Hospitality Corporate Sustainability: How Intertwined are the Practices?

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the nature of corporate sustainability practices and how such practices fit with traditional nested model of sustainability in developing country-context. The study is based on thematic analysis of in-depth-interviews with hotels' managers in the Coastal and Northern tourist circuits of Tanzania. It broadly reveals that, sustainability practices at corporate level embrace economic, environmental and social dimensions. Hotels’ practices vary from being modest (energy and resource saving, employees and guests’ education, local employment); moderate (sustainable growth, customer satisfaction, community engagement, biodiversity conservation); to intensive (long-term profitability focus, waste reduction, water conservation, local sourcing) implementation levels. Moreover, findings indicate sustainability practices do not fit well in the traditional nested model. Challenging the simplicity of a linear nested model, results exhibit an intricate interconnection between economic dynamics as a foundational aspect deeply intertwined with both environmental and social issues. The study’s findings imply that to reap significant sustainability benefits, businesses should strive for sustainability approaches that integrate sustainable principles holistically into all aspects of the business. Moreover, it uplifts a theoretical relevance and practical applicability of nested sustainability model. Hospitality practitioners are also expected to benefit from practical implications presented in this study.