Sustainability Beyond the Manager: Engaging Your Entire Team
How can sustainability evolve from a series of isolated efforts into a unified mission championed by every member of your team?
This question was at the heart of our recent webinar, where Dimitri Syrris, Founder & CEO of Baotree, and I explored how to transform sustainability into an inclusive, shared responsibility within hospitality operations.
We discussed why this approach is more critical than ever for the hospitality and travel sector and shared actionable insights, compelling examples, and innovative tools to help professionals create a team-driven sustainability roadmap.
Photo by Discovery Coron
Why Team Engagement in Sustainability Matters
According to Great Place to Work statistics we shared during the session, 67% of job seekers prioritize companies with strong environmental commitments. The tie between purpose and productivity is just as significant, with employees being 4 times more likely to excel, 11 times more likely to stay, and 14 times more likely to feel fulfilled at work when they believe their jobs make a meaningful impact.
For the hospitality and travel industry, these numbers offer a critical insight. Sustainability has practical implications beyond an eco-marketing angle. It’s a driver for workforce retention, operational efficiency, and long-term business growth—all of which require buy-in at every level of the team.
Dimitri observed that these trends are especially evident among millennials, who now lead both the workforce and customer base. "The next generation is defined by conscious living and traveling. If today’s hospitality and tourism industries aren’t building with the mindfulness of this incoming generation, they risk missing out.
Screenshot from Rhea Vitto Tabora’s presentation
Breaking the Siloed Approach to Sustainability
All too often, sustainability initiatives fail because they are confined to one department. Picture this scenario in hospitality operations—marketing departments broadcast eco-credentials online, but behind the scenes, the food and beverage team still uses single-use plastics, while maintenance relies on outdated energy systems. This lack of alignment creates inefficiencies and suggests greenwashing.
Without cross-department collaboration and alignment, even the most ambitious sustainability goals can stall. “Sustainability, after all, is a team effort," as I highlighted during the webinar. "We must break down these silos and come together to achieve shared goals.”
Screenshot from Rhea Vitto Tabora’s presentation
Dimitri expanded on this idea, highlighting the importance of building trust and decentralizing purpose. “Sustainability must be everyone’s business,” he explained. “By giving team members across all departments—from housekeeping to food and beverage—a sense of meaning beyond their immediate tasks, we create a shared mission that unites the entire operation.”
He compared sustainability to making the perfect dish: “Every team member matters, just like every ingredient matters in a recipe. From the chef to the dishwasher, everyone contributes to the final result.” This analogy emphasizes the importance of inclusivity in sustainability efforts.
Screenshots from Dimitri Syrris’s presentation
How Discovery Coron Turned Sustainability into a Team Effort
One of the case studies we examined in the webinar was Discovery Coron in the Philippines. Their EcoConserve Program, initiated in 2016 with just four committees, has since evolved into a full framework where sustainability is integrated into every aspect of the resort's operations.
Employees are encouraged to join one of the following committees based on their interests, ensuring strong personal buy-in for each initiative. This approach demonstrates that sustainability thrives when championed by cross-departmental teams with clear, actionable goals.
GARMA (Garbage Management): Leads waste segregation efforts, eliminates single-use plastics, and champions upcycling. From turning old wine bottles into water containers to using scrap tires for hiking trails, their innovative solutions give waste management a creative twist.
Sea Guardians: Leads marine conservation programs like coral planting and biodiversity monitoring in partnership with local government units and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for data collection on turtles and endangered species. They are also investing more in reef protection and mangrove restoration.
Green Thumb is more than just greening the space. Their “Taranuman” organic farm composts kitchen scraps, reduces food miles, and provides fresh produce for farm-to-table dining experiences.
FEW Champs (Fuel, Energy, and Water): Responsible for fuel, energy, and water-saving initiatives. Real-time dashboards allow the team to track key metrics, cut inefficiencies, and make smart, eco-conscious operational decisions.
Screenshot from Rhea Vitto Tabora’s presentation
Their newest initiative, “Waves for Change,” reflects a purpose-driven approach to empowering communities. Programs include:
Biik Program: The resort provides piglets to employees to raise using leftover food waste from the property. Once the pigs are fully grown, the resort buys the pigs back at market value for pork, creating a closed-loop system that reduces waste and supports employee income.
Bili ng Ani: Employees sell local produce to the resort.
Happy Sweepers: Employs indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and undergraduates on a seasonal basis to support their Housekeeping Team in maintaining the cleanliness of the resort grounds.
Happy Weavers: Supports women-led businesses by selling handmade crafts as souvenirs at the resort.
What makes Discovery Coron’s story inspiring is its use of KPIs. These KPIs allow the committees to measure and communicate sustainability successes, ensuring every team member understands their role in achieving eco-conscious goals.
Clockwise from top left: Green Thumb, Sea Guardians, Happy Sweepers, Happy Weavers (Photos by Discovery Coron)
Training-Focused Sustainability
Another case study we explored was PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay’s multi-faceted approach. Their strategy revolves around training, gamification, and recognition.
Comprehensive training: Sustainability training is integrated into its 60-day orientation program, ensuring new hires connect their duties to eco-conscious objectives and are equipped to contribute from the get-go. Employees learn not only about reducing waste and carbon emissions but also preserving heritage and community involvement.
