The Journey to Sustainability: From McDonald's to Five-Star Innovation
The conversation begins with a surprising revelation, both Richard and Chi started their careers at McDonald's, with Chi admitting she "couldn't make a twist cone to save my life." But this humble beginning in food service would prove foundational to understanding hospitality from the ground up.
Chi's path to sustainability expertise took her from Vancouver's environmentally conscious West Coast culture through New York University's tourism program, then to some of the world's most challenging environments. Her work in Cambodia's Women's Media Center, where she hosted an environmental radio show, and later in Uganda working with communities surrounding national parks, gave her a unique perspective on sustainable tourism's real-world impact.
"I was working with different communities that were in the national park surroundings, helping them bring their tourism products to market," Chi explains. "Like basket weaving, candle making—they used bees as barriers, as natural barriers for their crops so elephants wouldn't come in." This hands-on experience with community-based tourism and human-wildlife conflict resolution would later inform her approach to hotel sustainability.
Richard's perspective comes from four decades in hospitality across Asia, from his childhood in East Africa's game parks to managing one of the world's most innovative teaching hotels. "I grew up in East Africa and went to basically all the game parks in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania over a four-year period," he recalls. "It's amazing how now it's become a luxury holiday experience—you're looking at £20,000 for a 10-day holiday for a family from the UK."
This shared understanding of sustainable tourism's evolution, from community-based initiatives to luxury experiences, sets the stage for their discussion of how hotels can implement meaningful change.
The Hidden Costs and Savings of Sustainable Practices
When Richard implemented one of the hospitality industry's first food waste digesters at Hotel ICON, the results surprised everyone. The Orca system, originally developed as a prototype by a Cathay Pacific pilot, transformed kitchen waste into measurable cost savings.
"We had all this waste from the buffet at the market restaurant," Richard explains. "Only a certain amount of food the food angels would take dairy products and other items couldn't be kept for much longer. So it would all go into this thing and be digested. It was really cool."
But Chi points out that sustainability requires both initial investment and strategic thinking: "Sustainability is both a cost and cost savings. You do have to have initial investment, whether it's hiring somebody to be the champion or equipment like a food waste digester. But those things will save you money because you're not hauling away tons of food."
This balance between upfront costs and long-term savings becomes central to their discussion of textile innovation in hospitality.
The Uniform Revolution: AI Design Meets Recycled Materials
One of the most compelling examples Richard shares involves a complete reimagining of hotel uniforms through sustainable textiles and AI design. Working with a startup focused on recycled materials, Hotel ICON pioneered uniforms made from plastic bottles, bamboo, and maize.
"He said, 'What if we could have AI design the uniform based on your brand DNA?' You're saving costs on design fees and lengthy prototype processes," Richard recalls. "Then you could have whatever fabric you wanted, recycled plastic, bottles, hemp, and it doesn't need to cost more."
The results exceeded expectations. The uniforms for the Market Restaurant, made entirely from recycled plastic, proved incredibly durable. "I left three years ago, but they're still using those uniforms," Richard notes. "The fabric was incredible, it passed all wash tests and was something I'd never heard of before."
Chi, whose expertise extends to textile certification, emphasizes the importance of verification: "I'm a certification person, so there need to be checks and balances about where your material comes from, what the life cycle is. But with recycled textiles, if ownership and land use aren't questions because it's recycled material, that actually makes it more sustainable."
The supply chain advantages proved equally compelling. Instead of working through multiple middlemen, staff could order uniforms directly from the manufacturer, similar to ordering from Amazon. This eliminated inventory storage issues while ensuring consistent availability.
Beyond Uniforms: Expanding the Textile Revolution
The conversation turns to footwear, with Chi mentioning sustainable shoe brands like Allbirds that are gaining attention on social media. "They're so comfortable, washable, breathable, and I feel proud wearing something that's more eco than something thrown away after a season," she shares.
Richard immediately sees the hotel application: "Think about kitchens and housekeeping, all back-of-house staff wearing special work boots or clogs. Often they're bulky, made of heavy leather. But engineers, housekeeping staff, chefs, all these back-of-house staff could benefit from sustainable footwear options."
The possibilities extend throughout hotel operations. Chi points to her office walls as an example: "Even the walls of my office are fabric for soundproofing, decoration. With textiles, the possibilities are endless."
Low-Hanging Fruit: Starting Your Sustainability Journey
For hotels beginning their sustainability journey, both experts emphasize starting with achievable goals. Chi advocates for two essential steps: "Find someone to be your champion, and certification always offers a roadmap, essentially a checklist. If you never know where to start, a checklist is always a great place to start."
The areas they identify as immediate opportunities include:
Food Waste Management: Beyond digesters, this includes staff education about portion control and cultural dining differences that affect waste levels.
Energy and Water Conservation: Basic infrastructure changes that provide immediate cost savings.
Textile Innovation: Starting with back-of-house uniforms before expanding to guest-facing materials.
Supply Chain Simplification: Working directly with sustainable manufacturers to reduce costs and complexity.
Cultural Considerations in Asian Markets
One of the most insightful aspects of their conversation addresses cultural differences in implementing sustainable practices across Asian markets. Chi's doctoral research focuses on making Western sustainability guidelines culturally appropriate for Asian operations.
"How do you deal with best practices according to Western guidelines when you're talking about feedback loops in Chinese culture, where hierarchy is so ingrained?" Chi asks. "How can someone junior give feedback to someone senior? Like that just doesn't happen easily in Asia or East Asia."
Richard draws on four decades of experience across Asian markets: "Even if you look at Singapore and Hong Kong, two relatively modern countries—there's such a massive cross-cultural difference in how they expect leaders to behave."
This cultural awareness becomes crucial when implementing sustainability programs that rely on staff engagement and feedback.
The Guest Experience Connection
Both experts emphasize that sustainability initiatives must enhance rather than diminish the guest experience. Richard shares Hotel ICON's approach: "We found people really appreciated the efforts, the faucet in the bathroom with no plastic bottles required, the electric Tesla fleet. They thought it was a great idea."
The key lies in storytelling and authentic implementation. Chi notes: "Being able to tell that story in a way that different audiences can receive it is really important. You can't expect one channel will get everybody."
Richard adds: "There is a big segment of tourism that looks for eco-friendly companies going above and beyond to not be wasteful. But very few hotels position themselves around sustainability compared to traditional attributes."
Looking Forward: The Certification Advantage
As hotels seek competitive advantages, both experts see certification as crucial for credibility and systematic improvement. Chi explains: "The process is more important than the award, but the award is a carrot. It's another story that property can tell."
For properties like Hotel ICON, sustainability becomes part of the brand narrative. As Chi observes: "When you go into your room, the TV screen has one box that tells the story about the School of Hotel and Tourism Management. There are all these little things about how the hotel came to be—not like any other hotel I've stayed at. That in itself makes it a unique experience."
Conclusion: The Future is Sustainable and Profitable
The conversation reveals that sustainable hospitality practices aren't just environmentally responsible, they're economically advantageous. From AI-designed uniforms made from recycled materials to food waste systems that reduce disposal costs, the opportunities for cost-conscious sustainability continue expanding.
As Richard concludes: "You don't have to do everything at once. It can be something you notice as you go through your journey in the hotel. Sometimes they're quite subtle, but you go away with the memory of those things."
The message is clear: hotels that embrace authentic, well-implemented sustainability practices don't just reduce their environmental impact, they create competitive advantages, cost savings, and memorable guest experiences that drive loyalty and positive reviews.
The revolution in sustainable hospitality is already underway. The question isn't whether to join it, but how quickly you can implement the innovations that will define the industry's future.