- Indian hotels mark World Environment Day.
- Marriott India plants 125,000 trees across 200 hotels.
- IHCL sources 41 percent electricity from renewable resources.
IHCL, guided by its ESG framework Paathya, sources 41 percent of its electricity from renewable energy, the company said in a statement. Marriott planted 125,000 trees across more than 200 hotels this year, up from 100,000 the year before. ITC ran staff plantation drives and used its SunyaAqua system, which purifies and bottles water on-site to cut down on plastic and transport emissions.
"With a growing emphasis on resource efficiency, sustainability is shaping how the hospitality sector operates”, said Gaurav Pokhariyal, IHCL's executive vice president for human resources. “IHCL's approach through Paathya combines operational measures with initiatives that extend to the communities and ecosystems we are part of.”
IHCL also runs 386 EV charging stations across 171 locations and recycles 54 percent of wastewater across its hotels. The company is targeting 50 percent renewable energy use, full removal of single-use plastic and complete wastewater reuse by 2030.
Marriott's plantation drive brought together 7,713 associates who put in more than 21,000 volunteer hours, working with local authorities and community groups across several cities.
Sanjay Gupta, Marriott India Business Council chairman, said after planting 100,000 trees last year, the company aimed to do more through its “Four Trees Per Room” initiative.
"Together, we are working toward a greener future while contributing to the wellbeing of our communities,” he said.
Amaan Kidwai, ITC Maurya, area manager luxury hotels [North] and general manager, said sustainability is part of the guest experience and focuses on integrating mindful practices into the guest journey.
At ITC, the day also saw the unveiling of a lobby installation called “Paludarium: Where Land Meets Water,” featuring plants, water and aquatic elements representing natural ecosystems.
A recent Agoda survey found that 88 percent of Indian travelers consider sustainability when making travel decisions, ranking India third in Asia.
