Green Hotel
Environmental policy in the hotel sector: “green” strategy or stratagem?
Margaret Brown Lecturer in Accounting, School of Food & Accommodation Management, Duncan of Jordanstone College, University of Dundee, Scotland, UK
Illustrates alternative “green” strategies to indicate possible reactions of the hotel sector to the environmental issue and the extent of the “greening” process on the control system. Discusses the results of a questionnaire survey into the environmental standing of an hotel and the control system used to appraise the hotel manager. Analysis is based on comparison of hotel managers operating with an environmental policy and those managers operating without. Tentative conclusions drawn would indicate that although a number of companies have adopted an environmental policy, in general, the hotel sector is not taking a proactive approach to environmental concerns.
Adoption of an environmental policy is one of the main requirements of an organization undertaking a “green” strategy, whereby environmental concerns are considered of strategic importance. A “green” stratagem description would apply to organizations giving the appearance of treating environmental concerns strategically but without the underlying changes in the control system of the organization.
Environmental issue within the hotel sector
The UK hotel sector would appear to accept that it does have an impact on the environment[6]. This is not only confirmed by exploratory research but also through the formation of the International Hotels Environmental Initiative (IHEI). The IHEI has published an environmental manual Environmental Management for Hotels: the Industry Guide to Best Practice which is aimed at hotel general managers. As an alternative to the manual the IHEI has also produced an action pack designed for the small and independent hotel operator. A number of hotel groups have also separately developed their own environmental programmes and initiatives. These include
Margaret Brown Lecturer in Accounting, School of Food & Accommodation Management, Duncan of Jordanstone College, University of Dundee, Scotland, UK
Illustrates alternative “green” strategies to indicate possible reactions of the hotel sector to the environmental issue and the extent of the “greening” process on the control system. Discusses the results of a questionnaire survey into the environmental standing of an hotel and the control system used to appraise the hotel manager. Analysis is based on comparison of hotel managers operating with an environmental policy and those managers operating without. Tentative conclusions drawn would indicate that although a number of companies have adopted an environmental policy, in general, the hotel sector is not taking a proactive approach to environmental concerns.
Adoption of an environmental policy is one of the main requirements of an organization undertaking a “green” strategy, whereby environmental concerns are considered of strategic importance. A “green” stratagem description would apply to organizations giving the appearance of treating environmental concerns strategically but without the underlying changes in the control system of the organization.
Environmental issue within the hotel sector
The UK hotel sector would appear to accept that it does have an impact on the environment[6]. This is not only confirmed by exploratory research but also through the formation of the International Hotels Environmental Initiative (IHEI). The IHEI has published an environmental manual Environmental Management for Hotels: the Industry Guide to Best Practice which is aimed at hotel general managers. As an alternative to the manual the IHEI has also produced an action pack designed for the small and independent hotel operator. A number of hotel groups have also separately developed their own environmental programmes and initiatives. These include