Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies & Management 9 (2): 235 – 244, 2016. ISSN:1998-0507 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ejesm.v9i2.11 Submitted: December 16, 2015 Accepted: April 08, 2016

ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL RESPONSIBLE PRACTICES OF HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY: THE CASE OF FIRST LEVEL HOTELS AND LODGES IN CITY,

TESFAYE FENTAW Bule Hora University, Ethiopia Email: [email protected]

Abstract As a means of sustainability achievement and balanced assessment of positive and negative impact of tourism and hospitality industry, taking responsibility towards the silent stakeholder (environment) emerged as a new phenomenon in the late 1980s. The main concern of this paper is to identify the environmental responsible practices of the hospitality industry in the special focus of first level hotels and lodges in Gondar city, Ethiopia. All the ten first level hotels and lodges were used as research target areas. Data for the study was obtained from the hotel employees (through questionnaire) and from the managers (through semi-structured interview). The study found that, the hotels and lodges engaged more in saving water activity in all area, management of waste and Conserve energy/example light usage, use of energy efficient equipments. Relatively, they engaged in the less extent level in the issues of involving in environmental issues in the city and giving environmental information on its services and activities to the stakeholders. In addition to these the establishments involve in specific internal environmental practices like reusing, design of the construction for compatible waste and water saving and FIFO(First In First Out) and externally, sponsoring environmental concerned nongovernmental and governmental organization practices. Very few establishments practice the environmental concerned guideline of HACCAP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point). Based on the finding of the study, the researcher recommend scholarly recommendations including the establishments engage more in the external environmental practices besides the internal environmental good practices.

Key Words: Environment, Social Responsibility, Hotels and Lodges, Sustainability, Gondar

Introduction sustainable tourism (Economic, social and Globally tourism is a major economic environmental areas) it has also an adverse sector with increasing growth potential negative impact on them unless we take (World Tourism Organization report, responsibility (Swarebrook, 1999) 2013). According to United Nation World Under the tourism industry hospitality Tourism Organization (UNWTO) report of sector is also multibillion-dollar industry, 2014 the number of international tourist’s serving millions of people globally, and is arrival reached in 1.14 billion. Besides its expected to grow significantly within the positive impact on the three pillars of next few years (Mattera and Melgarejo, 235

Environmental Social R esponsible Practices of Hospitality Industry ...... TESFAYE FENTAW

2012). The global hotel industry is formed social and environmental concern in their by various types of lodging structures and business operation and in their interaction accommodation services from luxury with their stakeholders on a voluntarily hotels to bed and breakfast operations, basis. Being socially responsible means not inns. These establishments may be owned only meet legal obligations to which no and/or managed by independent operators, doubt every enterprise has to meet, but go multinational chains, insurance companies, beyond this performance by investing on pension funds, governments and other human capital, environment and caring investors. These businesses have relationships with agents of interest considerable impact on social, economic, (Commission of the European and environmental conditions around every Communities, 2002). While the destination in the world, and enterprises in government provide a regulatory frame this sector had the potential to substantially work governing issues such as contribute to sustainable development environmental protection/law, employment (International Labor Organization, 2010). right, fair operating practices; however SR Responsible tourism and Social goes beyond the compliance of these Responsibility are not longer a luxury but a legislative issues and create a shared value necessity in the global marketplace in collaboration with all stakeholders. (Menente, 2013). The concept of When creating a tourism product, hotel responsible tourism and sustainability push companies should be environmentally the hotel industry to be socially responsible sensitive, have a deeper sense for the concept and development. Thus, social community, and respect their culture. responsibility gains a considerable (Golja and Niži ć, 2010). business strategy in the world. Most of the The long-term success of tourism time social responsibility term used as companies depends on the ability to corporate Social Responsibility whiles the address the needs of those affected by the term associated with the large company operations of a tourism company. To but, there is a notion that the concept is the alleviate poverty, to guide the tourism and practice of all business enterprises not only hospitality in the sustainable way the large multinational companies practicing social responsibility practices is applicable business concept (Visser, 2010). play one of the wing of sustainable tourism For this matter the researcher wants to development(Marinela and Nižic, 2010; prefer to use the word social responsibility Forsyth, 1997; Kasim and Scarlat, 2007). throughout this paper. Rodriguez and Cruz (2007) shows the Taking responsibility towards the hotel industry use of SR in its corporate environment related with the concept of strategy and daily practice is imperative sustainability movement emerged in the due to symbiotic nature of its relationship late 1980s and 1990s in tourism industry with the surrounding natural, economical, (Swarbrook, 1999). Social responsibility social and cultural environment. forum of Taiwan define SR as open and Social responsibility and the transparent business practice that are based environment are interrelated. This is on ethical values and respect for because; human beings do not only employees, communities and the assimilate with their surroundings but environment. Social responsibility (SR) is actively adjust them according to their a concept where by a company’s integrate needs (Polasek, 2010). They interact with 236

Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies and Management Vol. 9 no.2 2016 their environment and live together. The objective of this study is describe the responsibility towards this ‘silent’/ ‘mute’ environmental practices of the first level stakeholder (environment) is imperative hotels and lodges in Gondar city. (Capron, as cited in Branco and Rodriguez). Traditionally the responsible Research Methodology body for the environment is the The researcher followed a descriptive government sector thought regulation and type of research. This descriptive type of creating a healthy environment. But the research was studied in cross sectional problem of environmental change because the information was collected increased in alarming rate the private from the sample only once (Kothri, 2004). business sector involved and the public Study Area Description sector also call the business sector to take Geographically, Gondar city is located responsibility for the environmental in Semein Gondar Zone of . conservation. This paradigm shift from the It has a latitude and longitude of government responsibility to partnership 12°36 ′N 37°28 ′E with an elevation of 2200 responsibility over the environment meters above sea level (Amhara culture, reached in the highest level due to the tourism and park development bureau, emergence of sustainable development in 2011). 1970s (Ryan and Page, 2000; Swarbrooke, The climatic feature of Gondar city lies 1999; Wahab and Pigram, 2005; Polasek, on the subtropical high land region and the 2010). average temperature varies from 22 degree Since the concept of SR practice is new centigrade up to 29.5 degree centigrade. in business sector especially in the hotel Gondar city get a rain fall during summer industry (Kasim and Scarlat, 2007; from June to September. Topographically, Bohdanowicz and Zientara, 2008; the city is rugged plateau of ups and down. Velentzas and Bron, 2010), it is not Agriculture is one of the dominant considered as a large company and lacked economic sectors in Gondar town. The an extensive research works (Golja and main crops are barley, teff, wheat, maize Niži ć, 2010). But it has a good position to beans and potato. The main livestock are practice socially responsible whatever the sheep, cow, oxen, goat, hen, beehive and sizes it has (Garay and Font, 2011). equines. Trade is the other major economic As indicated earlier the modern hotel activity in Gondar. Both wholesale and industry in Ethiopia increased in an retail businesses are a huge part of the alarming rate. In Gondar city the history of economy. There are also small-scale modern sense of hotel industry emerged enterprises that are part of the during the Italian occupation. The first entrepreneurship efforts. The small-scale hotels in Gondar city were Ethiopia hotel, enterprises are categorized as food Goha hotel, Fogera hotel, Terara hotel and production, urban agriculture, and textile, Qwara hotel (Sewunet, 2013). According building construction, wood and to Gondar city administration culture metalwork service trade and handicraft tourism office there are 32 first, second ( Culture and Tourism and third level hotels. Therefore, the major Department, 2009) .

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Environmental Social Responsible Practices of Hospitality Industry ...... TESFAYE FENTAW

Figure 1: Gondar City map

Sample Size Determination and Sampling level hotels and lodges. For the Technique questionnaire method of data collection In Gondar city there are ten (10) first (from the employees), the samples were level hotels and lodges (the level and the selected first by the purposive judgment of list of hotels taken from Gondar city the researcher by considering their years of culture and tourism office in 2015). The services, those who serve in the researcher surveys all the ten (10) first hotel/lodge more than one year are 238

Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies and Management Vol. 9 no.2 2016 included in this research. The researcher chance of selection to avoid sampling bias believes those who did not serve the problem by using simple random sampling hotel/lodge less than a year may not able to method (to select the permanent employees observe the whole practices of the of the hotels as a sample who serves the hotel/lodge. The employees who were hotel more than one year). Thirty per cent involved in this research are the permanent of the employees with more than one year employees. The researcher gives equal work experience were sampled.

