Host Hotels & Resorts, L.P
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Reporting Period: 2019
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Environmental Stewardship
- Social Responsibility
- Governance
Environmental Achievements
- 37% intensity reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
- 14% intensity reduction in water consumption
- 82% of major renovation projects with waste diversion
- Issued first green bond in the lodging industry
Social Achievements
- Launched a new holistic employee wellness program
- Joined CEO Action on Diversity & Inclusion initiative
- First lodging REIT to sign on to industry 5-Star Promise to advance worker safety and human rights
- Supported 200+ charities in 2019
Governance Achievements
- Internal price of carbon set at $100 per ton
- Established a Corporate Responsibility Advisory Committee
Climate Goals & Targets
- Not disclosed
- 55% reduction in greenhouse gas intensity per square foot
- 25% reduction in energy intensity per square foot
- 30% electricity use from renewable energy
- 25% reduction in water consumption per occupied room
- Not disclosed
Environmental Challenges
- COVID-19 pandemic impact on operations and employee well-being
- Supply chain disruptions (implied)
Mitigation Strategies
- Reduced expenses and strengthened liquidity
- Offered increased flexibility and expanded benefits for employees
- Partnered with organizations for COVID-19 relief efforts
- Implemented contingency plans to reduce operating costs
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Supplier Excellence Survey launched in 2019; 52% of strategic suppliers responded.
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Code of Conduct
- Sustainable sourcing of construction materials
- Partnership with sustainable suppliers
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Extreme weather events
- Rising sea levels
- Higher temperatures
Transition Risks
- Changing customer behavior
- Increased cost of raw materials
- Increased stakeholder concern
Opportunities
- Decentralized energy generation
- More efficient buildings
- Renewable energy and energy efficiency programs
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD
Certifications: ISO 14001
Third-party Assurance: Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance, Inc. (LRQA)
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being)
- Goal 4 (Quality Education)
- Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)
- Goal 13 (Climate Action)
- Goal 15 (Life on Land)
- Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)
Alignment with UN SDGs is described in the report.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Not disclosed
Awards & Recognition
- Dow Jones Sustainability World Index member
- CDP Climate Change A List
Reporting Period: 2020
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Environmental Stewardship
- Social Responsibility
- Governance
Environmental Achievements
- Contracted with a third-party to provide further verification of our energy and water consumption data (since 2015)
- Issued $750 million of green bonds
Social Achievements
- Launched a formal diversity and inclusion initiative in 2020
- CEO joined the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion initiative
- Provided unconscious bias training to employees
- Hotels donated medical supplies, food and toiletries to healthcare workers, employees, local food banks and nonprofits
- Offered special rates to caregivers and donated meeting space to local schools and non-profits
Governance Achievements
- Named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World)
- Named to CDP's A List and Supplier Engagement Leaderboard
Climate Goals & Targets
Environmental Challenges
- COVID-19 pandemic materially and adversely impacted business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and cash flows
- Sharp decline in group, business and leisure travel
- Negative public perceptions of travel and public gatherings
- Increased operating costs from implementing enhanced cleaning protocols and other COVID-19 mitigation practices as well as employee severance and furlough costs
- Reduced economic activity negatively impacting future lodging demand
Mitigation Strategies
- Reopened 31 of 35 hotels that had suspended operations
- Implemented portfolio-wide cost reductions (reducing staffing, shared services fees, suspending food and beverage operations, closing guestroom floors and meeting spaces)
- Paid health benefits for furloughed hotel employees
- Suspended contributions to hotels’ FF&E escrow accounts and suspended or deferred non-essential capital projects
- Amended credit agreement governing revolving credit facility
- Accessed full $1.5 billion under the revolver portion of the credit facility
- Suspended regular quarterly common cash dividends and stock repurchases
- Reduced corporate expenses
Supply Chain Management
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- More frequent or severe storms, droughts, hurricanes and flooding
- Rising sea levels causing damage to hotels
- Prolonged variations in temperature or precipitation
Transition Risks
- Increased cost of property insurance
- Increased operating costs
- Stricter energy efficiency standards
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: SASB
Awards & Recognition
- Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World)
- CDP's A List and Supplier Engagement Leaderboard
Reporting Period: 2021
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Environmental Stewardship
- Social Responsibility
- Governance
Environmental Achievements
- Named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for the third consecutive year and DJSI North America for the fifth consecutive year
- Recognized by CDP for implementing current best practices to mitigate climate risks and manage environmental impacts, achieving a leadership-level score for the ninth consecutive year
- Included among the world’s most sustainable companies in S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook and named one of America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek
Social Achievements
- First lodging REIT to issue social targets, including two diversity-related targets and one employee engagement target
- Participated in the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ coalition, established a formal diversity and inclusion program, and launched a women’s employee resource group
