Hoteliers caught up in CSR greenwash fail to reap rewards

8 April 2010 - Many hoteliers are still failing to look beyond the greenwash and realise the potential CSR (Corporate social responsibility) has to save them money, increase staff retention and boost brand strength, according to the MD of reputation management agency Brand Reputation.

Graeme Crossley, claims that too many hoteliers turn away from CSR through fear of it being yet another cost centre, and in doing so are missing out on valuable strategies which could save the business hundreds of thousands of pounds.

“We all know that spend is down across the hospitality sector as people inevitably cut down on travelling, but let’s be under no illusion here, there is still an awful lot of business still out there and profits to be made providing you can be smart with your marketing strategy. CSR in the hospitality sector is not just about energy reduction and the creation of new ‘eco-hotels’ but about the way existing businesses are managed, how the staff are treated and how they contribute to wider society and the
economy as well as the planet,” says Crossley.

“If you want to survive the recession, you need to find ways to stand out from the crowd and differentiate yourself in the marketplace and capture the business which is still very much there for the taking. Building a reputation as a responsible business can set you apart from the competition as more and more customers look to do business with more ‘ethical’ companies. A good reputation also makes it easier to recruit employees and actually can encourage them to stay longer, be more productive and stay
motivated.”

“I’ve heard many stories from within the hospitality sector of businesses struggling to continue with eco-initiatives or sustainability programmes as their ‘focus must now be on the immediate needs of the business’ and it is then that I realise how poorly the potential of CSR is really understood in this sector. It’s very worrying and many could see themselves in serious financial difficulty this year which could have easily been prevented,” says Crossley.