We speak with the COO of Meliá Hotels International - André P. Gerondeau on all things sustainability in the hospitality sector and adapting to the post-COVID world.

Meliá Hotels International was once again recognised as a leader in sustainability in the hotel industry by The S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA). What does this recognition mean for the group?

In 2019 and 2020, Meliá ranked first in the global hotel industry, and in 2021 it maintains its leadership in Europe and Spain and is the second-best worldwide. In particular, the company leads the world in the Governance and Economic dimension, once again achieving the top score among all the companies evaluated in terms of Climate Strategy.

We are very proud that Meliá is the brand that is leading the transformation towards a new sustainable and responsible hospitality model, thus increasing the contribution of the industry to society and helping protect the planet. It is also relevant for our Corporate reputation, as we think that being seen as a benchmark for sustainability in the world is getting more and more important for travellers and other stakeholders.

Tell us more about the steps that Meliá Hotels International is taking to drive sustainability?

Our “corporate purpose” says: “towards a sustainable future, from responsible tourism”, and I can proudly say that we are strongly focused on the three dimensions of sustainability (ESG): Environmental, Social and Governance; specifically, the S&P’s Global ranking acknowledges our company’s best practices in fields such as climate strategy (including decarbonisation and circular economy) and  Social and Governance,  for the improvements on human capital and the promotion of diversity, equality and inclusion, and the transparency, rigour and ESG risk management.

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