AHLA Responsible Stay Summit Reflections: Advancing Sustainability in Hospitality
This Earth Day, take a minute to evaluate what we can each do to impact the greater good of our planet through sustainable practices.
THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTOR:
Christian Dettman, CHA
Client Hospitality Manager
APTIM | Environmental and Sustainability Solutions
Christian.Dettman@APTIM.com
Christian is a Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) who proudly guides the hospitality community toward clean and sustainable goals. He is an environmental advocate and passionate about all things hotel, resorts, and restaurants. Learn more about Christian here.
AHLA Responsible Stay Summit Reflections: Advancing Sustainability in Hospitality
With Earth Day right around the corner, thoughts naturally turn to green solutions and ways to care for our planet. The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) Responsible Stay Summit that I attended in Washington, DC, last week was focused on exactly that. APTIM was proud to serve as a sponsor for this event, which brought together industry leaders, sustainability advocates, and key stakeholders to discuss the future of sustainable hospitality. Over the course of two days, I engaged in insightful conversations, explored innovative sustainability strategies, and reaffirmed APTIM’s commitment to helping hotels navigate the path to responsible operations.
Sustainability in Motion: Highlights from Day One
The summit kicked off with the AHLA Sustainability Committee meeting, where I had the pleasure of connecting with some of the brightest minds in hospitality sustainability. The meeting set the tone with opening remarks from Townsend Bailey of IHG Hotels & Resorts and Michael Chang of Host Hotels & Resorts. It was inspiring to hear their vision for sustainability in the hospitality industry and the efforts needed to drive real impact.
- Policy and Regulation Updates: AHLA’s experts shared insights on the current legislative landscape and its implications for hotel operations, a topic APTIM is familiar with as a leader in regulatory compliance and environmental sustainability.
- EU Green Claims & CSRD Reporting: We explored how European regulations may influence sustainability disclosures in the US. It was fascinating to consider how international trends might shape domestic reporting standards.
- Subcommittee Breakouts: Attendees participated in focused sessions on energy and water, waste, regulatory compliance, and responsible sourcing, allowing for deeper dialogue around best practices and upcoming initiatives.
- Green Key Global: Anick Levesque from Green Key Global highlighted the benefits of certifications when promoting sustainable practices and shared details on Green Key Global’s new program, Green Key Ready.
Shaping the Future of Hospitality Sustainability: Highlights from Day Two
Day two was filled with thought-provoking sessions led by industry experts, each offering a unique perspective on the evolving landscape of sustainable hospitality. Jason Feifer, Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine, opened with an energizing keynote presentation. He shared how businesses can turn disruption into opportunity by embracing change with curiosity and resilience, a timely message for an industry facing increasing environmental and operational pressures.
- Collaboration, Disruption & Mindset: Maria Vargas from the US Department of Energy and Kurt Ritter from Coca-Cola explored the role of public-private partnerships in accelerating sustainable solutions and how cross-sector collaboration can drive meaningful change.
- Checking In: 2030 & Beyond: Brand leaders from IHG, Choice Hotels, Hilton, and Four Seasons shared their long-term sustainability strategies and steps they are taking to reduce environmental impact.
The 2025 Responsible Stay Summit reinforced how the hospitality industry is at a pivotal moment in its sustainability journey. The conversations and sessions underscored the growing importance of regulatory compliance, data-driven decision-making, and cross-sector partnerships in achieving sustainability goals.
APTIM’s Commitment to Support Sustainability in Hospitality
Considering the accelerating need to engage in solutions for our planet, this conference was an opportunity to listen to the growing requirements of a global industry and better understand how we can serve them. Here’s how APTIM is ready to help.
- Navigating global disclosures is a complex arena that many companies will benefit from entering but find it hard to do without significant support. APTIM’s experts in multiple platforms ensure an efficient system that produces thorough results.
- Whether it’s water, waste, or energy, our experts and compliance specialists are constantly on the lookout for new or upcoming changes to local, state, and federal regulations. Our team of experts can provide peace of mind that businesses have the necessary visibility and plans needed to guarantee they are meeting requirements.
- Many solution services start with the foundational approach of information gathering in the form of audits. Understanding your baseline and uncovering opportunities is the goal. From improving diversion rates to identifying energy saving opportunities, audits are a quick way to begin or continue your sustainability journey and reveal fast solutions that can turn into easy cost saving initiatives.
This Earth Day, take a minute to evaluate what we can each do to impact the greater good of our planet through sustainable practices. At APTIM, we remain committed to helping the hospitality industry implements sustainability solutions that meet compliance standards and achieve efficiency and resilience. Want to learn how APTIM can support your sustainability initiatives? Contact our sustainability experts at Sustainability@APTIM.com.
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