The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (WSHA) have signed a cooperation agreement in Brussels to align environmental and social standards between aviation and hotel operations. Finalised during the World Sustainability Symposium, the partnership centres initially on how airlines purchase hotel accommodation.

Both industries face growing requirements around supply chain performance, environmental management and ESG reporting. To address these shared pressures, the organisations will construct practical sustainability guidance for airline hotel tenders. The project will combine IATA’s Integrated Sustainability Program (ISP) with WSHA’s Universal Sustainability KPIs Programme to create evaluation criteria, contractual ESG terms and practical case studies.

Over the longer term, the partnership may expand into resource efficiency, waste reduction, human rights and destination-level sustainability across corporate and leisure travel networks.

“Airlines’ sustainability performance includes many partners that support their operations. This collaboration will strengthen the ISP by connecting airline procurement priorities with the hospitality sector’s expertise and experience. The result will be stronger supplier engagement and better-informed procurement decisions that advance sustainability across the travel value chain,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist.

“Sustainability across the travel ecosystem cannot be achieved in silos. By joining forces with IATA, we are bridging the gap between aviation and hospitality to establish unified, practical standards for hotel procurement. This partnership empowers airlines and hotels alike to move beyond fragmented reporting, driving meaningful, measurable environmental and social impact across the entire travel value chain,” said Glenn Mandziuk, WSHA President & CEO.