WTTC's Hotel Sustainability Basics Framework
will be available through the BeCause sustainability data
management platform.
STOCKHOLM, April 24,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BeCause, the Danish
start-up transforming how the global hospitality, travel, and
tourism industries manage their sustainability data, is simplifying
the sustainability journey for members by integrating the industry
association's Hotel Sustainability Basics (HSB) framework into its
platform.
The partnership will enable WTTC to scale its Hotel
Sustainability Basics more effectively, broadening its reach and
impact within the hospitality industry. By centralizing relevant
data within the BeCause platform, the global association will have
greater visibility into which hotels have completed the framework
and which ones are lagging, empowering it to advocate for more
sustainable hotel operations globally. Similarly, hotel management
at the chain level can check on the progress of individual
properties and provide the necessary support to help them in their
sustainability journeys.
"Sustainability is a priority for Travel & Tourism. Through
the Hotel Sustainability Basics, the global hotel industry has come
together to define 12 fundamental, globally aligned sustainability
criteria that all hotels can and should implement as a bare
minimum," says WTTC President and CEO Julia
Simpson."Our goal is to have a globally recognized trademark
that shows customers at a glance that a hotel is taking measures to
improve its environmental performance while also supporting its
local community. By joining forces with BeCause we are increasing
the transparency of that process and giving hotel groups an
effective and efficient way to put that tool into the hands of
their properties."
Hotels' Sustainable Path to Green
Hotels that adopt the HSB framework have three years to meet its
12 criteria, which include sustainability indicators such as energy
measurement and linen reuse. They can apply for Hotel
Sustainability Basics (HSB) verification annually through one of
WTTC's partners, Green Key and SGS. Successful verification grants
them a badge that can be used across their branding to appeal to
the growing number of environmentally conscious guests.
In the future, BeCause will simplify this process further by
automatically transmitting data from its platform directly to the
verification partners. Hotels already using BeCause to manage their
sustainability data can reuse their existing and overlapping data
points for the HSB framework, removing the need for duplicative and
manual tasks.
"Like any endeavor, the first step is always the hardest. While
many hotels might have sustainability initiatives in place, they
don't necessarily track their data – or do so efficiently. By
completing the HSB framework through BeCause and gaining greater
insight into how their business activities impact the planet, we
hope they will be encouraged to pursue even more ambitious
sustainability measures in the future," says BeCause CEO and
Co-founder Frederik Steensgaard.
An Industry-Specific Platform Based on Efficiency
BeCause is a purpose-built, AI-powered hub that centralizes a
hotel's sustainability data and automates the transmission of that
data amongst different stakeholders, such as travel and
accommodation booking marketplaces and industry certifications.
Additionally, once a hotel enters its data into the BeCause
platform, it can be upcycled and automatically mapped to multiple
frameworks, making qualifying for voluntary green certifications
faster and more efficient while ensuring regulatory
compliance.
For instance, hotels in Europe
can meet their reporting obligations under the EU's Corporate
Social Responsibility Directive by leveraging the industry-specific
components of the ESRS reporting framework that BeCause is
currently integrating into its platform, saving significant
resources and reducing costs.
"For a long time, hotels have lacked an efficient way to manage
their sustainability data. They were constrained by manual
processes that produced unreliable results, making it difficult to
get buy-in from stakeholders on sustainability-focused projects,"
Steensgaard adds. "We're here to change that, whether you are a
hotel just starting out and using Hotel Sustainability Basics as
your guide or you already have several eco-certifications
granted."
For more information about BeCause or to speak with CEO and
Co-founder Frederik Steensgaard,
please contact Vanessa Horwell
at vhorwell@thinkinkpr.com.
For more information about WTTC's Hotel Sustainability Basics,
please visit WTTC.org.
About BeCause
BeCause is an enterprise software company that streamlines the flow
of sustainability data and creates synergies between different
stakeholders in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries,
empowering them to make decisions that result in positive,
responsible change for people, the planet, and their profits.
BeCause works with over 25,000 hotels, including brands like
Radisson, certification entities like GreenKey, industry partners
like the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and the SHA, and
marketplaces like Booking.com. For more information, visit
because.eco.
About WTTC
The World Travel & Tourism Council
(WTTC) represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector.
Members include 200 CEOs, Chairs and Presidents of the world's
leading travel & tourism companies from all geographies
covering all industries. For more than 30 years, WTTC has been
committed to maximising the inclusive and sustainable growth
potential of the Travel & Tourism sector by partnering with
governments, destinations, communities, and other stakeholders to
drive economic development, create jobs, reduce poverty and foster
peace, security, and understanding in our world. For more
information, visit wttc.org.
View original
content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/because-partners-with-the-world-travel--tourism-council-to-advance-more-sustainable-hotel-operations-302125430.html
SOURCE BeCause