Governance Achievements
- Robust stockholder engagement, with 79% of outstanding shares contacted and 54% engaged with
- Board composition with 25% women and 13% ethnically diverse nominees
- Renamed Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to “Nominating, Governance and Corporate Responsibility Committee,” and Compensation Policy Committee to “Culture and Compensation Committee” to reflect increasing roles in ESG
Climate Goals & Targets
- 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per square foot by 2025 (SBTi verified)
- 100% of employees trained on unconscious biases by 2025
- 25% reduction in energy use per square foot by 2025
- Include at least two women and two persons of color in each initial candidate pool for externally sourced executive level positions by 2025
- Conduct at least two engagement surveys by 2025
- 25% reduction in water consumption per occupied room by 2025
Environmental Challenges
- COVID-19 pandemic continued to pose unique challenges for the lodging industry and the Company in 2021
Mitigation Strategies
- Prioritized the health and safety of employees, guests and partners, while significantly reducing expenses and strengthening the balance sheet
- Made progress on three key strategic objectives: redefining the hotel operating model, gaining market share at renovated hotels, and strategically allocating capital
- Expanded benefits to support employees during the pandemic
Supply Chain Management
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI, TCFD, SASB (now Value Reporting Foundation), UN Sustainable Development Goals
Certifications: LEED (7 certified hotels, 15 projects in pipeline)
Awards & Recognition
- DJSI World & North America Listed
- Top 10 Most Sustainable REITs 2021
- Climate Change Leadership Level Prime Corporate Rating
- Low ESG Risk Rating
- “A” Rating
- Top 25% Ranking on Corporate Governance
- One of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies
- Newsweek Industry Leader (Top 10%)
- One of America’s Most Responsible Companies
Reporting Period: 2022
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Environmental Stewardship
- Social Responsibility
- Governance
Environmental Achievements
- Completed 620 sustainability projects representing $135 million in investments generating 15-20% average cash-on-cash returns (2018-2022)
- 11 LEED®-certified properties, including three LEED Gold EBOM hotels as well as Host’s corporate headquarters; 22 projects in the pipeline
- 12% of portfolio-wide electricity consumption from renewable sources through green power purchases in 2022
- Achieved 11.1% reduction in emission intensity (per square foot) from 2019 baseline
Social Achievements
- 92% of employees completed company-wide diversity training on unconscious bias and other important diversity topics
- Continued investments in employee development, health and well-being and our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) program
- Founding donor of Nareit Foundation’s Dividends Through Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DDEI) Giving Campaign
- $500,000 pledge in support of the Arne M. Sorenson Hospitality Fund at the Marriott-Sorenson Center for Hospitality Leadership at Howard University
Governance Achievements
- Board is now comprised of more than 30% women
- ESG-focused investor engagement with investors representing approximately 75% of outstanding shares
- Oversight of 2030 Environmental and Social Goals and Targets by the Nominating, Governance and Corporate Responsibility Committee
Climate Goals & Targets
- Aspire to net positive impact by 2050
- 54% reduction of GHG emissions per square foot from a 2019 baseline by 2030
- 50% of electricity use sourced from renewable sources by 2030
- 25% reduction of water usage per occupied room in water-stressed areas from a 2019 baseline by 2030
- 50% of waste by volume diverted from landfill from major renovation and redevelopment projects by 2030
- 40% of consolidated hotels to achieve green building certification by 2030
- 15% of direct capital expenditure supplier spend with diverse suppliers by 2030
- 100% of direct suppliers trained in responsible sourcing and human rights policies by 2030
- 25% of each candidate slate for all external positions to be diverse by 2030
- 85% or more of employees to be highly engaged by 2030
- 90% or more of employees to participate in charitable giving and/or volunteerism by 2030
- Not disclosed
Environmental Challenges
- Climate change risks including extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and water stress
- Transition risks including changing customer behavior, increased stakeholder concern, emerging regulations, and uncertainty in market signals
- Maintaining biodiversity in surrounding environments
Mitigation Strategies
- Investing in hurricane-resistant infrastructure and climate resilience measures
- Implementing energy efficiency initiatives and increasing renewable energy consumption
- Prioritizing water efficiency in water-stressed areas
- Reducing waste generation and improving landfill diversion rates
- Engaging with stakeholders and business partners to address ESG issues
- Conducting asset-level climate risk assessments
- Investing in business interruption insurance
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Full 3-year financial and corporate governance review of selected new strategic suppliers; periodic on-site assessments.
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Code of Conduct
- Engagement with suppliers on ESG, Quality Management, and Design and Specification Control
- Prioritizing sustainable, locally sourced materials
- Working with EPA SmartWay® logistics providers
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Extreme weather events
- Rising sea levels
- Water stress
- Wildfire
Transition Risks
- Changing customer behavior
- Increased stakeholder concern
- Emerging regulations
- Uncertainty in market signals
Opportunities
- Decentralized energy generation
- More efficient and resilient buildings
- Renewable energy and energy efficiency programs
- Shift in consumer preferences
- Low emission goods and services
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD, CDP
Certifications: LEED, ISO 14001
Third-party Assurance: LRQA
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Host prioritizes SDGs relevant to its business and where it can drive measurable results.
