Group Image: From Left to Right
Yasser Ahmed, Schneider Electric| Jason P | Milos Mirilo, Accor Hotels | Frederic Canti, Reset Mena | Mustapha Aanzi, Board member Advancing Net Zero | Faisal Rashid, Chairman Advancing Net Zero | Majd Fayyad, Board member Advancing Net Zero | Mohamed Abdelwahab, Minor Group | Nigora Rapilbekova, SunSet Hospitality| Gauri Naik, Al Dar | Radhika Arapally, Sustainability Kiosk | Nadia Ibrahim, Ricardo
Advancing Net Zero Closed Roundtable
Alongside the RAK Energy Summit, the Advancing Net Zero Volunteering Team hosted a closed roundtable session on Decarbonizing the Hospitality Sector, and we at Sustainability Kiosk were thrilled to contribute to this impactful discussion!
The session was opened by Eng. Faisal Ali Rashid, Chairperson of Advancing Net Zero, and facilitated by Mustapha Aanzi.
It was an exciting milestone for Radhika Arapally, founder of Sustainability Kiosk to to participate in this dialogue with senior engineering stakeholders and explore strategies to accelerate the hospitality industry’s transition to a net zero future. For more information on what is net zero, you can refer to our previous updates, as we explain the definition of Net Zero for UAE, KSA, Oman and what does it mean for Hospitality targets.
Our 6 Key Takeaways from the session:
- 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
Advancing Net Zero is an initiative and it thrives on the support of volunteering teams. Grateful to Majd Fayyad and the entire volunteering committee for the ongoing engagement. - 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀:
Hotel Owners’ investment in sustainability remains a challenge. A policy or mandate for sustainable investments could be the game-changer for driving transitions. - 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀:
Traditionally, asset managers focus on revenue per square foot. Can we adopt an additional metric of carbon reduction per square foot? We believe, decarbonization requires finance managers to champion these metrics alongside hotel owners. - 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Beyond ownership, customers and on-site operations have significant roles in optimizing processes to strengthen operational decarbonization.
- 𝗨𝗔𝗘 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀: 𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲
Thanks to UAE’s proactive tourism bodies, there is growing momentum on the ground for hotels to embrace and enhance sustainable initiatives. - 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), Green Key International and many other certifications, are highly regarded in the hospitality industry. However, the question remains: 𝗗𝗼 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? While they establish frameworks for sustainable practices, is there a clear, measurable pathway to reducing carbon emissions that is both established and understood by certified hotels? Bridging this gap could enhance the value of these certifications for decarbonisation goals.
It was a privilege to engage in forward-thinking conversation and to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of RAK, coupled with its refreshingly cool weather.
