and Judith Hehl in Berlin to address the growing demand for environmentally- and socially-responsible vacations and to fill this gap in the market with a hand-picked selection of sustainable accommodation.

Good Travel's unique selling proposition is that sustainability does not have to mean doing without and that style and enjoyment should not be neglected. With Good Travel, they want to raise awareness for sustainable tourism. They want to make sustainable destinations more attractive. The more people develop an awareness of sustainable practices in vacation accommodations and then demand them, the more willing the industry will be to implement sustainable practices.

From old farms to cottages and design hotels to tiny houses, tree houses and yurts, Good Travel presents a colourful selection of sustainable vacation destinations in a variety of price segments. The journey already begins with the search - through pictures and descriptions that invite you to dream and plan. They see themselves as impulse givers: They inform and inspire both on the offer and demand side. They want to show the hosts that a sustainable positioning in the tourism industry brings a decisive competitive advantage. For them, sustainable travel is the new, contemporary travel.

On their blog, which they completely redesigned this summer, they also write about general sustainability topics in addition to sustainable travel. Because for them, sustainability is a matter that affects all areas of life. They want to inspire you to make your everyday life more sustainable.

For the hospitality industry, there’s only one way #onwards into the future – and that’s with sustainability! Sustainable hospitality is about those hotels (and other hospitality businesses) that strive to create a positive impact in this world by promoting sustainable hotel practices.

While many refer to themselves incorrectly as “green hotels,” sustainable hotels take on a more holistic approach to sustainability. For us at MAp, a truly sustainable hotel is guided by a clear Purpose and addresses the three core pillars of sustainability: social (People), environmental (Planet) and economic (Profit). These four pillars come together to form our sustainability framework, titled MAp’s 4Ps of Sustainability.

What we’ve learned throughout the years working with independent and boutique hoteliers: the more practical the guidance on how to become a sustainable hotel, the better. Therefore, in this Insights and in the related FREE resources – our webinar on Sustainable Hotel Management 2023 and the Sustainability RoadMAp - we support you #stepbystep to successfully manage sustainability in 2023 and beyond.

Let us present you with some interesting facts about why you should holistically implement sustainability into your independent or boutique hotel, along MAp’s 4Ps of Sustainability:

Purpose: Did you know that recent studies have found that 8 in 10 (82%) consumers say they’ve taken action to support a company when they believed in its Purpose (Zeno Group, 2020)? Studies have also shown that brands recognised for high-commitment to Purpose have grown at more than twice the rate of others (Kantar Consulting, 2020).

People: Did you know that the benefits of diversity in the workplace are significant? According to a recent study (McKinsey & Company, 2020), companies with ethnoracial diversity practices were 36% more likely to achieve higher profitability than less diverse companies.

Planet: Did you know that with the trend „Neo-Ecology,“ environmental sustainability is becoming a social movement and an economic factor? It's not anymore about whom to blame or renunciation - it’s about what we gain as a society. With the fusion of People and technology, we no longer see environmental sustainability as a problem, but as the key to a neo-ecological future (Zukunftsinstitut, 2023). This will alter the logic of hospitality brands and marketing.

Profit: Did you know that the 17th SDG is all about partnering? And for good reason! Many hotels have been individual players for decades, but the future belongs to those who understand the advantages and benefits of partnerships and community, combining strengths and knowledge to solve our bigger problems. Together, we can achieve so much more.

Inspired by our webinar on Sustainable Hotel Management and the Sustainability RoadMAp, here you go with our 4 MAdvices on Sustainable Hotel Practices in 2023:

Take this Purpose action in 2023 and #Beyond: Start with Purpose
Get clear on what is that one thing that you and your team really want to achieve, change or serve in 2023.

Take this People action in 2023 and #Beyond: Build a strong and diverse team
Identify what the diversity make-up of your hotel staff is, then ask what your hotel is doing to promote diversity further. For example, what kind of message does your non-verbal communication convey? Are your job ads inclusive? If you said no to the latter, HERE you can get access to our FREE PDF about writing attractive and inclusive job ads.