Table 1 number of hotel/ lodge and the respective sampled numbers of respondents No. Hotels/ Lodges Name Employees number, who serve Samples (30% or more than 1 year 3/10 1 AG Hotel 38 10 2 Florida International Hotel 79 22 3 Goha Hotel 71 19 4 Jantekel Hotel 39 11 5 Kino Hotel 21 7 6 Landmark International Hotel 41 12 7 Milyko Lodge 16 5 8 Mintwab Lodge 16 5 9 Quara Hotel 83 23 10 Taye Hotel 71 19 Total Ten 473 133

Method of Data Collection interview rather they prefer the written Mixed research paradigms help to form of interview. Therefore, based on make the data collection and analysis more their preference the researcher gives a accurate and the inference more useful written questionnaire for the 2 managers. because they can represent a plurality of interests, voices and perspectives (Patton, Result and Discussion 2002). The data for this study was Environmental Social Responsible collected from both primary and secondary Practices of First Level Hotels/Lodges in sources of data. The secondary sources of Gondar City data were collected from published and As shown in Table 2 the respondents unpublished sources. indicated that their hotel/lodge practiced Primary data were collected through saving water activities in all areas of day to the administered structured questionnaires day activities (mean value = 4.02; SD = and interview. The administered 1.01) and in the management of wastes questionnaires distributed to the employees (mean value = 3.99; SD =1.09) in the of the hotels and lodges. Semi structured highest level of engagement areas of SR. it interview was conducted with the is clear from Table 2 that the most managers of the hotels/lodges in order to commonly practiced SR practice of the understand the in-depth environmental hotels and lodges was water saving social responsible practices of the practice with 81.1 % (Frequency = 99) of establishments. For this research the the respondents agreed. Equally, for the researcher approached all the managers but statement of ‘waste management’ example 2 managers were failed for face to face in the composing of kitchen waste, the 239

Environmental Social Responsible Practices of Hospitality Industry ...... TESFAYE FENTAW majority (77.8 % Frequency = 95) of the major common practical areas of respondents are agreed for the statement. environmental related SR practices with Energy conservation appears to be another high mean value in seven point Likert common environmental practice with 65.1 scale measurement in Klang valley, % (Frequency = 80) of the respondents Malaysia in hotel industry. Similarly was agreed. The result of this research also Efiong et al . (2013) found that the hotels in related with other studies. Sweeney (2009), Nigeria case study achieved high found that waste minimization, water performance in the environmental sector of saving and energy conservation were SR. Alzboun (2015) also found that the common practices of the firms surveyed in Jordanian hotels greatly (63 %) involved in Ireland. Similarly, Kasimu et al . (2012) specific water saving practice in their found that energy management, waste operation. management and water conservation through different mechanism was the

Table 2: Environmental related SR practices mean and SD of each items and percentage and frequency value for each scale Items Mean SD 1 2 3 4 5 Total % & % & % & % & % & % & Freq Freq Freq Freq Freq Freq Conserve energy / example light 3.58 1.17 8.2 % 11.5% 14.8% 45.1% 20.0% 100% usage, use of energy efficient 10 14 18 55 25 122 equipments Management of waste (example: 3.99 1.09 3.3% 10.7% 8.2% 39.3% 38.5% 100% composing of kitchen waste) 4 13 10 48 47 122 Involve in environmental issues 3.39 1.16 8.2% 13.9% 26.2% 34.4% 17.2% 100% in the city. Example greening 10 17 32 42 21 122 program Give environmental information 3.40 1.12 5.7% 15.6% 29.5% 31.1% 18.0% 100% on its services and activities to 7 19 36 38 22 122 the stakeholders Saving water activity in all 4.02 1.01 3.3% 7.4% 8.2% 46.7% 34.4% 100% areas is practiced (example: low 4 9 10 57 42 122 water volume toilets) Grand Mean 3.67 Note: 1=strongly disagree 2=disagree 3=unsure 4=agree 5=strongly agree

In order to satisfy the customers and to minimization and customer health and decrease the environmental impact of the safety issue. establishments only one hotel complied For the issue of using of power saving with the international guideline of light bulbs all the interviewed managers HACCAP (Hazard Analysis Critical are indicated that their hotels/ lodges use Control Point). This technique is a well power saving fluorescents light bulbs in known international guide line for waste their establishment. In terms of their implementation of the usage of the power

