Image: More than 20 hotel groups are involved

More than 20 leading international hotel groups have launched a new standardised approach to calculating and communicating the carbon footprint of hotel stays and meetings.

Hilton Worldwide; Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group; and Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts are among those involved with the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI).

The groups are working in partnership with International Tourism Partnership (ITP) and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) on the carbon reporting methodology.

HCMI 1.0 has now been unveiled as a hotel industry-led move to setting up an international standardised approach to helping consumers understand their potential carbon footprint.

It has been informed by the GHG Protocol Standards and has undergone testing in differing types and sizes of hotel and refined through stakeholder engagement.

WTTC president and CEO David Scowsill said: "Through this initiative we have seen major hotel companies come together to agree a means of communicating carbon impacts which ultimately will result in more transparency and clarity for the consumer.

"HCMI has broken new ground in its industry-driven approach and I congratulate the companies involved on their leadership in ensuring this important initiative comes to fruition."

ITP director Stephen Farrant added: "This has been a model of competitive collaboration that may serve as a useful template for other industry sectors to learn from in addressing the challenges of carbon management."

Other companies involved with the HCMI Working Group include Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group; InterContinental Hotels Group; Jumeirah Group; and Meliá Hotels International.

Details: www.wttc.org

Image: thaikrit/shutterstock.com