Take this Planet action in 2023 and #Beyond: Review your communication…
...and make sure you start with your Purpose, avoid greenwashing, and keep it positive and ethical. One last important MAdvice: NEVER try to profit at the expense of others, e.g. from difficult situations People are in.

Take this Profit action in 2023 and #Beyond: Build sustainable partnerships
Stop seeing yourself or your hotel as an individual player. Reach out to existing partners, find NEW ones and start to create synergies and a bigger impact together.

A few years back, research by The British Academy (2019) made a strong case for change in the business world, stating general loss of trust among consumers and the shortcomings of the current capitalist business approach, as well as the damaging impact on People and Planet. Since then, the practise of purposeful business has seen a major upheaval, in which companies take responsibility and bring meaning to their existence beyond the mere purpose of making money. More recent studies found that 8 in 10 (82%) consumers said they took action to support a company when they believed in its Purpose (Zeno Group, 2020) and that brands recognised for high-commitment to Purpose have grown at more than twice the rate of others (Kantar Consulting, 2020).

What Purposeful Business means for your hotel:

• Having a strong Purpose (as in, knowing the reason for your hotel’s existence and its overarching WHY) has the promise to transform and pushes you to strive for something better - be that a better world, a better way to do business, a better employer or whatever you believe is important. Ultimately, purposeful business is about delivering more than Profit for your hotel.
• The Bain & Company (2023) calls purposeful business “the secret weapon in the new war for talent.”  And we’re not surprised.  Sure, your hotel employees want the basics (a fair salary, feeling safe in the workplace and more). But these are just “qualifiers” as to whether your employees are satisfied or dissatisfied with your hotel. But for them to stay at your hotel, employees need their jobs to have Purpose, too. They want to be part of completing a worthwhile mission (aka your hotel’s Purpose).

Take this ONE action:

Ask yourself, what is that one thing that you and your team really want to achieve, change, or serve in 2023? What is the reason for existence for your hotel? We know it’s difficult to get you started on thinking about these things, and that’s why we wrote a whole handbook about finding your hotel’s Purpose. Finding your Purpose, your WHY, will – as studies prove – not only increase your Profit, it will also increase the attractiveness of your hotel as an employer as well as increase team spirit. In the end, as human beings, we all want to do great and meaningful work.

In many areas of life, People are increasingly shedding familiar gender roles, and awareness of the value of diversity in business and politics is growing. The megatrend, Gender Shift (Zukunftsinstitut, 2023b), is essentially about the questions of identity, stereotyping and new relationship- and family models. The discussions and answers to these questions are changing social perceptions and communications. As a result, inclusiveness and diversity are gaining stronger importance in the workplace.

What Gender Shift means for your hotel:

• In a challenging job market, diverse and inclusive hiring can be your game-changer. Because when you think about it, diversity is simply an effort to accommodate the full range of the human experience (and what’s not to love about that?). So, gender shift in the hospitality industry is about building more inclusive and diverse teams. This means having a variety of races, genders, ethnicities, ages, backgrounds and more represented within your hotel staff – and celebrating those special differences.
• That said, equal opportunity employment should not be just a step to bolster your employer branding but rather a core of your hotel’s hiring practices and living culture.
• Using inclusive language means your People (guests, employees, partners and the local community) are more likely to feel like they belong and can be their authentic selves.
• We all know that speech isn’t always necessary to convey a very specific message. Thus, “silent” bias might still very well be found in your social media, photographs, videos or other visuals around your hotel.

Take this ONE action:

Take off the blurred glasses and start looking around your hotel with a fresh set of eyes: What is the make-up of your hotel staff? What message conveys the non-verbal communications in your hotel? Are there any situations that consistently show members of any group as superior or inferior? Make sure that your hotel, and especially its communications, welcomes ALL People. And take a special look at your hotel photography. As the Gisler Protocol (2023) so eloquently states: whenever you look at the female role in photos and you can replace her with a flower pot or a puppy, then it is definitely discriminatory.

In the past, discussion and debates about the ecological dimension of sustainability were characterised by the question of who to blame, renunciation and, of course, greenwashing. But now researchers (Zukunftstinstitut, 2023c) are certain that the megatrend, Neo-Ecology, will shape this century like no other.  Why Neo? The term ecology comes from biology and originally referred to the science of the interrelationships between living beings and their environment. However, the prefix Neo (ancient Greek for new) accentuates the advanced understanding of ecology, which is rather the totality of the interrelationships between living beings and their environment as well as the combination of the environment and the economy.

