Hong Kong's green practices in focus

by Megan Gell    2-Oct-09, 14:29

Leading sustainability organisations on the new wave

Some Hong Kong venue operators are among the first in Asia to implement sustainability policies that replace superficial changes with long-term, independently audited programmes that also benefit the community at large.

The most widely used of these is offered by Green Globe, a benchmarking programme specifically designed for the hospitality and events industry. Importantly, this means hotels, DMCs, PCOs and convention and exhibition centres can all measure their relative sustainability using the same metric.

Sustainable policies
“Organisations now need to prove their sustainability policies and practices are both measured and subject to a credible external audit,” says Andre Russ, director of global markets at EC3 Global, the region’s leading provider of the Green Globe programme. “Superficial practices once known as ’greenwashing’ are out and ‘green-proofing’ is becoming widespread as sustainability is taken up at a board level and organisations concentrate on their triple bottom line. This has led to new positions being created at major companies such as the vice-president of environmental affairs.”

Important resource
Hong Kong’s Business Environment Council (BEC) is one important sustainability resource for local operators. “The Council was established in 1989 as an industry-led sustainability body,” says Estrid Wai, head of communications and marketing at BEC.

“BEC provides assistance to organisations seeking certification through a number of programmes, as well as holding our own events, training programmes and awards. Our partner network is comprised of organisations that share the same sustainable vision and it allows members to leverage off each other’s networks and experience.”

Green Globe certification begins with a Benchmarking Assessment that incorporates energy, water, waste, paper, cleaning, pesticides and community. From here, companies must develop an appropriate Sustainability Policy, which then qualifies them for Bronze Benchmarking consideration.

Benchmarking process
Silver Certification involves completing all six steps of the programme: benchmarking and policy creation; compliance with relevant legislation and standards; implementation of an environmental certification management system; documentation of performance outcomes; and communication with key stakeholders including clients, suppliers and staff.

InterContinental Hong Kong was the first hotel in the city to achieve this level of certification, earlier this year. Gold Certification is awarded to businesses that maintain Silver Certification for five consecutive years, while Platinum is awarded after ten years.

Broad impact
“Novotel, Langham and InterContinental have Green Globe member properties in Hong Kong that have implemented some great community initiatives,” says Russ. “This is the key to what our programmes encourage. It is not about marketing a brand, it is about how an organisation integrates EC3’s benchmarking system and standards into their own message that is then spread through its staff, guests and the surrounding community.”

Regulatory requirements
In future, sustainability standards will become regulatory requirements and it is important that organisations are ready to converse in an informed manner.

“RFPs increasingly contain requests for emissions reports, sustainability policies and third-party audits in order to meet an organisation’s own CSR objectives,” says Russ. “Building local capacity will help drive sustainability to the next level, and Hong Kong has great sustainability champions who are beginning to pool together as a destination.”

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