IHG global portfolio to adopt Green Engage system

Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced that, from January 1, 2015, the IHG Green Engage programme will be rolled out across the group’s global portfolio of 4700 hotels.

IHG Green Engage is an online environmental sustainability tool, which gives hotels the ability to track how much energy, carbon and water they are using, as well as assessing how waste is managed, which allows hotels to see how much they are spending and saving.

The Green Engage system offers more than 200 ‘Green Solutions’ or actions designed to reduce hotels’ environmental impact. The programme also enabled IHG-managed hotels to avoid US $73 million in energy costs in 2013.

As part of the global roll-out, IHG will support hotels not currently registered to sign up and achieve the IHG Green Engage Level 1 certification by the end of the year.

To achieve the Level 1 certification, hotels will have to complete 10 Green Solutions such as the training of colleagues, tracking utility data, managing the use of non-essential lighting, and implementing best practice in areas such as housekeeping and laundry.

IHG chief executive officer Richard Solomons commented: “Today’s announcement is an important milestone for IHG and is another powerful demonstration of our ongoing commitment to protecting the environment.

“We know our guests care as much about sustainability as we do, so making each and every one of our properties an IHG Green Engage hotel is a great step forward for our business and for the communities in which we operate.”

In the Middle East, 43 out of IHG's 77 operational hotels are enrolled in the Green Engage system.