ISAAP set to launch sustainability standard

In response to corporate client demand, the International Serviced Accommodation Accreditation Process (ISAAP) has developed a new sustainability standard for operators and providers of serviced accommodation.

The SP Sustain Accreditation has been in development for the last 18 months and will enable participating organisations to assess their environmental and sustainability credentials through expert partner, travel and sustainability consultants Sanderson Phillips.

A human approach

To apply for the accreditation, serviced accommodation providers must fill in a checklist online to identify any gaps in their sustainability criteria and then return when they are ready to undergo the assessment process.

ISAAP’s rigorous process involves 50 sections across four main groups. Where relevant, supplementary evidence must also be provided.

“It is a collaborative process and certification comes at the end”, said David Atkin, managing director, Sanderson Phillips. “We are happy to offer resources and tools to serviced accommodation providers, so they can go and work out what it is they need to do to get there. It is a very human approach.”

A sustainable future for serviced apartments

ISAAP’s new sustainability standard came off the back of a survey conducted in association with The Apartment Network over the last year. The survey questioned providers on their sustainability activities as ISAAP sought to collect and interpret data to provide a snapshot of serviced accommodation providers’ approach to sustainability and environmental issues.

The results revealed 57 percent of serviced accommodation providers have a sustainability or environmental policy in place. More than 60 percent said they take part in practices to check their carbon impact, while 16 percent currently measure their carbon footprint.

Of those who did not measure their carbon footprint, 46 percent said they carried out other practices to reduce their environmental impact, such as recycling, LED/low-voltage lighting, monthly utilities’ usage reviews, staff sustainability training, fitting of automatic lighting and smart metres, and the introduction of electric/hybrid vehicles. 90 percent also said they hoped to make such activities company policy by the end of 2023.

ISAAP’s managing director Stephen Martin said: “Now we have this survey as a benchmark we can gauge how sustainability is moving forward for companies. The survey results show that lots of positive actions are being carried out to reduce environmental impact already but, perhaps more importantly, such a large proportion of survey participants are planning to implement a company policy by year’s end, suggesting increased awareness and action around environmental care. ISAAP’s latest accreditation now gives these companies the opportunity to showcase their credentials through an independent externally administered assessment and certification process.”

The sustainability standard is checked annually, as with all ISAAP products, but there is also a three-year cycle with yearly “health checks” to sustain momentum.

To find out more, visit www.isaap.org