Impact of Sustainability on Hospitality: A Case Study of Accor Hotel

This research project investigates the impact of sustainability on the hospitality industry, using Accor Hotel as a case study. The study explores current trends such as minimizing water and food waste, monitoring carbon emissions, reducing plastic usage, and incorporating allergen-free features. It identifies opportunities for Accor Hotel, including cost savings and enhanced guest experience, and offers recommendations for increasing popularity through sustainable means, such as green technology and waste conservation. The research methodology employs a research onion approach, utilizing a deductive approach, survey strategy, and a cross-sectional time horizon. The data analysis includes frequency data analysis to support the findings and conclusions regarding the effects of sustainability practices on the hospitality sector and Accor Hotel's market position. The project aims to determine current trends, identify opportunities, and suggest ways for Accor Hotel to enhance its popularity through sustainable practices.

Research project
("To identify the change brought in by sustainability in
Hospitality industry and impacting over the popularity of
the sector". A case study on Accor Hotel)

Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................3
Overview of the topic..................................................................................................................3
Problem statement.......................................................................................................................3
Overview of organisation............................................................................................................3
Aims and objectives....................................................................................................................3
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................4
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................................................7
Research Onion...........................................................................................................................7
Questionnaire..............................................................................................................................8
CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS .................................................................................................9
Frequency data analysis..............................................................................................................9
Data analysis.............................................................................................................................11
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION.....................................................20
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................22

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Overview of the topic
Sustainability is the important measure which is adopted by hospitality industry in order
to attain higher success and market prominence as well. There are various trends and practices
that can be adopted by hospitality industry so that to provide appropriate edge over business
function execution (Su and Chen, 2020). Using these practices will provide such edge to the
business that in which organisation can grab market image and customer attention in primal
manner. Sustainable hospitality management is providing various skills and understanding to the
management which may lead in promoting such practices those are minimising negative impact
to environment.
Problem statement
In current time this is being observed that there are various trends which are inhaled by
hospitality industry which is providing changes in the business. These are required to be
undertaken in such a manner that business may get higher positive benefits so that to undertake
various opportunities to obtain with success (Luthra and Mangla, 2018). These trends are
providing higher impact over succession of the business so that appropriate decision can be made
in appropriate manner. So this research is providing various insights within business.
Overview of organisation
Accor Hotel is a multinational hospitality organisation that owns and manages number of
franchise hotels and resorts and vacations properties. The organisation is the largest hospitality
industry in Europe and the organisation is managing their business in 110 countries and 5100
locations. The hotel was established in the year of 1967 and headquartered in France.
Aims and objectives
Research aim:
"To identify the change brought in by sustainability in Hospitality industry and impacting over
the popularity of the sector". A case study on Accor Hotel.
Research Objectives:
 To determine the current trends of hospitality sector in relation to sustainability.
 To identify the opportunities created by sustainability factor for Accor Hotel in respect to
increasing popularity of the entity.

 To recommend certain ways to Accor Hotel to increase popularity of company through
sustainable means.
Research questions
 What are the current trends within hospitality industry in relation to sustainability?
 What are the opportunities created by Accor Hotel by adopting sustainability factors in
relation to increasing popularity of entity?
 What are the recommendations given to Accor Hotel for increasing popularity of the
organisation through sustainable means?
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
Current trends within hospitality industry in relation to sustainability
According to viewpoint of Jones and Comfort (2020), Many current trends of hospitality sector
with relation to sustainability are as mentioned below:
Minimizing water waste and usage: According to this trend, it is easy to minimise that
how frequently hotel can reduce their water waste. It offers a voluntary that converting into flow
of water waste or dual flush toilets are very easy to save water and it will be impact on great
experience in front of guest. In this industry, more water consumption expect that hotel are
investing more certified flow of setup and shower heads in guest rooms. Most of big hotels are
consist that more and more water are should be save and it will positive impact in front of guest.
Reduction of food waste: Food is another way of great experience in front of customers.
To prevent this waste, hotels are suggest they should provide a buffet systems for customers. It
involve purchasing departments in kitchen especially employee are benefited from it. Many
ways to prevent food waste by growing food on-site, shifting special norms to ensure that waste
of plate is no longer considered are should be acceptable (Babu, Kaur and Rajendran, 2018).
Other options is buying seasonal products like own herbs gardens that can also reduce their
carbon footprint. Waste of food is very crucial trend for customer because it will get negative
impact on customers and their hotels brand image will go down.
Monitoring carbon release: In this industry, carbon emissions like vehicles and many
other factories and management teams can also reduce carbon in forms of invest their solar
energy or turn off their air conditioners. This techniques will time to adjust many new ways for
approaching energy usage but they will minimise their carbon footprint to show their guest that

