CLEVELAND, OHIO—Five Cleveland-based hospitality organizations recently graduated from the E4S (Entrepreneurs for Sustainability) Sustainability Implementation Group. As a result of this process, hotel managers are saving money, reducing their carbon footprint, and finding new ways to attract customers interested in green accommodations and events. Since 2000, E4S has attracted leaders from all sectors who are interested in putting sustainable business practices to work in their operations, products and services. In 2005, the organization added a learning program to meet the needs of a growing network of business leaders and change agents.
The program, called Sustainability Implementation (SI) Groups, is an action-focused, peer-based learning process that increases the rate of learning for a team of leaders and the probability they will implement new practices. The program generally spans eight months with participants meeting formally each month to explore sustainable business practices, including waste elimination, energy efficiency and sustainable procurement practices. A group of five local green teams represents the most recent group to complete the program. Included are the Crowne Plaza Hotel—Cleveland City Center; Hyatt Cleveland at the Arcade; Radisson Hotel Cleveland—Gateway, and The InterContinental Cleveland.
Positively Cleveland, which works diligently to bring conventions and tourism visitors to the city, convened the group and also completed a strategic sustainability implementation plan. Each green team presented their strategic plan to their peers and other stakeholders. These action plans highlight the triple bottom line—economic prosperity, social responsibility, and environmental health—of sustainability projects and goals.
Buy-in From Employees
“Each business now has new internal champions who are creating win-win-win opportunities to save money, create a healthier local environment and make their companies great places to work,” said Stephanie Strong, E4S director of learning programs. “It’s exciting to see sustainability teams from each hotel and Positively Cleveland engaged in reducing waste, finding efficiencies in energy and water, procuring new green and local products, and collaborating in new ways.”
“We started this project with little knowledge of sustainability,” said Megan Joyce, director of sales at the Radisson Hotel Cleveland. “Throughout the journey we successfully implemented many sustainability projects and are still on our journey.”
Each green team initiated waste reduction efforts, implementing recycling programs where none existed before. Such programs result in cost savings from reduced hauling fees, decrease the amount of trash in landfills, conserve energy and natural resources, and prevent pollution—leading to cleaner air and a healthier environment. The peer-based approach helped each team discover these benefits together. The group is encouraged to collaborate on additional sustainability projects. Some unique highlights from each plan include:
Radisson Hotel Cleveland
• Unplugging all room (142) mini-refrigerators when not in use saves the hotel an estimated $3,700 annually. Guests are informed that the appliance is unplugged and are encouraged to plug it in if they want to use it.
• The staff has implemented a recycling program that keeps nearly 400 pounds of paper out of the landfill biweekly.
Hyatt Cleveland at the Arcade
• During the SI Group process, the Hyatt green team base-lined their energy consumption and began taking steps to earn the Energy Star building label. The estimated savings from their efforts is close to $9,500 in six months.
• The facilities team has partnered with a local recycling company to reduce their landfill contributions. Their goal is to cut their waste by 75 percent by 2015 and, as part of a corporate initiative, become completely paperless by 2020.
Crowne Plaza Hotel—Cleveland City Center
• The Crowne Plaza green team plans to bring an energy expert in to audit their property. Their goal is to earn the Energy Star building label. To realize energy savings, the hotel sells rooms by floor levels to be able to cut power to unoccupied floors.
• Internally, the manager has a goal to help associates calculate their own carbon footprint before May 2009. Staff members also receive a subsidy for taking public transportation. New hires receive an orientation that includes an overview of the hotel’s sustainability initiatives, to set the tone that sustainability is a part of Crowne Plaza’s culture.
The InterContinental Cleveland
• The InterContinental Hotel green team is applying the lens of sustainability to a 2009 renovation of one of their Cleveland properties. Specifically, they plan to donate furnishings to the Cleveland Furniture Bank and recycle all construction debris.
• The engineering director is investigating the possibility of using solar thermal energy to help meet the hotel’s hot water needs (showers, kitchen, and laundry facilities). In addition, hotel staff plan to launch a sustainability website for internal and external stakeholders in January 2009.
Positively Cleveland
• The hospitality industry is among the largest employers in the region. Positively Cleveland recognizes the need to green the hospitality industry in order to make Cleveland a destination for conventions and tourists, which translates into a healthy, vibrant regional economy. By convening this group of hotels they are sending a clear message about the importance of sustainability in building a “destination economy.”
• Focusing their efforts on waste reduction, Positively Cleveland staff set a goal to become a paperless organization in three years. They established a robust recycling program in their offices and visitors center and recycled 100 percent of wasted office paper.
