GREEN VISION

MEET JOHN ROBERTS, A TRUE NATURE ENTHUSIAST AND THE GROUP DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY & CONSERVATION FOR MINOR HOTELS.

- Vidhi Gupta

John Roberts, Group Director of Sustainability & Conservation for Minor Hotels, has been at the forefront of sustainability for over two decades. "When I started in 2003, Pressing sustainability issues of today were mere blips on the horizon," he recalls. "We had vague feelings that we ought to be better for our environment, but we did not have much guidance." Fast forward 20 years, and his role has evolved into a critical part of shaping the company's policies and future strategy. Here are key insights from our conversation, covering emerging trends in the hospitality industry and eco-conscious initiatives in India.

What are the trends in sustainability that you feel will dominate in the future?

Shorter hauls and longer stays are going to become inevitable as we all seek to maximise our carbon efficiency. Locally-produced food will become a focus as people question whether we really need Norwegian-farmed salmon at every breakfast buffet. Other changes will be technological. Guests may not notice except for perhaps apps that give them greater control over things like room air conditioning. These changes will signify introducing systems that save energy without impacting comfort. Behind the scenes, we are working very hard on energy efficiency, energy recycling technology, green building and even energy generation through solar and biogas.

Which is your favourite Minor Hotels property and why?