- AHLA hosted the fourth Responsible Stay Summit on March 3 to 4.
- Industry leaders gathered to share practices, discuss trends.
- The summit is part of AHLA’s Responsible Stay initiative, launched in 2022.
THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association hosted the fourth annual Responsible Stay Summit on March 3 to 4 in McLean, Virginia. The event brought together F&B and sustainability leaders to share practices, discuss trends and recognize achievements.
The summit, which included members of AHLA’s Sustainability and Food & Beverage Committees for the first time, addressed operational and environmental challenges from sourcing and food waste to water conservation through case studies and peer exchange, the association said in a statement.
“Hotels are anchors in their communities and their success ripples through local economies. Helping our members operate more efficiently isn’t just good for the environment, it’s good for their bottom line and for the communities they serve,” said Lauren Pravlik, AHLA’s vice president for committees and member engagement. “The tools and resources we’ve built through our Responsible Stay initiative are designed to meet hoteliers where they are, whether they’re just getting started or looking to go further and events like this are where that work comes to life.”
Hotels contribute to local economies by employing workers, sourcing from businesses, and generating tax revenue, AHLA said. With sustainability affecting travelers’ booking decisions, operators are looking for ways to manage their footprint and costs. The summit is part of AHLA’s Responsible Stay initiative, launched in 2022, focused on four areas where hotels can reduce environmental impact and operating costs: energy, water, waste and sourcing.
Sustainability awards
The summit presented Responsible Stay awards for progress on sustainability goals. The Sustainable Hospitality and Leadership in Design (SHLD) Awards, in collaboration with MindClick, recognize hospitality projects with measurable sustainability performance. Recipients were:
- Hotel Verdant in Racine, Wisconsin — The Gettys Group: Public Space Winner, Guest Room Winner
- Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona — Harken Interiors: Other Hospitality Winner
- Inn at Celebration in Kissimmee, Florida — Baskervill: Honorable Mention for Reuse and Repurpose
- Renaissance Boston Seaport District in Boston— Parker Torres Design: Overall Winner
The Argonaut Hotel in San Francisco was named the 2026 Green Key Global Property of the Year. The award, presented by Green Key Global, recognizes hotels for responsible operations and innovative practices.
The Hotel Kitchen Champion Award, presented by the World Wildlife Fund, honored Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts for promoting sustainable food and beverage practices. Four Seasons was recognized for its global food waste reduction, employee training and use of technology to track and reduce waste.
The association supports hoteliers with resources including Green Key Global certification, Hotel Kitchen for reducing food waste, the Dignity of Work Pledge for responsible sourcing and the Energy and Water Savings Guide to help managers implement conservation practices and manage utility costs.
In 2024, AHLA and WWF revamped the “Hotel Kitchen” platform to help U.S. hoteliers reduce food waste, divert it from landfills and cut operating costs. The initiative aims to halve U.S. food waste by 2030.
