Aitken Spence Hotels triumphs for sixth year in sustainability reporting

Saturday, 2 March 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Aitken Spence Hotels was recognised in the Medium Scale Category at the ACCA Sustainability Reporting Awards and once again joined the ranks of being amongst the most transparent companies in the world.

The annual ACCA Sustainability Reporting Awards were held on 20 February in Colombo under the aegis of Chief Guest, Country Director of the Asian Development Bank Rita O’Sullivan, while the Guest of Honour was ACCA’s Executive Director – Markets, Stephen Heathcote.

The award highlights the importance Aitken Spence Hotels gives to sustainability, transparency and accountability, and provides a clear indication that the company possesses extensive knowledge on how economic, social and environmental impacts of an organisation should be reported.

Over 50 companies vied for the coveted awards which recognised the transparency and accountability in economic, social and environmental spheres. ACCA Sri Lanka builds on the fact that sustainability reporting is a more holistic improvement on the long practiced environmental reporting practices which began in the 1980s, and a few years ago moved further into transforming the reporting process with emphasis on integrated reporting added to the focus on GRI Guidelines and triple bottom line reporting.

The judging criterion is split into three categories and looks at completeness in scope and coverage, credibility and communication. Reports are evaluated by an eminent independent judging panel consisting of experts in the field of sustainability and environmental reporting disclosures.

“We are delighted to have been recognised in the medium scale category once again. Aitken Spence Hotels knows the importance of being sustainable; we have been championing sustainable tourism for decades. On many occasions we have been recognised for having some of the most sustainable hotels in the world and are pleased to see companies the world over using our initiatives as case studies. We believe that sustainability is not a trend but a lifestyle,” said Malin Hapugoda, Managing Director, Aitken Spence Hotels.

The awards, held in over 30 countries, are based on judging guidelines established by ACCA worldwide, and is open to any type of organisation encompassing all business sizes. The ACCA Sustainability Reporting Awards are already functional in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the UK and the USA with similar awards, largely based on the ACCA criteria, existing in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Aitken Spence Hotels, located in strategic locations in Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and Oman, caters to a diverse market segment and is famed for its stellar service, exquisite food and world recognised sustainable practices. Over a period of time, the reputation gained has helped to position the chain of hotels as one the best in the region.