Recent trends have shown an exponential increase in tourism — particularly in Southeast Asia. In fact, some markets have surpassed pre-pandemic levels with a 20% ADR increase driven by leisure tourists, with a further 77% of hotels in APAC expected to see a rise in occupancy levels over 2024.
Alongside this is a rising number of hotels embracing sustainability and broader ESG principles. According to reports, around 65% of players in the sector have now implemented a carbon emission reduction plan. More are beginning to put forward their own sustainability strategies, encompassing various areas from waste reduction to animal welfare.
In Malaysia, Sunway Hotels and Resorts is paving the way towards greener tourism. Owned by Malaysian conglomerate Sunway Group, Sunway Hotels and Resorts has become one of Asia’s leading international hotel groups and developers of premium hotels. Today, the group operates 11 hotels and resorts in Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Sustainability has been a core aspect of Sunway Hotels & Resorts’ operations since 2017. “Aligning with Sunway Group’s aspiration to be Asia’s model corporation in sustainable development, our COO ensures that the Hotels’ business operations are aligned and measured according to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG),” sustainable development manager Jenn Mun Hew recently said in an interview with Sustainable Food Business.
“This way, we could make sure that our businesses will not have any negative impacts on the environment while giving back to the community.”
Sunway Hotels: Tackling food waste
As one of the most prominent hotel chains in Malaysia, Sunway Hotels has been home to a number of well-established restaurants, cafés and eateries. Naturally, this has attracted a wide group of international and local clientele with exquisite tastes and preferences.
This has made navigating the issue of food waste one of the most important pillars in the group’s sustainability journey. “The group as a whole has a target to divert at least 40% of our waste from landfills by 2030,” explains Hew. “At the moment, we don’t have a specific target for food waste, but are working with WWF-Malaysia to cut this down as much as possible.”
One such way is by carefully planning food preparation for the following day. “Every day, we’ll see how many rooms are being occupied and how many guests to cook for,” she says.
Another aspect they are working on is that of pre- and post-food waste research. “The pre-food waste research is done while you’re prepping to cook,” explains Hew. “For example, when chopping vegetables, you might be able to salvage the root or other areas. Post-food waste of course is related to surplus food, which we donate to those in need.”
The Sunway City Kuala Lumpur Hotels — that is, the three hotels residing in the integrated township within Malaysia’s capital city — also have access to a food waste composter. “We collect all food scraps and waste and compost them on-site,” says Hew. “Other than that, we collect dry leaves that are swept and cleared by our landscapers. These serve as good carbon for the composter.”
Other hotels run by the group, such as The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat in Ipoh, Malaysia, may not have access to such tools. In these cases, the group locates partners who can compost waste for them.
Ensuring sustainable procurement
Sustainable sourcing is another aspect being pursued by the company. The group has its own Sustainable Procurement Policy, in which all suppliers must adhere to certain standards that prioritize sustainable values.
“So with this procurement policy, we want to make sure our suppliers uphold certain standards that do not harm the environment,” Hew explains. “We have a set of questions for them to complete before we agree to work with them.”
The group has already made strides with sourcing sustainable seafood. “For seafood, we have found a current supplier that adheres to all sustainable certification standards,” says Hew. “We also ensure all seafood we source are not endangered.”
Where they can, the hotel group sources exclusively from local farms. “We buy hydroponic vegetables from local farms, for example,” says Hew. “Our Sunway organic farm, located by the Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat, also supplies fresh vegetables directly to the site — creating a farm-to-table concept.”
On the topic of animal welfare, Sunway Hotels does not have a policy for sourcing cage-free poultry and eggs just yet. There has been a growing movement in Malaysia for sourcing only cage-free eggs, with prominent groups such as Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts and Ascott Limited setting timelines to do so. However, Hew affirms that this is something her team is actively looking into.
“I can confidently say that we already have one selected outlet that is exclusively sourcing cage-free eggs,” says Hew. “We are currently conducting research on cage-free eggs, and are visiting farms in Malaysia to gain a better understanding. We may roll out a policy in the future, but cannot confirm this at this moment in time.”
Upholding sustainability standards in daily operations
Outside of this, Sunway Hotels is ensuring that guests are provided with plenty of sustainable options throughout their visit.
“One thing we do is try to reduce the carbon footprint on certain items,” says Hew. “We try to reduce the consumption of nuts, for example, as they use a lot of energy to produce. If we can’t avoid using them — because anyhow, we are still in the hotel industry — we try our best to propose a substitution.
“For example, we convinced a guest who wanted pistachio nuts to use coconut flakes instead — incorporating more local produce to replace items that consume a lot more resources.”
Vegetarian and vegan options are provided for guests, as well. “For every breakfast buffet we ensure there are always vegetarian or vegan options,” explains Hew. “We’ve had more guests ask us for certain plant-based products, such as plant-based milk, and have incorporated those into our menu. We also bake a vegan cake in-house at our main cafe.”
Looking forward, Hew is hopeful that sustainability will continue to be prioritized within the market. “It’s not always easy, but we would always prioritize sustainable values and propose different ideas,” she says. “Education is a large part of that — ensuring people are more aware of what is going on. But at the end of the day, sustainability is a journey — one we need to work towards together.”
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