The World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (the Alliance) has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with OceanShot and Deborah Brosnan & Associates during the Hospitality and Tourism Panel at the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) CEO Summit in London. This landmark partnership highlights a shared commitment to integrating nature-based solutions into the hospitality industry, aiming to achieve Net Positive Hospitality through practical, science-driven, and regenerative solutions that benefit both the environment and the sector.
The MOU will be effective for three years, focusing on key milestones such as the development of a comprehensive framework, implementation of pilot programmes, and ongoing evaluation of progress. Leveraging the powerful network of the SMI, the Alliance will support the adoption of these initiatives across the hospitality industry, ensuring alignment with industry standards.
Representing 66,000 hotels and 8 million rooms worldwide, the Alliance is dedicated to accelerating sustainability within the sector. Its vision is to create a hospitality industry that gives back more to destinations than it takes, which aligns seamlessly with the expertise of OceanShot and Deborah Brosnan & Associates, who specialise in implementing ecosystem services that enhance biodiversity, resilience, and return on investment.
Dr. Deborah Brosnan is a globally renowned and award-winning ocean and resilience scientist, a pioneer of nature-based solutions, who has worked with world leaders and institutions to harness the power of ecosystem services for the planet and people. OceanShot, launched in partnership with philanthropist and business leader John Paul DeJoria, is a scalable reef restoration project located off the coast of Antigua and Barbuda where reef modules were architecturally designed to restore a once-thriving ocean ecosystem and protect shoreline and ocean communities from the ravaging impact of storms and sea level rise, as well as to revive ocean-dependent local economies. Its latest expansion will include the opening of an Innovation Learning Lab in Antigua and Barbuda forecasted for 2025.
For the hospitality industry, biodiversity, economic returns, and resilience–including risk reduction and vulnerability reduction–are key metrics that capture the benefits from nature-based solutions – and which can be used across sectors. This collaboration leverages Dr. Brosnan’s ability to bring science-based practical solutions to the private sector and aims to position the hospitality industry at the forefront by developing best practices for incorporating ecosystem services into operations, creating scalable regenerative models that benefit local communities, and implementing pilot programmes that showcase the viability of nature-based solutions in hospitality.
Glenn Mandziuk, CEO of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, stated: “The hospitality industry has a unique opportunity to lead in environmental stewardship while also creating long-term value. By collaborating with OceanShot and Deborah Brosnan & Associates, we are taking a bold step toward embedding regenerative solutions into hospitality design and operations.”
Dr Deborah Brosnan, President of Deborah Brosnan & Associates and co-founder of OceanShot, stated: “Nature is our ally, and by aligning our actions with the environment, we can build true sustainability. We are excited about this partnership. The hospitality industry deeply values our reliance on nature, and collaborative efforts are key to fostering environmental regeneration.”
Under the MOU, the Alliance, OceanShot, and Deborah Brosnan & Associates will work together on several initiatives, including the co-creation of guidelines and metrics for integrating nature-based solutions into hospitality projects, in line with the Alliance’s priority to update its Universal Sustainability Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). They will also identify and execute high-impact pilot projects under the Alliance’s Impact Fund, which is designed to turn strategy into action and positively impact communities and the environment. Additionally, the collaboration will focus on knowledge sharing to drive industry-wide adoption of best practices and advocate for the importance of nature-based solutions through thought leadership and engagement.
Glenn Mandziuk added: “This partnership exemplifies the power of collaboration in driving meaningful environmental change. By harmonising sustainability metrics and fostering innovation, we are paving the way for a more resilient and responsible hospitality sector.”