team can compete with long run procedures. Medium size persons may not have an particular
special properties to corporate infrastructure to meet their decreased in carbon target.
Reducing usage of plastic: Hospitality industry consist of taking corrective measure to
decrease plastic products and leaders are appreciable to reduce their plastic. Many hotels an
restaurants are working to replace plastic with change over or metal straws with serving drinks.
In toilets, all hotels are provide shower bottles that will help for free standing so that it will be
reduced the wastage of plastics products by small plastic containers. It is effecting environment
because 8 million people are used for plastic products so hotels are developed this type of
strategy to use for customers.
It includes allergen free hotel features: It is main trend in hospitality industry because
they can promote the healthier environment of hotels for customers both inside and outside
organisation property. This approach of sustainability that hospitality could be beneficial allergy
friendly flooring so that clients can get relaxed in any part of area and no worry about customer
because they are allergy free symptoms (Stafford, 2020). The staff member of hotels are should
change plants and flowers that may have an allergy for old plants and scents to sustainable plans
which will require for day to day routine watering in plants and also there is lack of any attribute
which will annoy many of seasonal allergies.
Opportunities created by Accor Hotel by adopting sustainability factors in relation to
increasing popularity of entity
From the perspective of Tracy Stottler, 2016 from the past several years hoteliers moved
their focus to understand about the importance of sustainability in hospitality industry. This is
related with hotel development and their services or operations, including environmental, social
and economic. Sustainability is identified as an important issue which is currently faced by all
hotels. In the present scenario, hospitality sector generate dramatic environmental impact and
this is related with energy and water consumption. With use of consumable and durable products,
solid and other toxic waste create problems for hotels industry. This determine that if
management face challenges because toxic environment create problems for individuals to visit a
specific region. Moreover, Ideas and green operations are too expensive and it create problems
for hotels to manage their work in proper manner. This also consider about all those factors
which is related with renewable sources of energy in order to improve economy with use of
different alternative energies related with environment and property that states in a country.

Moreover, the social front generate remarkable shifts and most of them relates with CSR
programs specifically to generate green buildings for formulation of positive environment in the
country. Hoteliers are focused to trained their engaged staff through improving their knowledge
with education systems. It is also realised that sustainability improve the guest experience
through providing knowledge related with natural elements. Cost-saving and economic
incentives are the two main feature and this is related with economic development of country.
Leisure and business travellers increase the concepts and factors of hotels. This define about
number of travellers and it's increase about number of facts through which activities generate
positive environment for producing appropriate results which provide better experience to
individuals to manage their work in an appropriate manner (Calinaud, Kokkranikal and Gebbels,
2020). Moreover, role of sustainability perform a signifiant role in hospitality industry and it
define about water, electricity and use of natural resources to consume them in a proper manner.
Moreover, all the waste which is created in the form of equipments, furniture, appliances and
bulbs create problems for organisation. Project also relate with technology and with use of
alternate sources this is easy for management to perform all work by use of natural resources.
Further, by generating corporation among all services of hospitality this is easy to manage all
work in proper manner that improves sustainability related factors in the organisation. The
existing emerging environment technology is aimed towards accomplish of achieving high
performance through producing effective operational procedures.
Recommendations given to Accor Hotel for increasing popularity of the organisation through
sustainable means
According to Gerdt, Wagner and Schewe, (2019), there are various trends which are
being provided within hospitality industry in terms of sustainability as in current time
sustainability is the major factor which can be inhaled by various hospitality business in order to
enhance their market prominence and to provide appropriate measures to deal with market
succession. Green practices are the method which can be used by such businesses so that to
develop market prominence and prominent market image as well. Green technology provide
different methods and their use for reducing the consumption of water and also to switch towards
air-cooled machine, use of taps that is controlled by sensor etc. So with the use of different
alternatives this is easy to manage and perform all work in an appropriate manner specifically
with those which add sustainability factors in hotel services and it results number of is guest is

increased because various customers are also focused towards environment safety (Gössling,
2018). Besides this promotion of waster conservation is also a recommendation which can be
helpful for hospitality businesses to get higher popularity.
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Onion
Research methodology is one of the significant tool which can be used by researcher so
that research objectives can be attained in appropriate manner. Research onion approach is used
in this research which is explained as under:
 Research Philosophy: This is categorised as those principle by which overall research
can be executed in appropriate manner. Research philosophies are of two types such as
Positivism and Interprivistism. Under this research positivism research philosophy is
used so as to gather significant information in appropriate manner.
 Research Approach: Within this aspect of research onion terminology different plans
are associated in which research can be performed in appropriate manner. Research
approaches are of two types such as inductive and deductive. Under this research
deductive approach is used as this will be helpful in scrutinise information so that to
provide appropriate outcomes of research (Plewnia and Guenther, 2018).
 Research Strategy: Research strategy is associated with those methods which are
involving basic research procedure so that research study can be performed in significant
manner. There are different research strategy which are helpful in developing research
objectives appropriately. Under this research survey method will be used as this will be
assisting the researcher to develop various research objectives. This method allows
researcher to obtain result from various respondents so that overall result out of research.
Under this research questionnaire will be used so that to align research efforts with
research objectives (Garay, Font, and Corrons, 2019).
 Research Choice: This is defined as the dimension in which significant information can
be developed by researcher. With the help of online and offline sources information can
be gathered by researcher. There are two types of research choice such as quantitative
and qualitative so that the same can be selected in order to accumulate data in statistical
manner.

