International hotel chains Marriott, Accor, Hilton, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Radisson Hotel Group have teamed up with sustainability rating agency EcoVadis to launch the Hospitality Alliance for Responsible Procurement (HARP).
The alliance, which also counts purchasing organisations Avendra and Entegra among its founding members, will work to accelerate sustainable sourcing practices, build transparency and “scale positive impact” across members’ value chains.
“As companies seek to engage their value chain partners in their sustainability efforts, they realise the complex scope, as well as common challenges, in their own sector," said Richard Eyram, chief customer officer at EcoVadis.
“It is through partnerships and industry-wide collaboration that the hospitality industry can maximise its collective impact. By joining forces, aligning focus and sharing best practices, HARP members can achieve positive outcomes that pave the way towards Net Zero targets and a more sustainable future for all," he added.
The initiative aims to bring “a common voice, standard and platform” around sustainability sourcing practices for the hospitality industry by utilising EcoVadis’ rating methodology and scorecards to conduct supplier assessments, build an “antitrust-compliant network” and provide suppliers with “a more coherent direction to enable targeted improvement”.
The initiative has already rated more than 2,000 suppliers, with that number likely to increase, according to HARP founding members.
HARP member suppliers will also have access to additional “capacity-building and engagement activities” as well as tools and best practices to help boost sustainability ratings.