Quote from Philip Ursnik Zuran on 20. April 2021, 13:00

Quote from Natascha Dockal on 13. April 2021, 9:51

Dear Philip, very exciting approaches - looking forward to read your master thesis 😉

I am currently evaluating my empirical data and come to the conclusion that communication is the most important thing. Of course, cost factor, time and motivation are also mentioned as challenges for sustainability in the luxury hotel industry, but behind that, communication of priorities was always hidden - meaning, if the hotel clearly positions itself for environmental protection and communicates that accordingly to the stakeholders, then the focus becomes a different one and the obstacles like time and costs are aligned with that.

Especially with regard to the demanding guest clientele, the idea often came up to clarify and communicate the individual contribution and accordingly the importance of it that the guest helps. For example, how much CO2 is saved by a guest who supports the hotel in environmental protection measures, separates his waste, walks into town and does without laundry service - this is something you can imagine, it becomes tangible and clear. The same procedure for the employees - there the challenge will also be time, motivation and possibly different backgrounds and cultures, but if the company clearly communicates its position, then sustainability becomes part of the job description - firmly integrated into the corporate values and therefore not debatable with the employee. But here again, education, sensitization, awareness and COMMUNICATION play a key role.

I therefore also come to the conclusion that communication, adapted to specific target groups and oriented to the needs of the stakeholders, is the most important pivot for sustainability - and you can do a lot here, even without having to invest a lot of money.

I see the challenge clearly in the fact that the communication and the impetus for sustainability must come from the top, i.e. from the management in the hotel, is continuously broken down to the departments and is consistently enforced. One of my favorite quotes from my methodology section:

"Environmental protection must not start somewhere and stop somewhere - it must be integrated into all areas and become a fixed component of the corporate culture."

Best regards

Dear Natascha, thank you for sharing your thoughts and results of your empirical data. I am also highly eager to reading your thesis.

I can only agree with you on your thoughts. The essence or the ''WHY'' need to be integrated actively in the whole entity, might me a hotel or any other business.

And I also agree that not a lot of investment is needed to reach this goal. It is simply important to talk about it and emphasize why it is important or why someone should be doing it. And I am also a strong believer in backing up those claims with scientific facts. Because when we have facts we can try to understand them and put them in relation. And through this process, we can see that one simple act, like not using the laundry service or reusing the towel the whole stay in the hotel as you mentioned, has a major impact on the overall goal.

I think it is possible to conclude that in order to establish sustainability a lot of factors have an impact on success yet the most important seem to be communication and firm facts.

Quote from Harald A. Friedl on 23. April 2021, 16:13

Quote from Philip Ursnik Zuran on 12. April 2021, 21:36

Dear Harald,

Yes indeed, I am writing my master thesis about the ''Amazon of Europe''. For anyone who does not know it, it is the first 5-country biosphere reserve in the world, which includes the countries Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia and Serbia. The transboundary reserve flows along the rivers Mura, Drava and Danube and measures more than 20.700km2.

If I understand correctly, the question of Mr Adis was how to make public transport as well as personal homes more sustainable and of course how to make this state of sustainability more attainable?

Well, I will allow myself to share my thoughts on this matter. I want to emphasize that I am by no means an expert in sustainability, yet I like to indulge myself with this topic.

From what I could gather, there are many variables that are important to such an idea. Many things need to be considered in order to produce the wished-for outcome. Of course, there are some which are widely know like trying to reduce the amount of energy used or increased efforts of nature protection and conservation. But what seems most important to me is the human and his actions alone. Therefore I have only 3 words to say which are crucial to attaining the goal. Communication, communication, COMMUNICATION.

It is important to communicate WHY some changes are being made or WHY it is important to use more public transport. In my opinion, it is one of the most vital aspects that need to be taken into account when trying to achieve sustainability.

I have also taken the liberty to find some scientific journals which furthermore emphasize the importance of communication in this field and take on different approaches as well as tackle various problems.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351978917300719

https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/5/7/2976

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-007-1697-1_1

 

It is clear to me that there are many more pillars in this matter. I would be keen to hear from others about their research or thoughts.

Best regards

Dear Philip, thank you very much for your contribution.
Actually, I agree very much with you that communication is crucial. I just disagree with you if it comes to the meaning of communication for specific action.
We have this old idea of human beings as rational organisms in the way that we expect people to say only meaningful, well reflected things. Well, by looking around, I can't find any person that would be critically reflected all the time, evaluating every word expressing...
A common theory of communication describes the biggest part of communication as gossip, and it interprets its meaning as .... "coordination" - just like bird singing: to signalize "Hey, I am still here, hey, I am still here, hey..." and so on. Communication in order to signalize your presence and your district you want to protect...

In consequence, I think that in the context of sustainability, the biggest challange it to give signals of reliability to potential communicational partners. Most people perceive "sustainability" as a huge missionary movement in order to forbid powerful SUVs, cool flights to nice paradises on earth, sizzling steaks etc. - a tricky mission to steal comfort... (which it is 😉 among other aspects). So, communicating sustainability must turn into a camouflage, masked by attractivity, promising joy, positiv feelings, empowerment...
you see, it all goes over emotions, not over arguments. So, after all, you are right: communication, communication, communication... but the focus on how, not that much on what as it is used to...
Thanks, Harry

Quote from Harald A. Friedl on 23. April 2021, 16:21

Quote from Natascha Dockal on 13. April 2021, 9:51

Especially with regard to the demanding guest clientele, the idea often came up to clarify and communicate the individual contribution and accordingly the importance of it that the guest helps. For example, how much CO2 is saved by a guest who supports the hotel in environmental protection measures, separates his waste, walks into town and does without laundry service - this is something you can imagine, it becomes tangible and clear. The same procedure for the employees - there the challenge will also be time, motivation and possibly different backgrounds and cultures, but if the company clearly communicates its position, then sustainability becomes part of the job description - firmly integrated into the corporate values and therefore not debatable with the employee. But here again, education, sensitization, awareness and COMMUNICATION play a key role.

I therefore also come to the conclusion that communication, adapted to specific target groups and oriented to the needs of the stakeholders, is the most important pivot for sustainability - and you can do a lot here, even without having to invest a lot of money.

I see the challenge clearly in the fact that the communication and the impetus for sustainability must come from the top, i.e. from the management in the hotel, is continuously broken down to the departments and is consistently enforced. One of my favorite quotes from my methodology section:

"Environmental protection must not start somewhere and stop somewhere - it must be integrated into all areas and become a fixed component of the corporate culture."

Dear Natascha, thanks for your answer on Philips comment.
You know, that I go very much in your direction, as you are mentioning the needs of the stakeholders. In your case, the big challenge seems to be to figure out: What is the need of thoses people used to luxurious comfort and satisfaction. What does somebody need who has everything and who can buy everything?

My suggestion: salvation...
I was guiding desert trekking trips for so many years, where people were paying many 1000 Euro to go to "nowhere" where there was "nothing", no shower, simple food, but.... silence, a clean and clear environment, peace, emptiness  ... I wii continue...