Gamification: To engage employees, the hotel organizes “sustainability races” where associates compete to identify cultural sites around the property, transforming knowledge into memorable experiences.
Recognition: It’s not just about the work—it’s about celebrating it. Events such as local fruit festivals ensure employees feel acknowledged for their efforts, reinforcing a sense of pride in their roles.
This structured and creative execution ensures long-term employee buy-in while helping the hotel maintain sustainability certifications.
Screenshot from Rhea Vitto Tabora’s presentation
Linking Sustainability to Technology
Another example of collective impact was shared by Dimitri, detailing his collaboration with African Bush Camps and their Sustainability & Impact Officer, Numbuso Ngubane. Managing sustainability across 16 camps spanning three countries (Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia), Numbuso leveraged technology through Baotree’s centralized platform to reconcile the challenges of fragmented data.
“Team members at each location contributed localized metrics on waste, water, and conservation efforts into the Baotree app,” Dimitri explained, “allowing Numbuso to access live dashboards while working remotely from Cape Town.”
This streamlined structure not only empowered staff ownership but also provided clear visibility into how individual contributions rolled up to community-wide conservation goals.
Dimitri added, “Every employee, regardless of their role, loves to see their impact. Recognition and accessibility are key drivers toward systemic change.”
Screenshots from Dimitri Syrris’s presentation
Actionable Steps to Engage Your Team
We shared several concrete steps to help travel and hospitality professionals engage their teams in sustainability. Here are some highlights that you can implement and customize for your property.
1. Prioritize internal alignment first.
Make sure your internal teams are aligned and on board before launching any external communications or public campaigns about your sustainability initiatives.
Start with purpose-driven training that ties sustainability to your company’s mission and values, so every employee understands the “why” behind your actions.
Use leadership communication to emphasize the importance of sustainability as a shared mission. For example, host regular company-wide meetings to share updates and celebrate progress.
When teams are united in purpose and knowledge, your external messaging will not only be more authentic but also more effective, consistent, and inspiring.
2. Collaborate and innovate.
Bridging departmental gaps is important for effective sustainability efforts.
Form committees with representatives from every department to ensure perspectives across functions are included.
Assign each committee specific responsibilities aligned with the property’s sustainability goals.
Use committee meetings to exchange ideas, monitor progress, and refine strategies based on team feedback.
Establish clear KPIs, such as monthly waste diversion rates or energy usage reductions, to track progress and maintain accountability.
This approach promotes shared ownership and ensures every department plays a role in achieving sustainability goals.
3. Gamify learning.
Gamification not only educates but also builds camaraderie among team members.
Organize property-wide challenges to make sustainability fun and engaging. For example, create a competition to see which department can reduce energy usage the most over a month.
Incorporate interactive elements like quizzes or scavenger hunts focused on eco-friendly practices. These activities not only educate but also build camaraderie among team members.
These activities transform learning into an enjoyable experience, making sustainability a natural part of daily operations.
4. Use purpose-built tools to simplify and track efforts.
Technology plays an essential role in uniting teams and simplifying sustainability tracking. Centralized platforms like Baotree provide intuitive tools for collecting and analyzing sustainability data across departments.
What you can do:
Adopt technology solutions tailored to your property’s needs.
Train employees on how to use these tools to input data consistently and accurately.
Use dashboards to track progress and share achievements across the team to sustain motivation.
5. Tailor job descriptions for sustainability integration.
Embedding sustainability into employees’ roles drives ownership and accountability. Modify job descriptions incrementally to include eco-conscious responsibilities relevant to each role.
Examples to consider:
For housekeeping roles, incorporate water conservation practices or proper waste segregation as part of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Train front-of-house staff to share your property’s sustainability story with guests when highlighting eco-focused amenities like refillable glass water bottles or locally sourced cuisine.
This gradual integration helps employees see their contributions as part of a broader recognition system.
Dimitri emphasized during the webinar, “Employees feel valued when sustainability is made tangible, tied to achievable targets, and linked to a sense of purpose.”
6. Recognize and motivate teams.
Recognition is a powerful motivator. Rewarding individual and team achievements helps foster a culture where employees take pride in contributing to sustainability goals.
What you can implement:
Create a recognition program that highlights both team and individual milestones.
Organize celebratory events linked to achievements, like a farm-to-table lunch where staff can enjoy locally grown produce as a reward for meeting waste reduction targets.
Incorporate sustainability into performance reviews and career development discussions, showing employees how their efforts directly impact the property’s success.
Aligning Individual Efforts with Collective Impact
Dimitri encapsulated this beautifully:
“Our natural world inspires Baotree. Most mammal species coexist within a herd to increase their survival rate when working together. At Baotree, we believe in helping teams (herds) collaborate with the right tools to ensure sustainability efforts improve when everyone participates. When teams feel part of a bigger purpose, the collaboration drives completely new levels of engagement and shared success.”
People are naturally drawn to missions and movements they can relate to. Show your employees how their work contributes to real-world results—such as lower energy bills, cleaner beaches, or healthier ecosystems—and turn sustainability from a duty into a shared source of pride.
Photos by Dimitri Syrris