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Not disclosed
Awards & Recognition
- Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for the fourth consecutive year
- DJSI North America for the sixth consecutive year
- CDP Climate Change Leadership Level Industry Leader
- S&P’s Global Sustainability Yearbook
- Newsweek’s America’s Most Responsible Companies
Reporting Period: 2023
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Decarbonization
- Resilience
- Conservation
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
- Community Impact
Environmental Achievements
- 20.4% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per square foot from a 2019 baseline
- 18.2% of electricity consumption from renewable energy sources
- 76% landfill diversion rate across active major renovation and redevelopment projects
- 18 properties with LEED® certification, with 18 additional projects in the pipeline
Social Achievements
- 98% of employees trained on diversity topics
- 88% of employees highly engaged in most recent survey
- >25% diversity within candidate slates in 2023
- $250K donated to Maui wildfire relief and recovery
Governance Achievements
- Integration of ESG into enterprise risk management
- Annual training on Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for all employees
- Third-party assurance of ESG data
Climate Goals & Targets
- Net positive company by 2050
- 54% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions per square foot from a 2019 baseline by 2030
- 50% of electricity use will be sourced from renewable sources by 2030
- 25% reduction of water usage per occupied room in water-stressed areas from a 2019 baseline by 2030
- 100% of major renovation projects divert at least 50% of waste by volume from landfill across at least three waste streams by 2030
- 40% of consolidated hotels will achieve LEED® green building certification by 2030
- 15% of annual direct capital expenditure supplier spend will be with diverse suppliers by 2030
- 85% or more of employees are highly engaged each year by 2030
- 25% of each candidate slate for all externally sourced positions are diverse on an annual basis by 2030
- 90% or more of employees participate in charitable giving and/or volunteerism each year by 2030
- Not disclosed
Environmental Challenges
- Climate-related risks such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and sea-level rise
- Achieving ambitious water reduction targets in water-stressed areas
- Scaling on-site renewable energy generation across the portfolio
Mitigation Strategies
- Investments in hurricane-resistant infrastructure and other resiliency measures
- Prioritization of water efficiency projects in water-stressed areas
- Combination of on-site solar PV and off-site renewable energy purchases
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Annual financial and corporate governance review of selected new strategic suppliers, periodic on-site risk assessments.
Responsible Procurement
- Supplier Code of Conduct
- Partnership with diverse and sustainable suppliers
- Use of EPA SmartWay® logistics providers
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Hurricanes
- Floods
- Wildfires
- Rising sea levels
Transition Risks
- Changing consumer behavior
- Building efficiency regulations
- Access to capital
Opportunities
- Investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency
- Development of climate-resilient assets
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD
Certifications: ISO 14001
Third-party Assurance: AET Group Inc.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Not disclosed
Awards & Recognition
- DJSI World and North America Listed
- Climate Change Leadership Level Industry Leader (Top 10%)
- Prime Corporate Rating
- Low ESG Risk Rating
- “A” Rating
Reporting Period: 2024
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Change
- Energy Conservation
- Water Conservation
- Biodiversity
- Waste Reduction
- Indoor Air Quality
- Health and Wellbeing
- Sustainable Procurement
- Climate Resilience
- Supplier Engagement
Environmental Achievements
- 2020 GHG reduction target verified by SBTi
- 2025 GHG target verified by SBTi as consistent with the 1.5-degree Celsius ambition level
- Set a 2030 emissions reduction target aligned with a net-zero operational emissions goal by 2040
- ISO 14001 certified Environmental Management System (EMS)
Social Achievements
- Engages with third-party hotel managers on building health and safety best practices aligned with ISO 45001 and OHSAS 18001
- Invests in enhancements to physical activity spaces at properties
- Utilizes Safety Management for Managed Construction Project Policy and Renovation Checklists for construction contractors
Governance Achievements
- Board-level oversight of EMS ensures adequate resources and training
- Formal data management systems and processes, including both internal and third-party assurance of environmental data, have been implemented
Climate Goals & Targets
- Net zero operational emissions by 2040
- 2030 water reduction goal prioritized at hotels with high water-related risks
- 2030 emissions reduction target
Environmental Challenges
- As a U.S. public lodging REIT, Host is not permitted to directly manage the operations of hotels within its portfolio.
- Managing environmental impacts across a portfolio of hotels operated by third-party managers
- Potential physical and transitional climate risks at the portfolio and asset level
Mitigation Strategies
- Collaborates with hotel managers to identify and implement environmental initiatives
- Utilizes budget approval rights and control over certain investing and financing decisions to influence hotel operations
- Identifies and mitigates potential physical and transitional climate risks through scenario analysis, third-party property risk control surveys, and investments in resiliency measures
Supply Chain Management
Responsible Procurement
- Procuring materials from sustainable sources or containing recycled content
- Supplier Code of Conduct
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Extreme weather events
Opportunities
- Energy efficiency improvements