Travellers are becoming increasingly conscious of their contribution towards the environment. Thus, guests nowadays expect hotels not just to provide comfort and luxury, but to operate responsibly.
Sustainable practices help hotels lower operational costs, enhance long-term connections with guests, and strengthen their brand reputation.
ITC Hotels has been declared as the World’s Leading Sustainable Organisation in 2025 by World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards (WSTHA). Alongside this landmark achievement, the hotel has also secured three additional awards: World’s Leading Sustainable Food & Nutrition Initiative, World’s Leading Sustainable Marketing Campaign, and World’s Leading Sustainable Employer.
This is why recognition for sustainability, such as ITC Hotels’ latest global achievement, is so significant.
What sets ITC hotels apart from its competitors?
Sustainable initiatives
To receive this flagship award, ITC Hotels has set new sustainability benchmarks through comprehensive eco-friendly hospitality operations that include conserving energy and water resources. The sustainable initiatives also include carbon reduction and sustainable waste management.
Most of the ITC properties are designed as LEED Platinum-certified green buildings to minimise energy consumption. The hotel also focuses on sourcing ingredients ethically and follows sustainable initiatives such as the “WeAssure” and “Sunya Aqua” (zero-additive water) policies.
Sustainable food and nutrition initiatives
ITC hotels follow local and seasonal procurement policy by directly partnering with local farmers and ensuring that teh menus are deisgned around seasonal availability. Moreover, in compliance with the national nutrition missions and global sustainability goals ITC believes in integrating millets and grains into all its signature dishes to reduce the carbon footprint of the meals.
Sustainable marketing campaign
ITC hotels not only practice sustainability but also communicate the policy through marketing campaigns. They believe in spreading awareness and making the global audience adopt eco-friendly policies.
Sustainable employability
Along with maintaining sustainability in the food and work processes, the hotel has also been recognised as a sustainable employer. ITC Hotels invests heavily in developing structured health and mental wellness plans for employees and ensures that every employee has access to medical support, insurance, and wellness programs deisgned for their emotional and physical well-being. The group follows a strict non-discrimination policy in hiring. ITC has been diligently increasing roles for women in operations and leadership domains to remove discrepancies in the employment process.
What does these initiatives mean for hospitality industry?
ITC has set a compelling standard by integrating sustainability into cuisines, employability and architecture. This means that the hotel chains are likely to adopt similar eco conscious practices to live upto these standards. If other hotels are looking forward to get more guests than they will have to adhere to these sustainable standards and adopt similar eco friendly practices. To enhance guest benefits hotels must provide high comfort, premium services and also contribute to sustainable hospitality.
By following polices like local sourcing, waste reduction, water conservation and renewable energy the hotels will have to achieve the standard in sustainability that has been set by ITC hotels.
To improve sustainability in hospitality industry, HOTS has been training the students to follow sustainable practices upon their placement in hotels.
HOTS has been recognized by the Times of India Group and ET Now Industry Icon as the Best Hotel Management Institute for Placement. With a commitment to 100% placement, top-tier training, and industry partnerships, HOTS continues to shape future hospitality leaders with excellence and dedication.