In a recent event at Bharat Mandapam, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism & Culture, stated that India has witnessed a remarkable 95.64% increase in domestic tourist numbers. Investments exceeding Rs 6,800 crore have been directed towards destination development, with additional projects worth Rs 3,295.76 crore approved to enhance lesser-known tourism sites across states. India is also set to host 45 crore visitors at the Maha Kumbh.
India ranks 39th on the Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024 released by the World Economic Forum of which it is the highest among South Asia’s and other lower-middle-income economies.
So, again, this is in line with growing progress in the tourism industry and the economy advancing in coming years. But this growth comes at an environmental cost. According to a 2021 report by the United Nations Environment Programme in the form of Food Waste Index Report, India wastes nearly 68.7 million metric tons of food on an annual basis, whereas food services waste about 11.9 million metric tons. Hotel and restaurant industry generates 1% of total global greenhouse gas emissions; and energy consumption by hotels is expected to increase by 19% over the next decade according to the UNWTO/ITF report.
Hospitality is one of the most polluting industries. It pollutes in terms of energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and carbon footprints. There is the issue of food waste and all other kinds of garbage like plastic. For example, we generate a lot of plastic waste and similar materials. Indeed, it’s a life-based industry impacting generating pollution at an enormous rate; keeping quiet about it further, it’s going to have terrible repercussions in the future.
These challenges have made the industry move towards a greener path. To know how the industry is tackling this challenge, ResponsibleUs visited the Radisson Blu Hotel in Greater Noida.
The hotel is taking a giant step towards designing its future environment into something that would speak for itself as far as what the hospitality industry is doing today in terms of addressing today’s environmental concerns. Under the able management of the General Manager, Anirban Sarkar, the hotel is now actively engaging in such projects to help create its ecological footprint even smaller than it was yesterday. It is also intended to improve operational efficiency and the awareness of customers and employees alike on issues regarding sustainable development. These efforts reflect a vision-to develop a greener, more responsible hospitality industry.
And that’s one of the reasons why the global hospitality companies, they have created an alliance which has committed to the UN that they are all going to become carbon neutral by 2050. So according to the UN mandate, the countries are supposed to become, the accord that all of us have signed is 2070, is when we plan to become carbon neutral as earth. But these corporations have committed to become carbon neutral by 2050, explained General Manager of Radisson Blu Greater Noida, Anirban Sarkar.
Where There’s a Will, There Is a Way
There is now a clearly defined road map for all hotels, outlining a step-by-step process that cannot be achieved overnight. The journey begins with the Sustainability Basics Certification, which serves as the foundation. Radisson Blu Greater Noida has achieved this certification and has initiated various measures to advance its sustainability efforts.
As part of this initiative, the hotel monitors its carbon footprint and water consumption, setting annual targets to reduce both while transitioning to sustainable energy sources. However, this is just one aspect of the broader sustainability journey, which is also shaped by lifestyle choices and decision-making.
General Manager Anirban Sarkar highlighted the significant impact of individual choices on sustainability goals. He explained that while transport and energy use are often considered major contributors to carbon footprints, the most substantial impact comes from food choices.
The food consumed plays a pivotal role in greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint creation. According to a 2019 Lancet report, global vegetable consumption needs to increase by 100%, while meat or non-vegetarian consumption should decrease by 50% to achieve a balance and meet sustainable development goals.
Steps to Reduce Carbon Footprints
One of the significant global initiatives undertaken by the group is Carbon Compensated Meetings, facilitated by RHG in collaboration with First Climate. Through this partnership, RHG financially supports projects aimed at reversing climate change and promoting sustainable development. By working with organisations that positively impact the environment, RHG enables corporations to host events while aligning with their sustainability goals.
The process involves calculating the estimated carbon footprint of meetings and events held at the hotel. While precise measurements are not feasible, standard parameters-such as the event area and the number of attendees-are used to determine average electricity and water consumption. Based on these estimates, RHG offsets the carbon footprint by contributing to projects managed by First Climate, including tree planting and recycling initiatives. Members provide carbon compensation for the meetings they conduct and thus receive certification as having shown commitment to ensuring sustainability. It is geared towards reducing the environmental effects attached to large-scale events and, thereby, advancing the sustainability agendas of member companies.
The hotel also addresses the environmental impact of food choices, which significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption. Food that is consumed more on rice and wheat has a high water requirement since India, the water-stressed country with a global population of 17-18%, has a very small percentage of that in absolute terms, only 4.5% of potable waters. It takes about 4,000 to 10,000 litres of irrigation water to produce 1 kilogram of rice or wheat.
On the other hand, millets present a truly sustainable alternative. They are nutrient dense, low on the glycaemic index (fit for people with blood sugar problems), gluten-free, and use very little water to grow, even under the harshest climatic conditions. Shifting between the food habits of consuming rice and wheat to eating millets is difficult because limited awareness and familiarity with millet-based recipes are major challenges.
To address this, Radisson Blu, Greater Noida has integrated millets into its operations. Millet-based dishes are served in the staff cafeteria, featured in daily buffets, and included on the hotel menu. These efforts aim to raise awareness about sustainable food choices while providing guests and staff with healthier, eco-friendly alternatives.
