Climate crisis, biodiversity collapse and extinguished eco systems are common words we hear every so often in recent years.

But what can I do about it?

Can I change it?

And if I can’t, should I care?

In a post COVID economy, business owners have enough to worry about without also joining the fight against climate change. However, can running greener business help recover the tourism and hospitality industry?

I think YES.

Benefits of running a Green Business

• A Green business is one that reduces it’s energy, water and waste, when you reduce your utilities you also SAVE money.

• Align your business to your customer values: 87% of global travellers want to travel more sustainably.

• Green Marketing & PR: Jump ahead of your competitors and offer something different that society wants.

• Improve staff turnover: Give your team something they care about and make your workplace a better choice for employees.

It is now more important than ever, that we stop to...

Never in our minds we would have thought our beloved Hospitality industry would lie dormant for 3 months. But that is the reality of 2020, as the world re-opens slowly, and people start to travel, it is time to take a good luck at our current standards of procedure, and ensure we are running efficient businesses.

It has never been more important than now to ensure we reduce our business running costs, by having efficient systems in place. If you have never implemented an Environmental Management System at your business, chances are you are paying for more Energy, Waste and Water than you really need to.

• Who turns on your kitchen main over every day and at what time?
• What is your most disposed of item of landfill waste?
• What is the water flow rate of you bathroom taps?

If you know the answers to those 3 questions, you are already on a winning path! But if you are not sure on the answers, or need to “check” with someone else, this means you are not in control of your business ut...

Do you own or run a Hospitality Business? And do you know how much money are you putting in the bin? Food Waste is a REAL issue.

There is a staggering statistic that 70% of the Food Waste produced by Hotels and Restaurants is actually avoidable. While we are putting food in the bin there are millions of people starving in other countries but for this blog I am going to move away from the human side of this problem, and talk about what most motivates business owners: COST SAVINGS.

Putting food in the bin is literally the equivalent of putting your hard earned cash in the bin. More so even, than any other waste type. You have to factor in the following elements:

1. You bought the raw produce at a cost
2. You stored it in your fridges and freezers using energy that also cost you money
3. Then you cooked it, using energy and staff wages to add to that cost.
4. And then when the food comes back from your food service areas, or when it is spoiled in your fridges, you pay money for your waste com
...

I studied Hotel Management back in the late 90’s and early 2000. It was 4 years of my life when I had the most fun, and met what would become my best friends for life. During my time in college they taught us how to do a business budget, how to forecast, how to control staff wages and dealing with a team of people. But the funny thing is, nobody told us, that when we became Hotel Managers, we would also have to manage a building.

A building, that comes with really high running costs on energy, water and waste. These utility bills, can amount to be, after staff wages, the second largest cost to your business. Yet, learning how to control, monitor and reduce them, never came into play during my years as a trainee manager.

I have worked in the hospitality industry for 20 years, but the first time I learned about an Environmental management system, was in 2012. And today, having worked as a Green consultant for nearly 3 years, I still meet hotel and restaurant managers every week that ha...

In 2017, I set out on a mission to help Green the Hospitality Industry, there has been many up and downs since then, but one thing remains - my belief that this is the best way to go for the industry.

We keep hearing in the news about Climate Change, how many years we have left, what will happen in 2050 if we don’t change…Some people believe it, some people don’t.

Regardless of your personal opinion on Climate Change, the reality is that every person, and every Hotel in the world, can do something to reduce their Carbon Footprint.

Sustainability In Hospitality

Hotels waste thousands of Euros every year, by having poor processes and behaviours around energy, water and waste. This has, not only a negative effect in the environment, but also to the business bottom line. We spend time, money and resources on promoting our business, bettering our customer service, providing unique visitor experiences… And then we throw a lot of our hard earned sales literally in the bin or down the drai...

The pandemic that has isolated the world, is the fastest growing illness in modern history. Within 2 months, it has reached all corners of the world, and it threatens to devastate countries without the right tools to fight the virus, like Africa and South America.

There are no comforts or lessons to be learnt when you see people that cant even be buried or mourned by their loved ones. I do not want to fall into the trap to highlight positive aspects from a society been confined all around the world. Only to remember that there are millions of children that can not attend school, and the methods teachers, authorities and parents are using to fill the time they have at home, by teaching Online.

Online Education is a fast growing industry

Is evident, that the pandemic has accelerated the need for all countries to up their game through online training. But once again there are clear differences between countries, educational models and what is even more worrying, the clear difference be...

I watched the sun rise on mother’s day.

It is difficult to sleep these days, thoughts swirling in my mind like a tumble dryer. Will my parents in Spain make it through this nightmare? Will my business survive? Am I ok?

There are no answers to those questions so far, and the unknown is the hardest thing not to think about.

I can’t help but wonder, will COVID-19 allow us to go back to the same values we had created as a society pre-coronavirus? Or do we even want that?

While we isolate and keep social distancing, I’ve never felt closer to my loved ones. 

I might not be able to hug them and kiss them, but the level of intimacy and contact by simply calling someone, sharing our fears and laughing about toilet paper, are creating strong bonds all around the world.

We have seen tremendous acts of kindness in the last couple of weeks.

Chinese doctors have flown to Italy to help. Food businesses are cooking for our doctors and nurses in the front line. Neighbours are checking in on the ...

In the past few weeks the world has been flipped upside down and economies are been brought to their knees due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

These are worrying times for many, health and economical wise, as we enter unchartered territories.

The travel and tourism industry in particular, has already started feeling the severe effects of a downturn, with many cancellations for the coming season, and the crude reality of job loses raising its ugly head in most countries.

Panic is starting to set in amongst business owners, and we should take this time to reflect and prepare for the future. 

So can what we do from a business perspective?

I too am worried, I provide training and coaching programmes for the Hospitality industry, so their business prosperity is a key factor for my own business goals.

We know that we are facing a quiet season, we also know that we expect a huge drop in our sales budgets, and that 2020 will not be a very profitable year for many.

I met a new client last w...

You have heard that Greening your hotel or restaurant can bring you more exposure, more clients and more profits. This much is true.

You also know that the Green Wave is real, and your customers will soon demand sustainable practices from your business. I firmly believe this will happen.

You would like to run a green business, but the learning curve seems so steep, you are busy as it is and you think it is going to cost you a fortune to get there. You are wrong in this one.

An issue of time

Greening your Hotel or Restaurant is easier than you think, and it does not have to cost you a fortune, in fact, I can prove to you that it is the opposite, it might end up saving you money. As for the amount of time you have in your hands? Well yes, the Hospitality industry is a fast paced industry, but ask yourself something:

If your accountant told you in the morning someone is stealing money from your till, would you prioritize finding out who it is so you can stop it over other items in yo...

Do you own or run a Hospitality Business? And do you know how much money are you putting in the bin?

There is a staggering statistic that 70% of the Food Waste produced by Hotels and Restaurants is actually avoidable. While we are putting food in the bin there are millions of people starving in other countries but for this blog I am going to move away from the human side of this problem, and talk about what most motivates business owners: COST SAVINGS.

Stop putting your money in the bin

Putting food in the bin is literally the equivalent of putting your hard earned cash in the bin. More so even, than any other waste type. You have to factor in the following elements:

1. You bought the raw produce at a cost
2. You stored it in your fridges and freezers using energy that also cost you money
3. Then you cooked it, using energy and staff wages to add to that cost.
4. And then when the food comes back from your food service areas, or when it is spoiled in your fridges, you pay money for your w
...