Industry collaboration provides free tool to measure hotel water footprints

Water scarcity is one of the biggest challenges of our century. Water quantity and quality are both under threat. The hotel and tourism industry have via joined actions developed a tool that can be of help in this challenge. 

The Hotel Water Measurement Initiative (HWMI) is a free methodology and calculation tool that enables any hotel anywhere in the world to measure and report on its water use for guest stays, meetings and events. It provides a consistent measurement of hotel water footprints for corporate travel buyers and complements the very successful Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative which is used by over 24,000 hotels worldwide.

The HWMI demonstrates how competing companies can come together to overcome common water challenges and drive responsible business practices forward in the tourism sector.

The HWMI methodology was developed by a working group of 18 global hotel companies facilitated by the International Tourism Partnership (ITP) with technical support from KPMG and input from a panel of global water experts.

Green Key Sweden attended the launch of the HWMI which was held in connection with the Stockholm Water Week on 30th August.

The HWMI tool will soon also be available to Green Key establishments on the Green Key website, made possible via funding from Radisson Hotel Group.