 Time Horizon: This aspect is related with the time frame which is required for a research
to execute the overall activities within allocated time . There are two types of time-
horizon which is used by investigator such as longitudinal and cross-sectional. Under this
research cross-sectional time-horizon is used as under this researcher can look after to
various dimensions at once.
 Data Collection: Under this using various sources required data for the research is being
gathered. There are two types of methods through which data can be collected such as
primary and secondary sources. In this research both these methods are used and under
primary questionnaire is used whereas for secondary books and journals are used (Alola,
Avci and Ozturen, 2018)
 Sampling: This is defined as the process in which from overall population in order to
obtain required data. There are two types of sampling such as probabilistic and non-
probabilistic, under this research probabilistic sampling is used. Besides this the sample
size is taken as 40 and these are employees of the hotel.
Questionnaire
Q1. Are you aware about the concept of sustainability within hospitality industry?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2. Do you have an understanding about the notion of sustainability and its significance in
hospitality industry
a) Yes
b) No
Q3. Does sustainability lead to provide impact over popularity of hospitality industry?
a) Yes
b) No
Q4. What are the major benefits for hospitality industry to adopt sustainable measures?
a) Higher Customer base
b) Higher revenue
c) Higher market prominence
Q5. What are the major current trends within Accor Hotel in respect of sustainability?

a) Green practices
b) Reduction of energy consumption
c) Water conservation
Q6. What are the opportunities created for Accor by adopting sustainability factors in respect of
enhanced popularity?
a) Larger customer retention
b) Higher edge towards competitors
c) Long term business benefits
Q7. What are the most important aspect existed within Accor hotel
a) Prime location
b) Eco-friendly practices
c) Customer treatment
Q8. What are the change introduced within Accor Hotel by adopting sustainability?
a) Way of customer service
b) Change of business objectives
c) Focusing over green practices
Q9. Are these changes creating any business benefits for Accor Hotel?
a) Yes
b) No
Q10. What are the ways in which Accor hotel can enhance their market popularity?
a) Taking appropriate feedbacks
b) Giving training to their employees
c) Using sustainable practices
CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS
Frequency data analysis
Q1. Are you aware about the concept of sustainability within hospitality
industry?
Frequency
a) Yes 30

b) No 10
Q2. Do you have an understanding about the notion of sustainability and its
significance in hospitality industry
Frequency
a) Yes 30
b) No 10
Q3. Does sustainability lead to provide impact over popularity of
hospitality industry?
Frequency
a) Yes 25
b) No 15
Q4. What are the major benefits for hospitality industry to adopt
sustainable measures?
Frequency
a) Higher Customer base 20
b) Higher revenue 10
c) Higher market prominence 10
Q5. What are the major current trends within Accor Hotel in respect of
sustainability?
Frequency
a) Green practices 20
b) Reduction of energy consumption 10
c) Water conservation 10
Q6. What are the opportunities created for Accor by adopting sustainability
factors in respect of enhanced popularity?
Frequency
a) Larger customer retention 25
b) Higher edge towards competitors 10
c) Long term business benefits 5
Q7. What are the most important aspect existed within Accor hotel Frequency
a) Prime location 10

b) Eco-friendly practices 20
c) Customer treatment 10
Q8. What are the change introduced within Accor Hotel by adopting
sustainability?
Frequency
a) Way of customer service 10
b) Change of business objectives 10
c) Focusing over green practices 20
Q9. Are these changes creating any business benefits for Accor Hotel? Frequency
a) Yes 35
b) No 5
Q10. What are the ways in which Accor hotel can enhance their market
popularity?
Frequency
a) Taking appropriate feedbacks 10
b) Giving training to their employees 15
c) Using sustainable practices 15
Data analysis
Q1. Are you aware about the concept of sustainability within hospitality
industry?
Frequency
a) Yes 30
b) No 10

a) Yes b) No
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
30
10
Frequency
Interpretation: From the above graph this can be concluded that sustainability is the measure
which is adopted by hospitality industry. In current time adoption of sustainable measures are
taken as priority as these are leading the business to develop such understanding related to
market position and market prominence. There are certain level which are dealt by hospitality
industry so that to develop market image and to adopt sustainable measures. As according to this
research out of 40 respondents, 30 said that they are aware about concept of sustainability as this
is regarded as important aspect. Besides this 10 have said that they are not aware regarding
concept of sustainability. So this can be said that sustainability is the major constraint which is
required to be adopted by hospitality business in order to grab appropriate success.
Q2. Do you have an understanding about the notion of sustainability and its
significance in hospitality industry
Frequency
a) Yes 30
b) No 10