Sustainability's three main pillars represent the environment, social responsibility, and the economic paradigms of a society .The Government of the State of Kuwait and the United Nations are committed to working together with local communities, the private sector, academia, the civil society, through south-south cooperation and international partnerships, to achieve the expected results from this Strategic Cooperation Framework (SCF) for the period 2020-2025. These include the pillars established in Kuwait Vision 2035, the Kuwait National Development Plan (KNDP), related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the country’s human rights commitments and other internationally agreed development goals and treaty obligations to which H. H. the Amir of the State of Kuwait has committed in statements to the General Assembly.  

Kuwait's hospitality sector is foremost in this drive to sustainability. Housekeepers in Kuwait are leading this drive in Hospitality sector along with the chief Engineers Sustainable solutions in Kuwait as in other countries around the world  involve minimizing how much soil comes in to the Structure -building, thus reducing the amount of cleaning, Focusing on the preventive and routine tasks, and work on environmentally friendly cleaning products, practices for cleaning, proper disposal of cleaning chemicals, and appropriate personal training. 

Noteworthy practices to ensure sustainability in Kuwait housekeeping are : 

• Partnering with other departments in the Hotel on sustainability goals and including  everyone in the effort.
• Finding sustainable solutions for every task – providing an upgraded Visual IMPACT. 
• All staff undergo regular training to ensure delivering a clean, healthy environment on key topics such as : 

1. Saving energy and water 
2. Improving indoor air quality 
3. Furthering recycling efforts 
4. Increasing occupant productivity 
5. Purchasing environmentally-friendly products
   

The crux boils down to ensuring that we choose productive and sustainable equipment that will minimize costs by providing the most efficient and productive cleaning, keeping in mind environmentally friendly batteries, filtration systems machines that clean while minimizing the use of water and chemicals etc.

Housekeeping practices in Kuwait  now use more Green Seal-certified cleaning products than ever. Dispensing stations pre-measure chemicals in order to reduce water usage and ensure accurate, safe dilution. Microfiber cloths reduce waste and water use while also cleaning more effectively than paper towels. Floor cleaning pads are regenerated for reuse up to 8 times, saving money and reducing waste. A few easy, water-saving strategies: 

• Check for leaks regularly and get them fixed ASAP. 
• Install low-flow showerheads, dual-flush toilets and other water-saving fixtures 

Most  Kuwait  hotels  have  seen  swaps  which  are  sustainability  driven. For instance, swap single-use cotton rounds and makeup wipes with reusable cotton rounds, swap disposable plastic straws with easy-to-clean stainless steel straws, swap paper napkins with cloth napkins, swap to-go coffee cups with reusable coffee mugs, swap plastic wrap with reusable silicone bowl covers, opting for sustainable products with plastic-free packaging, such as shampoo bars (and conditioner bars). These practices are now  becoming a way of life with Housekeepers and the Hotel fraternity which in itself is a very healthy sign.

We at Kuwait do realize that to make this world a better place for future generations, adopting sustainability practices is a no brainer . Whether it’s planting a sustainable garden or switching to low-waste products, there will never be a dearth of steps one can take to reduce  carbon footprint and live a more sustainable lifestyle.  

About the author:

Akshi  Singh is the Cluster Director Of Housekeeping at Crowne Plaza & Holiday Inn Al Thuraya City, Kuwait.