Sustainability Stories: Balancing People, Planet and Profits

The beach view, the coral diving experience, the fresh seafood menu, the sunset terrace — across the MENA coastal belt, the ocean is what drives room rates and repeat bookings. And yet ocean health rarely makes it onto a hotel's sustainability agenda. For this World Oceans Day episode — and the 50th episode of Season 1 — Radhika is joined by Tatiana Antonelli Abella , founder of Goumbook and the f...

Ram Prabhu doesn't run a sustainability department. He runs the building. As Multi-Property Director of Engineering at Marriott Hotel Downtown Abu Dhabi. he's the one deciding which capex projects live or die — and his team just won GITB 2025, ranking #1 globally across 8,000+ Marriott properties. We talk chiller bases vs heat pumps, why he only gets 7 out of 10 approvals, and what ESCOs l...

"Whatever was sustainable yesterday may not be sustainable tomorrow." Definitions evolve, standards rise, and what counted as responsible travel five years ago may not hold up today. Regenerative tourism — the idea that hospitality and travel should give back more than it takes — is where that conversation is heading next. Host Radhika Arapally is joined by Martin Baeuerle , founder of Sustainabil...

“At the bottom of the mountain, you’re looking up at a huge number of hotels — you’ve got to start. And in order to do that, you’ve got to understand all the levers you’ve got to pull.” Decarbonising a hotel is one thing. Decarbonising nearly a thousand of them, across different sizes, ages, and building types, while keeping guests happy, investors informed, and a small internal team motivated, is...

💧 Water is everywhere in a hotel. From guest showers and laundry operations to kitchens, swimming pools, and landscaped gardens, water touches every part of daily operations. But with rising water scarcity and growing concerns around water quality, hotels are now looking beyond how much water they use to how and where it flows across their properties. Abu Dhabi, UAE is recognised as a  high-risk...

Host, Radhika Arapally⁠ had the pleasure of reconnecting with Raquel Noboa , Founder & CEO of Fifty Shades Greener - a sustainability-focused company offering green skills training, certification, and consulting. Raquel's insights remind us that sustainability is about people, action, and values . Lessons to carry forward: ❇️Meet people where they are: Understand their motivators and meet...

In this episode from the 2025 Responsible Hoteliers Summit , Tiffany McGrath hosts Frauke Aoun , General Manager at Affini Tribute Portfolio Residence by Marriott , to explore what authenticity in hotel teams truly means: ✔️ Building trust and transparency amongst hotel teams ✔️ Creating a shared purpose when it comes to turning hotel operations more sustainable ✔️Giving teams a voice in sustainab...

In our latest conversation at Responsible Hoteliers Summit 2025 , Tiffany McGrath sat down with Monica Tofilis , Senior Manager - Business Solutions at Intertek Cristal , to explore how assurance and standards can drive genuine, organisation-wide change in hospitality. Monica reminded us that: ✔️ Sustainability starts at the top , with leaders driving team empowerment, green investments, and train...

🌿"We are not looking for perfect. Being sustainable is a long process and it can't happen overnight." Sustainability Kiosk's Tiffany McGrath sat down at the Responsible Hoteliers Summit 2025 with Francesca Bennardo from Sustainability Hive , a Green Key national operator for Qatar, to talk all things Green Key certification for hotels. Francesca walked us through the certification process and exp...

Welcome to Sustainability Stories podcast! In this episode, host  ⁠Radhika Arapally⁠ and Naureen Ahmed discuss the role of women in hospitality! Naureen is the founder of Inspiring Women in Hospitality, a global platform dedicated to women in the hospitality industry. Naureen started Inspiring Women in Hospitality to encourage women , at all levels and roles in the industry to engage in meaningful...

In this episode of Sustainability Stories, host Radhika Arapally sits down with Mark Swinton , General Manager of Capella Ubud, Bali . They discuss how conservation and wellness are deeply rooted in the hotel and play a big part in the hotel's ethos. Nestled among the trees and discreetly hidden from view, Capella Ubud captivates the imagination of those seeking a truly unique experience with one-...

In this episode of Sustainability Stories , host Radhika Arapally sits down with Manish Jha, General Manager of NH Collection Dubai The Palm, to uncover how the hotel has rapidly accelerated its sustainability journey since opening in February 2023. From earning Green Growth 2050 Platinum Certification to winning Sustainable Hotel of the Year, NH Collection Dubai has set a new benchmark in sustain...

