We live in a time when the concept of ‘sustainability’ is woven into every aspect of work, from insuring buildings to securing loans. The hospitality businesses that will thrive tomorrow are those that begin balancing the needs of profit, people and planet today.
In 2023 alone, new laws banned businesses from using the term ‘eco’ without solid evidence; increased the level of social and environmental reporting required by companies and made it easier than ever for investors to determine sustainability related risks.
Greenwash no longer cuts it. Combating climate change with accountability and transparency is what consumers are expecting, investors demanding and global governments legislating for.
How NOW Helps ...
Although many businesses have started their sustainability journey, they struggle to translate good intentions into measurable impacts. That’s where we come in. The NOW Climate Positive Programme helps hospitality leaders to monitor and cut their carbon footprint, meaning they’re in with a fighting chance of achieving climate positive by 2030.
Working with EarthCheck as well as the owners of high-integrity carbon offset projects worldwide, the offer includes funding relief for a sustainability program with certification, training, an independent audit, reporting tools and access to high-quality carbon credits.
The NOW Climate Positive Programme Allows Business Leaders to:
Why Carbon?
The Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) tells us that the next few years are critical. To limit global warming to around 1.5°C or even 2°C requires global greenhouse gas emissions to peak before 2025 at the latest and be reduced by 43% by 2030, and methane would also need to be reduced by about a third. As global temperatures soar faster than predicted, the United Nations is calling on all developed countries to achieve net zero by 2040.
Although there are many gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, carbon is the most prevalent because it is primarily released through the burning of fossil fuels. It also stays for a long time. After a pulse of CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere, 40% of it will remain for 100 years, 20% for 1000 years and the final 10% will take 10,000 years to disperse.
A Rallying Cry
The survival of our industry – and indeed species – depends on businesses treating the climate crisis as just that: a crisis. As hospitality leaders, measuring and reducing our carbon footprint and achieving climate positive by 2030 is challenging but not impossible. Take action NOW.