Through initiatives like Carbon Compensated Meetings and the promotion of millet consumption, Radisson Blu Greater Noida continues to lead by example in its commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.
The Millet Way
Radisson Blu Greater Noida has actively incorporated millet-based items into its convention menus, promoting them as a sustainable and healthier alternative to rice and wheat. Despite millets being more expensive due to limited commercialisation, the hotel has consciously taken this cost to educate and encourage guests to make responsible food choices.
One of the hotel’s signature products is the millet cookie, developed in-house. Made with four different types of millets, these cookies are not only tasty but also a testament to the hotel’s commitment to sustainability. The cookies are sold, used as guest giveaways, and promoted through various channels to further awareness and adoption of millets.
The hotel’s efforts align with global initiatives, including the International Year of Millets, reflecting a collective push to increase millet consumption. This participation in the integration of millets from the Radisson Blu offer into the value proposition is creating awareness among consumers. Radisson Blu is actively taking part in this entire movement.
At the same time, the hotel is promoting the use of millets by minimising the carbon footprints that will be impacted by locally sourced produce and seasonal availability. For example, Norway-imported salmon can be replaced using something that has succeeded in making the impact of transportation, packaging, and logistics into the embedded carbon footprint almost immeasurable.
This is also a new initiative brought into effects by this hotel to start sourcing local fresh produce from local farmers. The initiative is still at infancy stages in order to realize the supply chains that will benefit its future.
The seasonal sourcing is another focus area, while the growth and development of the hotel know the economic, nutritional, and environmental benefits of using season ingredients. For example, the cost of apples in summer could be significantly more, as they would have been in cold storage for months, leading to reduced nutritional content. Compared to seasonal vegetables and fruits, out of season fruits are relatively more expensive with lack of freshness and nutrition.
In the next year, the hotel plans to encourage a gradual overhaul of non-seasonal ingredients within the menu with seasonal ingredients. This further supports the sustainability drive and adds to the palate, as one’s food is now tastier and healthier. Considering the variations in the weather extremes in the NCR region of Delhi, the menu is adjusted every season to complement the availability of fresh local produce.
These are areas which, together with raising awareness on millets, local and seasonal sourcing, and sourcing from local farmers, show how much Radisson Blu, Greater Noida is committed to sustainability keeping in mind what they can offer to their guests in terms of experiences.
Electricity Saver
The Radisson Blu Greater Noida adopts a holistic approach to energy efficiency, where it perceives energy efficiency as part of its initiatives on sustainability. As part of this, the hotel has made several interventions – for example, using 100% LED light types, employing star-rated energy efficiency equipment – and incorporates environmental considerations in selecting any major machinery or equipment. This includes water and electricity consumption, among other factors.
The other dimension is renewable energy consumption, where the hotel subscribes to renewable grid consumption, whereby an increasing percentage of energy use will be covered by this entry into sustainable sources of energy. However, the solar energy generated by the building is limited. This is because, with this linear building design, the options would be restricted for the placement of solar installations. The hotel is also pursuing ways to add solar panels wherever possible.
No Plastic In Premises
RHG on a global scale is carrying out alterations to cut down on the amount of plastic waste which is generated by the company. The organisation is moving away from mini plastic containers of amenities including shampoo, conditioner and other products to a dispenser which is resistant to tampering which will still provide the same quality but at no contribution to polluting the environment.
Additionally, RHG is moving towards bottling drinking water on-site, further reducing plastic waste. Currently, the organization uses RO water in both events and restaurants, and plans to expand this to nearly 100% RO water consumption for on-premise bottled water. Another initiative is reducing food waste by using pre-portioned items in buffets. These efforts are part of RNG’s commitment to sustainability.
Sustainability Track
To track the record over the years, the organisation has been publishing an annual responsible business report, which is made available on the RHG website. Additionally, the company is working on creating responsible business reports for individual units, summarizing their activities and progress throughout the year. At the end of the calendar year, a comprehensive report will be prepared, detailing reductions in water consumption, carbon footprint, and electricity usage.
Environmental initiatives are at its core and inspired by the owner, who converted barren land into a forest over 20 years, the organisation engages in tree plantation drives within the hotel and on adopted lands. Events such as Responsible Business Week and cyclothons are also organised, with strong participation and positive reception.
The Social Commitments
The organisation is committed to employability and inclusivity. It employs 10 hearing-impaired team members across various departments, including F&B, front office, housekeeping, and laundry. Physically handicapped individuals are also part of the workforce. To ensure inclusivity, a sign language programme has been implemented, with plans to make it mandatory for all staff to facilitate effective communication.
The hotel has hired and trained individuals from diverse backgrounds, including a single mother with no professional qualifications, who has now been part of the team for over a year.
The apprenticeship programme is one of the largest in Delhi NCR, with apprentices comprising 25% of the workforce, well above the mandated 10%. Apprentices are trained across departments, and most are absorbed into the hotel or placed in other organisations.
The organization collaborates with local schools for underprivileged children, providing them with platforms to showcase their talent. Handicrafts created by these children are displayed during events like Diwali Mela, and they perform on stage during national celebrations.