A thought piece from Alliance CEO, Glenn Mandziuk
As we look back on 2024, the hospitality industry stands at the forefront of transformative change. This year has showcased the power of collaboration, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to sustainability. At the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, we’ve worked tirelessly to advance initiatives that will harmonise the industry, create behaviour change and set new benchmarks – empowering people and businesses to drive meaningful change.
Redefining sustainability leadership
2024 marked a turning point with the launch of the Universal Sustainability KPIs at COP29. Developed in collaboration with industry leaders, including UN Tourism, these metrics provide a unified framework for measuring and improving sustainability performance. Focusing on greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, water consumption, and waste management, this first wave of environmental KPIs reflects our industry’s collective aspiration to lead with accountability and transparency. We look forward to releasing the full environmental guidebook and unveiling the social KPIs in 2025.
What’s more, the release of our landmark Nature Positive Travel & Tourism in Action report underscored our dedication to protecting and regenerating the natural world – providing actionable insights and recommendations for the sector. Developed by the Nature Positive Partnership – which comprises the Alliance, UN Tourism and World Travel and Tourism Council – the report has become a guiding light for businesses seeking to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.
Empowering people, driving change
Alongside our Universal KPIs, the launch of the World Academy for Sustainable Hospitality was truly our most pivotal project of the year, and in fact in Alliance history. Designed to be a one-stop sustainability training solution for the entire hospitality workforce, the Academy equips hospitality professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to translate our Net Positive vision into action. As the world’s first hospitality-specific learning platform with tailored sustainability training for every department, the Academy is poised to transform behaviour, empower individuals and foster a global network of sustainability champions.
We also launched our inaugural World Sustainable Travel and Hospitality Awards programme, which celebrated the inspiring work of industry pioneers. From ground-breaking sustainability initiatives to leadership excellence, these awards shone a spotlight on what’s possible when vision meets action.
Our first Employability Programme graduation in Egypt was a defining moment for the Alliance. In this project, we are working closely with the local partners to ensure the programme addresses needs and removes impediments so that young women can participate fully. This initiative is more than a workforce solution, it’s a testament to the industry’s role in fostering inclusive and equitable growth – demonstrating the profound impact of investing in people.
Strategic vision for the future
Under the guidance of our new Chair, Daniella Foster, we’re continuing to action our ambitious five-year strategy. Carrying forward the vision we set out with long-standing Chair, Wolfgang M. Neumann, we’re honoured to be working with Daniella to drive collaboration, innovation, and measurable outcomes. At our Spring Summit, we unveiled our “big wins” for the year, creating a roadmap for success. By the Autumn Summit, we showcased how these strategies are translating into real-world impact, reinforcing the Alliance’s commitment to turning plans into progress.
Accelerating meaningful action
One prominent challenge and opportunity for our sector is our collective potential to decarbonise food systems. This year, we took a bold step forward by advancing research and collaboration on this critical issue. Developed together with Iberostar Group, the Sustainable Markets Initiative and Systemiq, our Decarbonising Hotel Food Systems paper reveals that our sector has the power to cut up to 70 million metric tons of CO₂ annually, through sustainable food practices – providing a roadmap for our industry to transform the global food system, reduce carbon emissions and protect nature.
A shared commitment
As we reflect on this remarkable year, one thing is clear: progress is only possible when we work together. Encompassing almost 30 new members and partners, two global Summits, a transformational new training platform and a set of universal metrics to drive harmonisation, as well as scalable Accelerator projects, ground-breaking reports and practical tools and resources – our achievements in 2024 are a testament to the power of unity. Hospitality has always been about bringing people together, and now it’s about doing so in a way that ensures a thriving future for all.
Looking ahead to 2025, we remain steadfast in our mission to drive positive change across the industry. The challenges are significant, but the opportunities are even greater.
As we move into 2025, let’s continue to pave the way to a regenerative and inclusive future for all and demonstrate the hospitality industry’s collective ability to give back to the destination more than we take.
Thank you to all our members and partners for joining us on this journey. Together, we will make Net Positive Hospitality a reality.
