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Feb 20, 2019

Save the date - G.R.E.E.N. Hospitality Conference

Updated: Oct 12, 2021


Press Release


G.R.E.E.N. Hospitality Conference to convene the hospitality industry for ethical and sustainable future


Hong Kong, 19 February 2019 Save the date - the G.R.E.E.N. Hospitality Conference, to be hosted by Soap Cycling, in partnership with the Faculty of Business and Economics of The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and The Foundation for Shared Impact (FSI), with the funding support from the Council for Sustainable Development's Sustainable Development Fund, will convene parties from across the hospitality industry at Cordis, Hong Kong, on 26 April 2019, to build a roadmap towards an ethical and sustainable future.


In 2017, hotel demand and supply in the Asia-Pacific region grew by 5.9% and 3.3%, respectively, and again in 2018 by 4.3% and 2.9%, respectively. And Hong Kong was the fastest growing hotel market in Asia in 2018, according to a hotel research released by JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group, highlighting the importance of the hospitality industry to SAR.


With the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s figures showing a 4.9% increase in overnight arrivals to Hong Kong in 2018, and the general optimistic outlook of the city’s hospitality industry, strategic planning and implementation of sustainability measures are critical in minimizing the pressure the industry is putting on the environment, society, and labor. The lack of a comprehensive, industry-wide focus on sustainability of all kinds could damage the very assets that the hospitality industry thrives on. Several high-profile examples have highlighted the delicate balance that must be maintained, including the closure of popular destinations like Boracay and Phi Phi Islands to rehabilitate from the negative impact caused by over-tourism. And the hospitality industry is increasingly aware of the reputation damage that can come in practices that contribute to labor exploitation and trafficking.


Drawing insights from its partnership with hotels in Hong Kong and elsewhere in Asia for its soap and amenities recycling initiatives, Soap Cycling, Asia’s first and largest soap recycling charity, in partnership with the HKU Faculty of Business and Economics , and The Foundation for Shared Impact (FSI), a foundation with the mission of fostering social innovation and entrepreneurship, will bring together professionals and practitioners, academics and researchers, activists and policy-makers at the G.R.E.E.N. Hospitality Conference. Together we will explore options and strategies for continual growth and strengthening of the hospitality industry while maintaining industry-wide sustainability standards.


With funding support from the Council for Sustainable Development’s Sustainable Development Fund, the G.R.E.E.N. Hospitality Conference is a not-for-profit conference that aims to enhance practitioners’ and stakeholders’ understanding of sustainable development and promote the adoption of good practices, through the facilitation of information and knowledge exchange on all aspects regarding the hospitality industry, from hotels, supply chains to airlines, and food and beverage. Through interdisciplinary dialogues, Soap Cycling hopes the inaugural G.R.E.E.N. Hospitality Conference will encourage businesses to work together to bring about innovative, sustainable, cross-border advancements to the global hospitality industry. Companies in the hospitality industry are consistently ranked among the most proactive and focused on ESG issues and CSR initiatives, and at the Conference we will share best practices and strategies for the industry going forward.


Get Involved

Panelist: Are you from the hospitality industry with a track record of innovative sustainability measures, or someone who has done extensive research on the viability and benefits of sustainable practices? Get in touch with us to learn more about becoming a panelist at the Conference.

Sponsorship: Are you a business owner with alternative solutions that could help the hospitality industry move forward to a sustainable, plastic-free, low-carbon footprint, and ethical future? Get in touch with us to reserve a booth at our marketplace.

Attend: Hopeful about a sustainable future for the hospitality industry, and eager to learn more about possible solutions? Buy tickets for yourself and your team here.


For inquiries, please contact conference@soapcycling.org


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G.R.E.E.N. Hospitality Conference

The G.R.E.E.N. Hospitality Conference strives to bring like-minded people together to promote good practices and become leaders that shape sustainability achievements in the hospitality sector. Through the promotion of dialogue and knowledge exchange, our aim is for members from all related industries to share their success and challenges in achieving their sustainability goals. Unlike other sustainability conferences, the G.R.E.E.N. Hospitality Conference primarily focuses on all aspects in regards to hospitality, including hotels, supply chains, airlines, food, and many more.



Soap Cycling

Founded in 2012 as a charity organization that collects single-use soap bars from hotels in Hong Kong, to be reprocessed and distributed to disadvantaged communities which lack access to sanitary resources, Soap Cycling is devoted to youth empowerment and community engagement by providing these members of community with practical and meaningful work experiences, and exposure to social responsibility.


Soap Cycling has grown its hotel partnership network to over 80 in Hong Kong, and more than 100 hotels overseas. Since 2017, Soap Cycling has added bottled hotel amenities to its recycling program, and the MEY Program has also been introduced as an empowerment initiative for disadvantaged youth and elderly by providing them with employment opportunities with a fair wage.



Faculty of Business and Economics, The University of Hong Kong

The HKU Faculty of Business and Economics strives to be a globally impactful institution that provides world-leading business and economics education to nurture dynamic and responsible leaders, advances the frontiers of knowledge through innovative and globally significant research, and creates positive changes in the world by partnering with communities.


Website: www.fbe.hku.hk/


The Foundation for Shared Impact

With the aim of fostering social innovation and entrepreneurship to provide a better vision for tomorrow, The Foundation for Shared Impact (FSI) is dedicated to youth empowerment through education and internships, community building through connecting experienced professionals with would-be changemakers, scaling social impact by leveraging the shared resources of our community, and social enterprise capacity building through fundraising and the provision of business and legal advice.



Cordis, Hong Kong

The venue sponsor of the G.R.E.E.N. Hospitality Conference, Cordis, Hong Kong is a 5-star hotel located in the vibrant Mongkok district of Kowloon, offering approachable luxury with environmental consideration to every guest. The Hotel is accredited with ISO 14001 and EarthCheck Gold certi­fication, guaranteeing the highest standards of environmental management.

Launched across selected properties, Cordis, Hong Kong’s CONNECT Conferences enables planners to select sustainable meeting solutions which offset the environmental impact from meetings and events. Solutions include providing environmentally friendly resources: electronic signage, reusable dining ware and cutlery, waste management and recycling services; replacing bottled water with filtered water; providing sustainable seafood and organic ingredients in banquet menus; and calculating the Carbon Footprint and offset via selected green projects.


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