Sustainability is a pressing concern in the hospitality and tourism industry, what is the role of environment in Corporate Social Responsibility?
Generally, the idea of Corporate Social Responsibility stems from the “Triple Bottom Line” concept where instead of one bottom line of profit, there are three: Profit, people and the planet (Elkington, 1994). When a business moves toward CSR, it aims to create harmony and balance among its economic, social and environmental aspects. I am of the opinion that given today’s time of rapid technological advancement and fast paced mechanism, the Tourism and Hospitality industry should adopt CSR as a way to preserve the social and environmental concerns of society. Moreover, I also believe that these big hotel chains are prominent assets, they should realize that sustainability is a moral obligation instilled in them by the way of their presence and operations in a community.
In the picture: Me at the rooftop restaurant 'Helios' at Hyatt Regency Dubai
“I make sure to let my followers know of the sustainability aspect of my stays in hotels along with the initiatives being taken by the big chains to support sustainable practices in the tourism and hospitality industry.”
As a licensed tour guide in Dubai, I run a leisure blog on Instagram where I post reviews and recommendations about things to do in Dubai city and places to visit. As a result of my blogging and influence, I get invited to attractions, restaurants and hotels around the city for reviews and social media marketing promotions. I feel very privileged to be given the opportunity to experience different things and tell my followers about it but I also realize the responsibility that comes with it. I make sure to let my followers know of the sustainability aspect of my stays in hotels along with the initiatives being taken by the big chains to support sustainable practices in the tourism and hospitality industry. Most hotels that I get invited to for staycations in the city of Dubai follow a standard of green solutions in terms of bedding, laundry, cleaning, water and energy consumption. On the contrary, the buffet restaurants within the same hotels do not follow certain sustainable practices and that upsets me a little.
The positive part of this situation is that it is relatively easier for hotels to follow green practices in room operations, laundry services and pool facilities but it is equally difficult for them to do the same for Food & Beverage operations. According to Dubai Municipality, the restaurant has to throw away leftover food at the end of every day. The rule is set to avoid hygiene issues and other problems that might arise due to food going bad or other health issues (Dubai Municipality , 2021). After going for a lot of hotel reviews and seeing the same problem, I understand the hotel’s point of view on this situation as they have to abide by the rules and also make sure their guests are satisfied.
What are my future plans?
The next time I am invited for a food review within a hotel, I will make sure to only order limited amount of food and pack the rest of the food and give it to someone in need. I will do my research and connect the hotel staff with an NGO that has a food bank so that the leftover food is transported to the food bank instead of being thrown away. This will help not only in the environmental goals of CSR within the hotel chain but also the social aspect.
Based on the above discussion, I can safely conclude that although CSR may trudge along some blurry lines, if executed with the correct intentions and in a precise and immaculate manner, it can prove to be beneficial for both the business and the environment.
References
Dubai Municipality , 2021. Government of Dubai - Food Code; Food Safety in Dubai. [Online] Available at: https://www.dm.gov.ae/municipality-business/food-safety-department-2/food-safety-department/ [Accessed 12 04 2021].
Elkington, J., 2019. University of Wisconsin - Sustainability Management. [Online] Available at: https://sustain.wisconsin.edu/sustainability/triple-bottom-line/ [Accessed 15 04 2021].
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