Key insights from the Houston Zoo
Sustainability in the attractions industry can take on many forms, but it’s clear that minimizing our environmental impacts is a growing expectation of guests, staff, surrounding communities, financial backers, and even regulators of the industry. IAAPA is committed to leading a sustainable transition, and while many member organizations are somewhere along the path, many others have not truly started their journey.
Here are five lessons that are useful to any organization, whether they are already industry leaders in environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability or just getting started.
The attractions industry is full of success stories. Any facility can draw on precedents from other organizations to guide their own sustainability goals and identify ways to implement them. Zoo and aquarium groups have published green guides, handbooks for single-use plastic reduction, and retail sustainability. The Green Sports Alliance has playbooks on topics like decarbonization and reducing food and packaging waste. IAAPA itself also has a collection of resources. It makes sense to tailor goals and strategies to an organization’s specific goals, but facilities don’t need to reinvent the wheel.
When it comes to setting sustainability goals, it’s easy to get stuck in a debate about which goals to set and how best to achieve them. Years spent in ideation is time not spent advancing a sustainability strategy and accomplishing real-world good. A mix of short- and long-term goals allows an organization to build toward major future achievements while also notching early wins. But don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good—just commit and take the first steps.
Measurement and re-evaluation should be fundamental parts of sustainability planning. It’s important to pair goals with performance metrics that are tracked and reported. But an organization, its physical campus—even entire industries—can look very different within a few years. Don’t be afraid to adjust targets based on new information along the way.
Sustainable buildings benefit both owners and occupants. Energy and water efficiency save money as well as protect the environment, and features like improved indoor air quality and access to natural light mean healthier spaces for staff and guests. Pursuing third-party standards for design and operations ensures accountability and maximizes marketing potential.
Studies show that the nature of climate risks vary across regions, and identifying localized hazards is increasingly relevant to business planning. Whether it’s diminished attendance due to extreme heat or cold, damage to facilities from stronger storms, or trickle-down effects that impact supply chains, organizations should plan now for a changing climate. Sustainable practices are an effective means to increase organizational resilience.
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