Today, environmental awareness and sustainability are increasingly advancing from an individual lifestyle and consumer trend to a social movement - and to a central economic factor that influences all entrepreneurial spheres. It is no longer about renunciation but about what we gain. In a sense, it describes the emergence of a new business ethic. Even more so, when we adopt sustainable and pragmatic approaches to solutions that involve the fusion of People and technology, we no longer see it as a problem, but as the key to a neo-ecological future.

What Neo-Ecology means for your hotel:

• Your People are increasingly becoming globally responsible, and this will not only transform society from the ground up but also alter the logic of hospitality brands and marketing.
• Stop explaining to your guests why you don’t change towels every day or why you banned plastic straws. To be honest, these trivial measures are already expected of you anyways and your guests know the importance of them. Instead, focus on HOW you communicate your sustainability actions - going beyond the expectations.
•  And yes, green tech is not only a buzzword. The growth markets of the green tech industry include energy efficiency as well as sustainable mobility concepts. As more technologies emerge, successful entrepreneurs (such as you are) should be encouraged to inform themselves regularly about new helpful tools and devices. What are innovations or technological advances that you can implement at your hotel that will be good for People and Planet (and eventually for your Profit too)?

Take this ONE action:

Look at how you communicate your sustainability activities. As our expert Martin Stockburger shared with us in our Profit handbook, it is important to communicate in a non-dogmatic way, in a conversational tone and in an easy-to-read and honest manner. It is completely okay to also mention what you have struggled with and what challenges you have faced as part of your sustainability journey.

A few decades (or even years) ago, we would not have believed that economy and friendliness could go hand-in-hand. After all, everything in economics is about growth, competition and Profit. But now there is much to suggest that the economy is entering a friendlier phase based on real human values, such as respect, understanding and care: a true "Kindness Economy". This new economy is nice - to ourselves and our People, to the Planet and to our Profit (in that order). The Corona pandemic already showed us that it’s possible in a radical but effective way, influenced by a growing awareness for the environment and the future quality of life.

What Kindness Economy means for your hotel:

• Failure and success will be determined by those hotels that (don't) give a f*ck. Because guests no longer only look at price, but also question the product’s origin, the hotel’s culture and many other intangible social factors. Thus, successful hotels take a very clear approach, which we coined at MAp one of our basic sustainability mantras: Purpose + People = Profit.                                              
• Many hotels have been individual players for decades, but the future belongs to those who understand the advantages and benefits of partnerships and community. Together, they can achieve so much more. Partnering will be a crucial success factor in a world where changes don’t happen overnight. Not for nothing, it is also the 17th SDG.

Take this ONE action:

Get in touch with your partners and your local community. Discuss how you can serve your (and their) Purpose and what you want to achieve together in 2023. This also includes to stop seeing yourself as an individual player in an ever more complex market. Find partners with similar values and goals and start to create synergies and a bigger impact.

Talking about Profit, we have one more extra advice and action to offer: over the last years, the rules of economy have changed. Re-investment in your business is still a basic economic rule. However, this year, we recommended to our boutique hotelier clients to shift their investment efforts from hotel hardware to hotel humans. In the end, hospitality is a People-for-People business, so reinvest in YOUR People (in salaries, raises, benefits, growth opportunities, etc.) and do not forget to reinvest in yourself as well. As the leader and manager of your boutique hotel, you have to understand where the economy is going and get up to speed ASAP.

The prosperity of tomorrow’s hotels is based on new values - having a Purpose, being inclusive and diverse, communicating authentically and partnering up and being kind in order to do better for People and Planet. These aren’t just passing trends - they’re here to stay, and every business, in hospitality and beyond, will need to adapt as a result. Therefore, as sustainability becomes increasingly important and a measure of a hotel’s worth and success, follow the action steps we outline herein to help move you forward on the path to impact.

To assist you further, we’ve created a series of practical sustainability handbooks for boutique hoteliers, titled The Sustainable Hotel Handbook – Collection, which you can find here.

