THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Growing up, all Etresia Booysen wanted to do was be a chef, but after matric she opted to study for a hospitality diploma because it allowed for more career opportunities.

Booysen graduated in 2020 with a Masters in Food and Beverage Management from the Vaal University of Technology and joined The IIE’s School of Hospitality & Service Management in Rosebank, Johannesburg as a senior lecturer.

Passionate about the hospitality industry, Booysen says: “I have quickly realised I love being an academic, enriching young minds and instilling the same passion I have for the hospitality industry in my students.”

As well as lecturing, Booysen is also currently studying for her PhD studies in Food Service Management and has chosen Water Management in South African Restaurants as the topic for her thesis. It’s the first study of its kind in the country.

We asked this dynamic Roodekrans, Roodepoort resident about her studies and the unique topic of her thesis.

Why did you decide to further your studies and what made you choose your thesis topic?

My PhD is a continuation of my Master’s degree. When I started my Masters I was still working, but I found it difficult to devote enough time to my degree so I decided to rather put my time and efforts into my studies and become an academic. As time progressed, my supervisors and I realised that my study is the first of its kind in South Africa. Many people don’t realise that most water saving studies are done overseas and based on hotels rathee than restaurants usage. After receiving my Masters degree, I realised that there was still much to be done on the topic that I extended the study to my PhD degree to focus on training individuals in restaurants. South Africa is classified as one of the drier countries in the world and if we don’t focus on water saving practices, we might not have clean water by 2030. Because the hospitality industry makes up such a large contributor to the working economy, it is the ideal place to look at sustainability.

Why do you think that sustainability in the hospitality industry is so important and why should the industry be responsible?

Because the hospitality industry is so big, it can have an enormous impact on the environment. Sustainability is important as more and more people are becoming environmentally aware, and supporting organisations that take care of the environment. While it’s true that all industries should be accountable, the hospitality industry is a good starting point as it is a customer service industry, reaching thousands of people daily so the awareness of sustainability can be easily transferred to the broader community.

What has your research uncovered about water management at restaurants?

When I started my research journey on this topic, one hospitality academic told me that my study would not be valid as restaurants are too technologically advanced to waste water, but my research found that many restaurants waste water during activities such as tap use, cleaning and hygiene. I also asked the question if kitchen staff were aware of their water usage, and this led to the build-up topic of my PhD study. I don’t think the industry really understands the magnitude of influence they can have on sustainability if implemented correctly.

How do we make restaurants and patrons care more about the environment?

Awareness and training are very important. If the hospitality industry is the forerunner of environmental awareness, it can cause a ripple effect and extend to other industries. I don’t think people understand the vastness of employment opportunities that the hospitality industry has; it can affect more industries than just the accommodation and food and beverage industry. Sustainability in the hospitality industry can affect corporates, banks, procurement, tourism, accommodation, restaurants, air, land and sea travel and so much more. Hospitality equals customer service. Customer service should include sustainable practices.

The IIE School of Hospitality & Service Management’s Johannesburg campus is located at 3 Keyes Ave, Rosebank, Gauteng and its Cape Town campus at Quadrant Building, 146 Campground Road, Newlands, 7700.