WASHINGTON—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) brought together hotel and sustainability leaders in Washington to discuss the hotel industry’s commitment to programs regarding environmental sustainability at the second annual Responsible Stay Summit.
AHLA member companies are incorporating environmental goals into their business models. AHLA’s Responsible Stay Summit is designed to help hoteliers continue this work through discussions on topics like environmental, social, and governance strategies, federal energy policy, and financing the green transition.
This year’s event discussed 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 United States 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
- Ben Feller, partner, Maslansky + Partners
- Greg Gershuny, executive director, energy and environment program, The Aspen Institute
- Emily Kreps, global head of ESG and sustainable finance, Deutsche Bank
The summit came from AHLA’s Responsible Stay initiative. Launched in 2022, Responsible Stay is a hotel-industry-wide commitment to strengthening sustainability, which focuses on four principles: energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, and responsible sourcing.
“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,” said AHLA President and CEO Chip Rogers. “Hoteliers can always count on AHLA for the latest sustainability tools, resources, and best practices in this fast-evolving field.”