SOURCES:

Bain & Company. (2023). Purposeful Work: The Secret Weapon in the New War for Talent. Retrieved from https://www.bain.com/insights/purposeful-work-the-secret-weapon-in-the-new-war-for-talent/

Gislerprotokoll. (2023). Abschnitt: Kein Mensch ist eine Topfplanze. Retrieved from https://www.gislerprotokoll.ch

Kantar Consulting. (2020). Purpose 2020. Purpose led-growth. https://www.kantar.com/Inspiration/Brands/The-Journey-Towards-Purpose-Led-Growth

Portas, M. (2021). How to thrive in the new Kindness Economy. Retrieved from https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/445415/rebuild-by-portas-mary/9781787635166

The British Academy. (2019). Principles for Purposeful Business. Retrieved from https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications/future-of-the-corporation-principles-for-purposeful-business/

Zeno Group. (2020). 2020 Zeno Strenght of Purpose Study. Retrieved from https://www.zenogroup.com/insights/2020-zeno-strength-purpose

Zukunftsinstitut. (2023a). Die Megatrends. Retrieved from https://www.zukunftsinstitut.de/dossier/megatrends/

Zukunftsinstitut. (2023b). Der Megatrend Gender Shift. Retrieved from https://www.zukunftsinstitut.de/dossier/megatrend-gender-shift/

Zukunftsinstitut. (2023c). Der Megatrend Neo-Ökologie. Retrieved from https://www.zukunftsinstitut.de/dossier/megatrend-neo-oekologie/

Dear Pavlina, it is so great to talk to you – a real expert in the field of circular economy. First of all, could you let our readers know how you started on your own sustainability journey? What has been your biggest learning so far?

Pavlina: Dear MAp team, thanks for the invitation – it’s a pleasure to be here. I started my journey learning about nature and wildlife from my mother, who was also a scientist. I have always been fascinated by living systems, and thus decided to study environmental sciences. I guess back then I imagined working in conservation, but later I realised the results from classical academic work are not tangible in the short-term, and thus decided to “get my hands dirty”, built a company myself and am supporting others on their sustainability journeys now. My biggest learning is to be true and opportunistic and follow my beliefs. No one would guess 10 years ago that today I would be codesigning products.

Please tell us: what is a circular economy? What are its core principles as well as some helpful examples?

Pavlina: There are many definitions for the circular economy, but I guess the most understandable is - this is a framework that designs out waste and keeps products and materials in use for as long as possible.

At MAp we are specialised in crafting sustainable hotel concepts and brands. What are your thoughts and observations on sustainability in the hospitality industry? What do you believe the future holds for the industry?

Pavlina: I feel that there is a movement around the topic of sustainability in every industry – customers are becoming more aware and are demanding solutions. The tourism industry and hospitality industry are also affected by the changing climate and social inequalities worldwide, and therefore hotel owners are looking for solutions in the space. Unfortunately, many of the solutions are still only marketing driven and not really tackling the root cause of the problems. I believe in the future, customers will become even more attuned and will be able to differentiate between green wishing and -washing and true sustainability, and those doing it only for marketing purposes will lose their popularity.

Do you have any recommendations for boutique hoteliers on how they can start and / or advance their sustainability journeys?

Pavlina: Start as soon as possible – you still have a competitive advantage as a first mover. Sustainability is here to stay and will be soon the new normal, and today’s niche market will take over conventional hospitality. It is an ongoing journey – be brave and improve constantly.

When we started working on The Sustainable Hotel, we were surprised to learn how many people still hold misconceptions about sustainability, e.g. that sustainability is expensive, complicated, only about the Planet, etc. What are the most common misconceptions you encounter while working with business owners?

Pavlina: The classical one – circular economy is just recycling. Another one that makes me laugh – this is not going to work, because it doesn’t work today.

What’s your biggest wish for the future?

Pavlina: That businesses shift from doing less (or no) harm to doing good for nature and society – the so-called regenerative economy.

As always, our final MAp meets question: what makes a hotel experience a truly outstanding one for you personally?

Pavlina: Personal attitude and of course visible sustainability efforts!