HBX Group’s 2024 ESG Report: Sustainable Travel Powered by Purpose
In a transforming travel industry, HBX Group’s 2024 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report is a great example on how innovation and impact can go hand in hand. From reducing carbon emissions to promoting local community-based tourism, the report charts a clear course: travel can be a force for good.
At the heart of this year’s ESG report and HBX efforts in 2024 is “Think Big”: an ambitious initiative to empower rural communities through sustainable tourism. But the report also reveals how ESG values have become embedded in HBX Group’s day-to-day operations.
While the following only scratches the surface by highlighting a few key activities, looking into the full report is worth it to see how large corporations tackle ESG head on.
Responsible Travel: Building a Greener Travel Ecosystem
For HBX Group, sustainability isn’t a campaign; it’s part of how the business operates. As the climate crisis continues to shape the future of travel, the company is leaning into data, partnerships, and innovation to drive change.
Here’s a look at how that’s taking shape:
Sustainability Hub launch: Launched in June 2024, the Sustainability Hub is a digital platform designed to promote sustainability in the travel sector. It supports partners and clients, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, by sharing best practices, training, success stories, and useful resources. The Hub also fosters collaboration and knowledge-sharing on ESG topics through a monthly newsletter, four articles per edition, and events or webinars with organisations such as WTTC and GSTC.
Sustainable Product Portfolio: This portfolio includes only properties that hold a verified sustainability certification. It forms the core of HBX Group’s responsible offering, ensuring partners can book accommodations that meet recognised environmental, governance and social criteria.
Accessible travel options: HBX Group now offers over 135,000 adapted properties, making inclusive travel more accessible than ever.
Sustainability Wave campaigns: In addition to the certified portfolio, HBX Group also runs awareness initiatives designed to highlight specific sustainability-related features across its hotel partners. These include, among others, identifying properties that avoid single-use plastics, offer accessible facilities, are pet-friendly, or hold recognitions such as LGBTI+ friendly certification or LEED for sustainable buildings. These characteristics offer added value to travellers and reflect a hotel’s broader commitment to responsible practices.
Environment: Climate action in motion
Carbon neutrality (Scopes 1 & 2): For the eighth consecutive year, HBX Group has calculated and fully offset its carbon footprint, this year through UN-certified emission reductions (CERs), covering Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions, thus reinforcing our commitment to responsible and transparent climate action
Reforestation efforts: HBX Group's team has planted 16,000 trees across different countries. This project is carried out through reforestation efforts driven by corporate volunteering in key locations such as Thailand, Mallorca, Dubai, and Brazil. It is complemented by our collaboration with TreeNation, planting trees in regions where we do not have a direct presence.
Social Impact: Empowering People, Inside and Out
Social impact is often harder to measure, but that doesn’t make it any less important. At HBX Group, it’s about giving people the tools, training, and trust to create positive change, both internally and out in the world.
Some highlights from the past year:
People first: HBX Group’s internal engagement score (eNPS) rose to 43.1, a signal that employees feel increasingly connected to the company’s purpose. Teams also invested in their own growth, with over 67,000 hours of training completed, including more than 6,000 hours focused on sustainability and ethical business.
Volunteering in action: Employees collectively dedicated more than 12,000 hours to volunteering in 2024, supporting a wide range of social and community initiatives around the world, especially in areas where the company has a larger footprint.
Governance: Keeping ESG Accountable
Behind every good ESG strategy is a solid governance structure. That’s why HBX Group focused this year on strengthening its foundations, ensuring that ethical practices and sustainability goals are more than good intentions.
Steps taken:
CSRD readiness: In anticipation of the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, HBX Group conducted a full gap analysis and updated internal ESG policies.
New training rollouts: From workplace safety and intellectual property to human rights and anti-discrimination, the company launched updated governance training across all teams.
Driven by Example: Think Big Project
While the ESG Report covers broad achievements, Think Big remains a standout. An example of how HBX turns ESG strategy into real-world transformation.
While the ESG Report covers broad achievements, Think Big remains a standout. It’s a clear example of how HBX Group translates ESG strategy into real-world transformation, grounded in community and driven by people.
The initiative promotes sustainable and regenerative tourism in rural regions of Mexico, starting with Mayan communities in Quintana Roo. With this project, we support communities (cooperatives, social enterprises) near big destinations in developing alternative sustainable touristic routes and microdestinations. The aim is simple: to support long-term local development without compromising cultural heritage or biodiversity.
Through a combination of digital training, community collaboration, and over 2,000 hours of corporate volunteering, Think Big empowers local cooperatives to strengthen their tourism offerings and reach new audiences. It also helps ease pressure on saturated destinations by spotlighting lesser-known regions that are rich in culture and nature.
Why it Matters
It shifts tourism from extractive to regenerative, creating long-term value instead of short-term gains.
It gives rural communities ownership of their tourism model, empowering them to grow on their own terms.
It supports environmental conservation and the protection of cultural heritage, like the Melipona bee and traditional crafts.
It’s a scalable framework, offering a blueprint that can be adapted in other countries like India, Indonesia, or Morocco.
The Bigger Picture
The message is clear: ESG isn’t a side project—it’s shaping the way HBX Group grows, partners, and innovates. Whether launching new platforms like The Luxurist or enabling curated packages through PerfectStay, HBX is showing that sustainability and innovation are not mutually exclusive; they are mutually reinforcing.
And while there’s still more to do, the report shows that real progress is possible when you combine purpose, people, and willingness to act.
Download the full report via the button below: