ATLANTA, GA – January 22, 2025 –The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) and the Energy & Environment Alliance (EEA) today announced a partnership to help establish unified sustainability standards, benchmarks, and performance metrics specifically tailored to the hotels and lodging sector. AAHOA’s 20,000 members own 60% of the hotels in the United States; the EEA’s membership represents around 45,000 hospitality assets globally.
Setting a Global Benchmark for Sustainability
As investor demand grows for transparent, reliable, and comparable sustainability disclosures, the partners will contribute to the work of the Special Taskforce on Sustainability Standards for the Hotels and Lodging Sector. The Taskforce aims to align the hospitality industry with globally recognized standards, including those set by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). These frameworks, already adopted by more than 30 countries, provide a common language for investment-grade sustainability information, enabling interoperability with regulations like the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
The partnership’s mission is clear: to ensure hundreds of thousands of hoteliers worldwide have a direct voice in the creation of sustainability standards that are both rigorous and practical. This proactive approach not only empowers hotel owners but also positions the industry to lead rather than react to regulatory developments.
A Strategic Three-Phase Consultation Process
The consultation process to develop these standards will occur in three structured phases:1. Pre-Consultation (January 2025 – June 2025): Global outreach to raise awareness and gather preliminary feedback through meetings, roundtables, and targeted discussions. This phase will identify critical issues and shape the consultation’s scope.
2. Consultation (June 2025 – September 2025): A comprehensive 90-day consultation where stakeholders can provide feedback via an online platform. The process will be supported by extensive promotion through trade media, social channels, and global conferences.
3. Post-Consultation (December 2025): Analysis of submissions, development of conclusions, and presentation of outcomes to industry leaders and regulators.
Industry Leadership at a Critical Juncture
Ufi Ibrahim, CEO of the EEA, emphasized the urgency and importance of the initiative: “The world has changed. Sustainability risks and opportunities now directly impact liquidity, asset values, the cost of capital, and investment decisions. In many jurisdictions, sustainable practices are becoming legal mandates. Yet, the lack of harmonized standards and reliable benchmarks is problematic. By leading the development of robust and widely supported standards, the hospitality industry can avoid potentially counterproductive regulatory impositions. It is encouraging to see alignment between regulators and industry leaders on this proactive approach.”
A Vision for the Future of Hospitality
AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake underlined the groundbreaking nature of the partnership:
“This partnership between AAHOA and EEA marks a transformative step for the hospitality industry. By championing the creation of transparent and actionable sustainability standards, we are equipping hotel owners to meet evolving global demands while strengthening their competitive edge. This initiative is not only a pledge to environmental responsibility but also a strategic effort to enhance asset value and build investor trust in our industry’s future.”
Miraj S. Patel, AAHOA Chairman, further highlighted the importance of AAHOA’s voice to drive these initiatives forward:
“AAHOA Members have always been leaders in shaping the future of the hospitality industry, and this partnership with the Energy & Environment Alliance highlights our dedication to advancing sustainable practices. By ensuring hotel owners have a voice in establishing practical and globally recognized sustainability standards, we are positioning our industry to thrive while meeting the challenges of a rapidly changing world. This is a crucial step toward a more resilient and environmentally responsible hospitality sector.”
About the Energy & Environment Alliance (EEA)
The Energy & Environment Alliance (EEA) is a not-for-profit coalition of hospitality investors, developers, asset managers, and operators, working as a collective to transition the industry to Net Zero Carbon and ESG stewardship in a scientifically robust and commercially sustainable way.
About the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA)
AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with Member-owned properties representing a significant part of the U.S. economy. AAHOA’s 20,000 members own 60% of the hotels in the United States and are responsible for 1.7% of the nation’s GDP. More than 1 million employees work at AAHOA Member-owned hotels, earning $47 billion annually, and member-owned hotels support 4.2 million U.S. jobs across all sectors of the hospitality industry. AAHOA’s mission is to advance and protect the business interests of hotel owners through advocacy, industry leadership, professional development, member benefits, and community engagement.
Members of the Taskforce
Anthony Bailey, Co-Founder & CEO, Mobius Carbon
Marianne Balfe, Head of ESG, Highgate
Navneet Bali, Founder & CEO, LyvInn, and Chair, EEA Reporting & Disclosures Committee
Franck Bermond, VP Design & Construction, and Head of Group ESG, AccorInvest
Laura Lee Blake, President & CEO, AAHOA
Amanda Braun, ESG Manager, KSL Capital
Elizabeth Davies, Head of Hotels & Lodging, HSBC UK
Catherine Dolton, Chief Sustainability Officer, IHG
Olivier Granet, CEO, Kasada Group
Michael Grove, CEO, Hotstats
Janine Guillot, Former CEO SASB and EEA Advisory Board Member
Inge Huijbrechts, Global SVP Sustainability, Security and Corporate Communications, Radisson
Ufi Ibrahim, CEO, EEA
Jacqueline Kneebone, Head of Sustainability, Lore Group
Fredrik Korallus, Founder & CEO, Dean Street Projects
Tasos Kousloglou, CEO, SHKP
Theodor Kubak, Supervisory Board Member, Hospitality Asset Managers Association
Dr Marc Lepere, Founder & CEO, Omnevue and Head of ESG, King’s Business School
Angela Lille, Head of HR Systems and Travel Management, Erste Group, Founding Member, BT4E (Business Travel for Europe and ABTA (Austrian Business Travel Association)
Glenn Mandziuk, CEO, World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance
Ralph Miller, President, Integrated Hospitality Management Ltd and Board Member, USALI
Nadia Milligan, Chair, EEA Legal Committee
Thomas Page, Partner, CMS
Young Nguyen, Founder & CEO, d2o
Ross Petar, Head of Hotel Asset Valuations, JLL
Will Silverwood, Head of Sustainability, Whitbread
Alice Strevens, Human Rights Specialist, Mazars
Peter Till, Chair EEA Advisory Board
Kelli Turner, General Counsel and Head of ESG, Village Hotels
Caroline Tiveus, Chief Sustainability Officer, Pandox
Rekha Toora, Senior Vice President, EMEA Capital Markets, JLL
Julia Wein, Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor
Tom Wilson, Head of Delivery – Building Performance Services, BRE Group
Joshua Wong, Global Head of Sustainability, Peninsula Group
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