Listen to Kempinski Seychelles' eco-friendly initiatives, from renewable energy to waste reduction, preserving the pristine beauty of the Seychelles Islands - a conversation with Sustainability Champions - Oliver Kuhn together with Akram Alshabini & Ajay Joseph.  In this episode of the Sustainability Stories podcast, we dive into the heart of the Indian Ocean to explore the sustainable practic...

In our first interview with a CEO, Mr. Kamran Birjees Khan kindly joined us in the studio to share his beginnings in Al-Futtaim, his illustrious career with Panasonic, and how he built Nia Limited into the family-like business that it is today. Spanning from the business landscape of the UAE in the 1990's to the impact Japanese corporate culture has had on his ethos as a leader, Mr. Khan is full o...

Keen to know how a hotel in the Middle East is making both environmental and social impact through its sustainability initiatives? Then tune into this episode where we speak with Kempinski Area General Manager Levant and KSA Sebastien Mariette , a seasoned hospitality professional with years of experience in the Middle East and beyond. Host Radhika Arappally and Sebastien cover a lot in 30 minutes...

Imagine walking into a lush garden with bespoke architectural features peeking through the foliage and diffused natural light streaming overhead. Except, this garden is actually in the lobby of a grand hotel. In this episode, we talk to Phil Smith , the General Manager at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, Singapore , the country's first garden-in-a-hotel. We discuss the various sustainability i...

How can hotels effectively balance guest luxury with meaningful sustainability practices? In this episode of the Sustainability Stories Podcast , host Radhika Arapally explores this intriguing question with Jacqueline Kneebone , Head of Sustainability and Wellness at Lore Group . Jacqueline shares her journey into sustainability, emphasizing the intertwined nature of wellness and sustainability an...

Sustainability Stories Podcast: Green Collection with Global Hotel Alliance How are global hotel chains embracing sustainability and community support? In this episode, we speak with Jelena Kezika , Global Director Strategy, Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), about their Green Collection initiative on the one-year anniversary since launch. The Green Collection is a group of 200 hotels within the GHA Dis...

The two-part episode is with ⁠John Roberts⁠ , Group Director of Sustainability & Conservation at Minor Hotels. John is a visionary leader with over two decades of experience, overlooking the 500 hotels in the field of sustainability. Under his leadership, Minor Hotels, which includes Anantara, Avani, NH Collection, Oaks, nhow, Tivoli and Elewana hotels has achieved significant milestones, incl...

The two-part episode is with John Roberts , Group Director of Sustainability & Conservation at Minor Hotels. John is a visionary leader with over two decades of experience, overlooking the 500 hotels in the field of Sustainability and Conservation of hotels. Under his leadership, Minor Hotels, which includes Anantara, Avani, NH Collection, Oaks, nhow, Tivoli and Elewana hotels has achieved sig...

Welcome back to Sustainability Stories Podcast   The 30th episode is with Mr. K. S. Srinivas, Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Principal Secretary of The Department of Kerala Tourism. This meeting is during a brief encounter with him during United Nations World Trade Organization (UNWTO event) at Abu Dhabi. Kerala, a state in south India, is named as one of the ten paradises of the world by Na...

Join us on Sustainability Stories as we delve into the growing world of green jobs with Professor Tadhg O'Donovan, Deputy Vice Principal and Head of School of Engineering & Physical Sciences at Heriot-Watt University. Professor O'Donovan, who also leads the Scottish Institute for Solar Energy Research (SISER) and serves as Honorary Education Secretary for the Energy Institute in the Mi...

In this episode, we delve into the murky waters of sustainability claims in the hospitality industry. Radhika Arapally hosts Wayne Mckinnon , CEO of Green Growth 2050 certification , to dissect the authenticity of hotel eco-initiatives through certification. They explore: Why certifications matter:  Unmask the crucial role certifications play in separating genuine green efforts from mere marketing...

In today's episode, we have a special guest, ⁠Danielle Curtis⁠ , Exhibition Director of ⁠Arabian Travel Market (ATM)⁠ one of the leading travel and tourism events in the Middle East. With an average attendance of 40,000, ATM has established itself as a prominent platform in the region. In this episode, we delve into the theme of "Working Towards Net Zero" and explore how Arabian Trav...

My GREEN BUTLER⁠ , founded by ⁠Christopher Warren⁠ is a holistic software solution that guides employees and guests to achieve big savings at a fraction of the cost of expensive capital investments. Christopher completed his PhD in Innovation for Sustainable Tourist Accommodation from Griffith University and developed My Green Butler to address a personal pain point he reached with his accommodati...