CLEAN SPACES, SMALLER FOOTPRINTS | News
Earlier this month, World Environment Day re-emphasized the urgent need to accelerate action on climate change, biodiversity loss and resource efficiency.
In the hospitality industry, expectations are shifting on two fronts. Guests continue to set consistently high standards for cleanliness, hygiene and service, while also placing greater emphasis on the impact of their stay on the environment.
This is partly driven by the rise of more conscious and sustainable travel behavior. According to Booking.com’s Sustainable Travel Report (2025)¹, 93% of respondents say they want to make more sustainable travel choices, while 84% say sustainable travel is important.
In practical terms, this means that travelers are actively looking for accommodation providers that demonstrate responsible practices, with around 36% of respondents looking for verified sustainable stays¹, demonstrating that green credentials are becoming part of the booking decision itself.
According to Jeffery Madkins, Marketing Manager at Unilever Professional, this is no longer a trend, but a business reality. “Today’s guests,” he says, “are much more aware of the environmental footprint behind their stay and are increasingly looking for visible, practical actions from accommodation providers.
This includes reducing single-use plastics, towel and linen reuse programs, energy-efficient lighting and climate control systems, locally sourced food options, and clear communication around environmental practices or certifications.
“What this clearly shows is that sustainability is no longer assessed as a separate ‘initiative’ in the hospitality industry,” Madkins continues. “It is seen as part of the overall quality of the stay itself and increasingly influences competitiveness through its role in marketing, certification and corporate travel policy.
At the same time, the hospitality industry remains one of the most resource-intensive service sectors, especially in terms of water and energy use. Industry studies consistently show that hotels can use hundreds of gallons of water per guest night², largely due to laundry services, housekeeping activities and kitchen processes. This places significant pressure on sites, especially in water-stressed regions such as parts of South Africa.
Water scarcity is also increasing worldwide. The United Nations estimates that billions of people face water scarcity for at least part of the year³, highlighting how water has become both an environmental and operational risk for the services sector that depends on a continuous supply.
As Madkins notes, the real sustainability challenge in the hospitality industry is not always visible to the guest. The most meaningful benefits, he explains, are often found in the background: in laundry cycles, kitchen sanitation and household routines, where small efficiency improvements can significantly reduce water and product consumption on a large scale.
However, it is not only the efficiency of those processes that changes, but also how the industry thinks about them. “Hygiene and environmental performance in the hospitality industry can no longer be separate conversations,” he says. “Every cleaning process has costs, from water and energy to the chemicals used, so the way these systems are designed has a direct impact on environmental performance.”
This evolving approach to greener hygiene in the hospitality industry is also driving interest in innovative cleaning solutions, including product ranges designed to maintain hygiene performance while reducing overall product use and chemical loads, such as probiotic cleaners.
It’s what “clean spaces, smaller footprints” ultimately represents: exceptional guest experiences and responsible use of resources, no longer competing priorities, but achieved through the same operational practices. Sustainability is no longer secondary to business operations; it is embedded in them.
“And the accommodation providers that will lead the way over the next decade are the ones that integrate sustainability into every process, and then don’t retrofit it,” Madkins concludes.
For more information about Unilever Professional products, visit www.unileverprofessional.co.za
