LATEST NEWS : IMD SPOTLIGHTS IHCL’S ESG+ FRAMEWORK ‘PAATHYA’; A CASE STUDY ON STRUCTURED SUSTAINABILITY

LATEST NEWS : IMD SPOTLIGHTS IHCL’S ESG+ FRAMEWORK ‘PAATHYA’; A CASE STUDY ON STRUCTURED SUSTAINABILITY

TTT NEWS NETWORK

MUMBAI | 27 JANUARY 2026

Paathya, Indian Hotels Company’s (IHCL) blueprint for sustainable and responsible hospitality, has been featured in a detailed case study by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD Business School), Lausanne, Switzerland. The study examines IHCL’s structured approach to sustainability and its integration into business strategy.

Mr. Gaurav Pokhariyal, Executive Vice President – Human Resources, IHCL, “As a pioneer of India’s hospitality industry, IHCL has set many benchmarks in the sector, which continue to develop and evolve. Today, making hospitality sustainable is a shared responsibility. Paathya is our pathway to building a future where growth and responsibility go hand in hand. We have made big strides advancing meaningfully towards our 2030 goals; with over 70 bottling plants, 51% water recycled, 41% energy sourced from renewables and partnerships enabling 73 Skill Centres that have trained over 35,000 underprivileged youth.”

He added, “It is an honour for IHCL’s Paathya framework to be featured by a leading global institution like IMD. This recognition is a reflection of the collective effort of our teams in embedding sustainability into the core of our business.”

IHCL has been on a transformation journey with a vision of being South Asia’s most iconic, responsible and profitable hospitality eco-system guided by its purpose.

Professor Florian Hoos and case authors Mr. Manojkumar Selvaraj, Ms. Harsha Doddihal, Mr. Peter Damyanov, said, “The IHCL case study illustrates the complexity of embedding sustainability in a service-driven industry and the importance of a structured approach like Paathya. It provides a platform for global discussion on the evolving role of ESG in the hospitality industry and demonstrates how it can be translated into measurable progress, creating value for both business and society.”

IHCL launched Paathya, its ESG+ framework, a comprehensive initiative for sustainable growth, social impact, and responsible hospitality. Built on six pillars, Heritage, Corporate Governance, Social Responsibility, Environmental Stewardship, Partner Transformation, and Sustainable Growth, Paathya sets clear targets for 2030. These include eliminating single-use plastics, achieving 50% renewable energy usage, 100% wastewater recycling and certifying all hotels under global sustainability standards.

Taking ahead its commitment to skill building, and creating employability for the deserving and the marginalized, IHCL aims to impact the livelihood of over 100,000 youth. Long heralded as the custodian of Indian heritage, IHCL’s collaboration with UNESCO, will see adoption of 100% of Intangible Cultural Heritage projects in the geographies it operates in.

About The Indian Hotels Company Limited

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and its subsidiaries bring together a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and world-class service. These include Taj – the iconic brand for the most discerning travellers and ranked as World’s Strongest Hotel Brand 2025 and India’s Strongest Brand 2025 as per Brand Finance; Claridges Collection, a curated set of boutique luxury hotels merging elegance with historical charm; SeleQtions, a named collection of hotels; Tree of Life, private escapes in tranquil settings; Vivanta, sophisticated upscale hotels; Gateway, full-service hotels designed to be your gateway to exceptional destinations and Ginger, which is revolutionising the lean luxe segment.

Incorporated by the founder of the Tata Group, Jamsetji Tata, the Company opened its first hotel – The Taj Mahal Palace, in Bombay in 1903. IHCL has a portfolio of 610 hotels including 253 in the pipeline globally across 4 continents, 14 countries and in over 250 locations. The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) is India’s largest hospitality company by market capitalization. It is listed on the BSE and NSE.

About IMD Business School :

IMD has been pioneering leadership development for nearly 80 years. Founded by business for business, we are an independent university institute with Swiss roots and global reach. Operating from Lausanne with strategic hubs in Singapore, Shenzhen, and Cape Town, IMD works with 20,000+ executives from 120+ countries annually. Our 145,000+ alumni form a powerful global network. Consistently ranked among the world’s top business schools, IMD bridges cutting-edge research with real-world application to help leaders solve problems, scale solutions, and drive impact. Real Learning for Real Impact. To learn more, visit www.imd.org.