4. a. Implementing feedback loops for ongoing assessment and enhancement of sustainability initiatives

In order to be able to use the key sustainability figures obtained in the hotel industry in a targeted manner, the following steps must be implemented as part of a continuous improvement process:

• Identify Objectives and intended results: The development of meaningful measures starts with Objectives. Objectives are qualitative, continuous improvement actions (outcomes) critical to strategy success. Once the objective is identified, unambiguous intended result(s) of the objective are defined (e.g. reduce water/electricity consumption, buy more regional products from regional suppliers, etc.)
• Select the right measure(s) for each goal: decide on feasible and promising measures to achieve defined sustainability goals (e.g. installation of aerators for taps, LED lamps, green electricity supply…)
• Regular review of developments: Collect and visualize data/sustainability indicators (meaningful visual comparisons in tables/diagrams), analyze and draw appropriate conclusions: are we on the right track? How and by what means can we achieve or further advance the defined sustainability objectives?
• Adaptation phase: The Adapt phase of the process examines whether the improvement strategies have been implemented effectively and correctly. The aim is to determine what has worked well and what has not and to take corrective action. Effective measures must be continued, less/not effective measures must be replaced by new, more suitable measures.

The key is to continuously evaluate the impact of each improvement measure and maintain the focus on continuous process improvement. It is important to involve all employees and the entire team – as well as stakeholders, guests, suppliers, etc. – in sustainability initiatives and to clearly communicate initial successes and further planned initiatives and activities in order to sustainably increase the commitment of everyone involved.