Global Tourism Business Award Finalist
Part of the multi-business conglomerate, ITC Ltd., ITC Hotels, in keeping with ITC’s triple bottomline philosophy that encompasses the economic, environmental and social dimensions, pioneered the concept of ‘Responsible Luxury’ in the global hospitality industry. What sets ITC apart is its global acknowledgment as an exemplar in sustainable practices. It is the only company in the world of its size, to achieve the three major global environmental distinction of being carbon positive (7 years), water positive (10 years) and solid recycling waste positive (5 years).
Inspired by ITC’s giant strides in sustainable development, ITC Hotels embedded sustainability in its business practices over two decades ago The dynamic that combined luxury and sustainability demanded clear vision and resolve. Luxury and sustainability were traditionally thought of as diametrically opposed principles. It took serious deliberations and a determined undertaking to demonstrate that the union of luxury and sustainability tapped into the zeitgeist and in fact showed the way ahead for the hospitality industry as a whole. The ITC Gardenia hotel in Bengaluru proved to be the game changer. The hotel stands witness to this pioneering union and has won accolades on both luxury and sustainability platforms – including the Golden Peacock Eco Innovation Award in 2010 and Best Luxury Upscale Hotel at the 6th Hotel Investment Conference for South Asia in the same year. ‘Green with an Indian soul’ became the motto of this feat.
With ‘Responsible Luxury’ at the core, the team further challenged themselves to evaluate retrofitting existing hotels. A mammoth undertaking, yet one accomplished in the relatively short span of twelve months. The result; A LEED Platinum rating for every one of ITC’s luxury hotels. Of the 11 LEED Platinum hotels in the world, 10 are ITC Hotels, making it the ‘Greenest Luxury Hotel Chain in the World’.
“ITC’s Hotels’ business endeavours to continue to make a meaningful contribution to the overall economic development of the country in multiple ways while enriching the tourism landscape of India. We believe that business can and must play a role. Therefore we have to consciously move from a single dimension of financial value creation to a triple bottom line philosophy of creating value that encompasses the economic, environmental and social dimension,” Nakul Anand, Executive Director, ITC Ltd.