Twenty-three of the world’s main hotel chains, including Melia, are currently supporting the initiative.
Melia Hotels International has announced that it has adopted the carbon footprint measurement system recently established by WTTC (World Travel & Tourism Council) and ITP (International Tourism Partnership). As part of its global sustainability policy, the hotel chain will use the methodology known as "HCMI 1.0", geared to measuring and reporting CO2 emissions, always with the aim of reducing the impact that its activities have on climate change.
Involving the introduction a common methodology to calculate and report in a clear and transparent fashion the CO2 emissions generated by a hotel stay or the holding of a congress or event, the initiative is currently supported by 23 of the world’s leading hotel chains, including Melia.
This group discovered that there was room for improvement in the way that the hotel industry communicates the impact of its activity. Until now, a large variety of systems have been used which can lead to confusion among consumers, above all corporate clients that would like to know their potential carbon footprint so as reach their own personal objectives in this respect. This large variety of measuring systems meant that it was difficult to ensure information transparency in the hotel industry.
The work group of (Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative), comprising members of ITP and WTTC, was established at the beginning of 2011, due to general demand for a common methodology. This resulted in the launching of the "HCMI 1.0" system, which provides the hotel industry with a common and standardized solution.
Based on the GHG Protocol Standards, work began on developing the methodology in 2011, and since then it has been tested at different types of hotels worldwide, under the supervision of different interest groups and the World Resources Institute (WRI), and with the participation of the consulting firm KPMG.
HCMI shows how effective collaboration can provide solutions that benefits both consumers and individual companies, and even larger industries. Using a common language and measurements, interest groups will now be able to obtain a better understanding of their carbon footprint.
One of HCMI’s ongoing priorities is to maximize the methodology’s acceptance by a wide range of hotels and their clients. The methodology is currently being revised so as to ensure its efficiency, including user comments and the publication of new research.
From now on, Melia Hotels International will promote the use of this measurement model in the Spanish hotel industry, with the aim of calculating the industry’s carbon footprint, according to this international standard.
