The inaugural Hotelier Middle East Sustainability Summit will bring together general managers, F&B directors, hotel engineers and housekeepers to discuss the most important issues in running hotel sustainability programmes
The first ever Hotelier Middle East Sustainability Summit, which will be held on May 20, 2014, at the Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, will bring together more than 150 hoteliers who are leading green initiatives in their properties.
For the first time in the industry, general managers, engineering directors, heads of food and beverage operations at hotels, and even a marine biologist will gather to discuss sustainability issues ranging from energy and water conservation, recycling and organic waste through to supply chain efficiency, and community initiatives.
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The event format will feature panel discussions, case studies on sustainable practices that stand out, and specific workshops for various departments in the hotel, including engineering and IT, housekeeping, F&B, and health and environment.
Among the key speakers at the one-day event are Radisson Blu Residence Dubai Marina general manager Rob Collier, and executive housekeeper Anushya Paramasivam; Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Villas marine biologist Arabella Willing; Banyan Tree Al Wadi Ras Al Khaimah general manager Anders Dimblad; Golden Tulip general manager and regional revenue director — MENA, Tarek Lotfy; and from Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, general manager Konstantin Zeuke, and executive chef Sudqi Naddaf.
The event will begin with a panel discussion titled ‘Developing a Company-wide Sustainable Culture’, where panellists will talk about how department heads can empower members of their team to make a difference, and suggest the immediate changes that can be implemented.
Experts will then move on to the next session — Working with Owners — which will take a look at ways in which hotel chains can engage owners in the sustainability conversation. In the Middle East, where the operator model is prevalent, this topic will highlight how operators can work with owners to ensure that significant sustainable initiatives are implemented during hotel development.
Following a quick presentation on front of house sustainable initiatives — a case study that will outline how a leading hotel used guest education to drive operational efficiency — panellists will delve into a discussion on sustainable F&B practices at hotels.
Titled ‘Will Sustainable Food Create Unsustainable Business?’ the session will shine a light on transparency issues when it comes to ‘green’ products and the challenges and costs involved. Panellists will also talk about the lack of customer education and how to strike a balance between sustainable food sources and customers.
After a morning break, delegates will then be presented with a case study on water efficiency in the back of house, which will illustrate how innovation in the delivery and consumption of water at a hotel has resulted in lower utility bills and higher operational efficiency, and the effect it has had on the balance sheet.
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