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Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies and Management Vol. 9 no.2 2016 saver fluorescent light bulbs the majority importance of practicing SR in the (6 hotels/ lodges) 100 % install this new business it is better to engage more in technology to save the power. Some of energy conservation and other them also install 80 % or 75 % and they environmental issues unless it can not have a plan to replace the old and affect the profit margin and performance. traditional light bulbs to reach in 100% Besides the internal environmental implementation. In connection to this some practices, the establishments involve in hotels also use technologically advanced some extent level but not great as power saver electronics card key. As one compared with the internal environmental manager told me for the importance of this practices. In percentage explanation more electronic card key “when the customers than half of the respondents are agreed for not in the room automatically with in 20 the question; the hotels/ lodges involved in second all lights and televisions and any environmental issues in the city (Table 2). other opened equipments are closed/ The hotel/lodge managers explained switched off/ shuts off”. that their establishments not greatly Basically, it is not surprising the hotels involved in external environmental and lodges are involved in high level in conservation program. The external energy management, water saving and environmental practices of the waste reduction practices since, these hotels/lodges that pointed out by the issues are economical (through cutting of managers are supporting environmental costs), as a common means of interaction oriented programs that organized by NGOs with other stakeholders and related with and environmentalists indirectly, greening the safety and security of the employees, programming. In connected to this one the customers, and the major challenges manager explained that “our business is that expressed by the interviewees to their depend on the environmental purity of the social responsibility way. The majority of surrounding…besides our waste previous researches indicated that management and saving program internally engaging in water saving, waste we support the city municipal for its management and energy conservation environmental program and we plant trees practices reduce cost and economical, not in our surrounding by organizing our only contribute for the environment but employees and co-workers from the city” . also to the organization too. Several To sum up the finding of this research studies have indicated that economic work, the researcher listed out some of the benefits can be achieved in hotels through best environmental best practices of the implementing environmental and social establishments. Construction design of the initiatives; many with little or no capital. hotels/lodges, water saving activities, using As Brooks (2013) indicated that “a power saving light equipments, waste hotel can reduce its energy consumption by minimization(including avoid over 20-40% without adversely affecting purchasing and overstocking, by obtaining performance.”As found by Kasim (2009); feedback from the guests on their Green practices save money, attract new preference forecast guests food demand, customers, and help to preserve the natural properly manage food while serve buffet, environment which much of the tourism educating the staff, adopt First In First Out industry is dependent upon. Thus, by (FIFO) for food storage used to minimize understanding this cost and other the waste), reusing, awareness raising 241

Environmental Social Responsible Practices of Hospitality Industry ...... TESFAYE FENTAW program to the internal Gondar city organizational culture for stakeholders/employees and customers, sustainable environmental program. modernized power saving light bulbs are  Besides their internal environmental the most dominate best practices in the social responsibility (water saving, hotels an lodges in the city. .As a general waste management, energy involvement; the first level hotels/ lodges management, awareness creation in the city involved in environmental program to the employees and related SR activities with a grand mean customers in relate to environment …) value 3.67 and in a detail explanation from practices it is better for establishments interview in a good condition. It shows that and the environment as well engage in the establishments are involved in the external environmental conservation environmental concern in good manner. In program (like greening program, the external dimension of environmental cooperation work with issues it is not fully addressed and all the environmentalists...) managers are not indicated their  The first level hotels and lodges should involvement in the environment. share experience each other or read the best SR practices that identified in this Conclusion research work and adopt the best in The study found that the most common their establishment. For example environmental practices towards the HACCP standards was indicated by environment are; water saving, waste only one hotel that initiated to management and energy conservation. To implement, key card system to save a lesser extent, as compared to other energy only adopted by few hotels, environmental activities the hotels/ lodges reuse linen and towels for saving of involved in environmental issues in the water, energy and human resource. city example in greening program. The  The government/culture and tourism study found that there are also some other office of Gondar city should support environmental CSR activities like HACCP the first level hotels and lodges in standard, electronics key card system, Gondar city by providing reusing, awareness raising program to the technologically advanced equipments internal stakeholders/employees, First In and support them in technical issues to First Out (FIFO), and customers and raise the know how in the technology supporting environmental supporting usage to be more effective and efficient NGOs and programs in some hotels. But in energy, water and waste for the issues of HACCP, electronics key management and other environmental card, awareness raising program for the issues. employees, FIFO needs more work for the future to insure environmental Reference sustainability in the hospitality industry. Alzboun, N. (2015). Assessment of the Effect of Sustainability Practices on Recommendations Financial Leakage in the Hotel  Training and capacity building Industry in Jordan. All Dissertation programs should be put in the center of Paper . the first level hotels and lodges in Amhara Culture, Tourism and Park Development Bureau (2011). 242

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