Industry Comparison

Select Language

You are viewing information about the following Industries:

Hotels & Lodging
Hotels and lodging industry entities provide overnight accommodation, including hotels, motels and inns. This competitive industry is comprised primarily of large hotel chains in which customers base purchase decisions on a wide range of factors including quality and consistency of services, availability of locations, price, and loyalty programme offers. Entities often are structured in one or more of the following ways: direct revenue from hotel services, including room rental and food and beverage sales; management and franchise services with fee revenue from property management; and vacation residential ownership with revenue from sales of residential units.
Remove
Car Rental & Leasing
Entities in this industry rent or lease passenger vehicles to customers. Consumers typically rent vehicles for periods of less than a month, whereas leases may last a year or more. The industry includes car-sharing business models in which rentals are measured hourly and typically include subscription fees. Car rental entities operate out of airport locations, which serve business and leisure travellers, and out of neighbourhood locations, which mostly provide repair-shop and weekend rentals. The industry is concentrated, with several dominant market players, who operate globally using a franchise model. The growth of public transit and ride-sharing services in major metropolitan areas may represent a threat to the long-term profitability of the Car Rental & Leasing industry if customers choose to hail rides or take public transit rather than rent vehicles.
Remove

Relevant Issues for both Industries (7 of 26)

Why are some issues greyed out?

The SASB Standards vary by industry based on the different sustainability-related risks and opportunities within an industry. The issues in grey were not identified during the standard-setting process as the most likely to be useful to investors, so they are not included in the Standard. Over time, as the ISSB continues to receive market feedback, some issues may be added or removed from the Standard. Each company determines which sustainability-related risks and opportunities are relevant to its business. The Standard is designed for the typical company in an industry, but individual companies may choose to report on different sustainability-related risks and opportunities based on their unique business model.

Environment
- GHG Emissions
- Air Quality
- Energy Management
  The category addresses environmental impacts associated with energy consumption. It addresses the company’s management of energy in manufacturing and/or for provision of products and services derived from utility providers (grid energy) not owned or controlled by the company. More specifically, it includes management of energy efficiency and intensity, energy mix, as well as grid reliance. Upstream (e.g., suppliers) and downstream (e.g., product use) energy use is not included in the scope.
- Water & Wastewater Management
  The category addresses a company’s water use, water consumption, wastewater generation, and other impacts of operations on water resources, which may be influenced by regional differences in the availability and quality of and competition for water resources. More specifically, it addresses management strategies including, but not limited to, water efficiency, intensity, and recycling. Lastly, the category also addresses management of wastewater treatment and discharge, including groundwater and aquifer pollution.
- Waste & Hazardous Materials Management
- Ecological Impacts
  The category addresses management of the company’s impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity through activities including, but not limited to, land use for exploration, natural resource extraction, and cultivation, as well as project development, construction, and siting. The impacts include, but are not limited to, biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, and deforestation at all stages – planning, land acquisition, permitting, development, operations, and site remediation. The category does not cover impacts of climate change on ecosystems and biodiversity.
Social Capital
- Human Rights & Community Relations
- Customer Privacy
- Data Security
- Access & Affordability
- Product Quality & Safety
  The category addresses issues involving unintended characteristics of products sold or services provided that may create health or safety risks to end-users. It addresses a company’s ability to offer manufactured products and/or services that meet customer expectations with respect to their health and safety characteristics. It includes, but is not limited to, issues involving liability, management of recalls and market withdrawals, product testing, and chemicals/content/ingredient management in products.
- Customer Welfare
- Selling Practices & Product Labeling
Human Capital
- Labour Practices
  The category addresses the company’s ability to uphold commonly accepted labour standards in the workplace, including compliance with labour laws and internationally accepted norms and standards. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring basic human rights related to child labour, forced or bonded labour, exploitative labour, fair wages and overtime pay, and other basic workers’ rights. It also includes minimum wage policies and provision of benefits, which may influence how a workforce is attracted, retained, and motivated. The category further addresses a company’s relationship with organized labour and freedom of association.
- Employee Health & Safety
- Employee Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion
Business Model and Innovation
- Product Design & Lifecycle Management
  The category addresses incorporation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations in characteristics of products and services provided or sold by the company. It includes, but is not limited to, managing the lifecycle impacts of products and services, such as those related to packaging, distribution, use-phase resource intensity, and other environmental and social externalities that may occur during their use-phase or at the end of life. The category captures a company’s ability to address customer and societal demand for more sustainable products and services as well as to meet evolving environmental and social regulation. It does not address direct environmental or social impacts of the company’s operations nor does it address health and safety risks to consumers from product use, which are covered in other categories.
- Business Model Resilience
- Supply Chain Management
- Materials Sourcing & Efficiency
- Physical Impacts of Climate Change
  The category addresses the company’s ability to manage risks and opportunities associated with direct exposure of its owned or controlled assets and operations to actual or potential physical impacts of climate change. It captures environmental and social issues that may arise from operational disruptions due to physical impacts of climate change. It further captures socio-economic issues resulting from companies failing to incorporate climate change consideration in products and services sold, such as insurance policies and mortgages. The category relates to the company’s ability to adapt to increased frequency and severity of extreme weather, shifting climate, sea level risk, and other expected physical impacts of climate change. Management may involve enhancing resiliency of physical assets and/or surrounding infrastructure as well as incorporation of climate change-related considerations into key business activities (e.g., mortgage and insurance underwriting, planning and development of real estate projects).
Leadership and Governance
- Business Ethics
- Competitive Behaviour
- Management of the Legal & Regulatory Environment
- Critical Incident Risk Management
- Systemic Risk Management

Disclosure Topics

What is the relationship between General Issue Category and Disclosure Topics?

The General Issue Category is an industry-agnostic version of the Disclosure Topics that appear in each SASB Standard. Disclosure topics represent the industry-specific impacts of General Issue Categories. The industry-specific Disclosure Topics ensure each SASB Standard is tailored to the industry, while the General Issue Categories enable comparability across industries. For example, Health & Nutrition is a disclosure topic in the Non-Alcoholic Beverages industry, representing an industry-specific measure of the general issue of Customer Welfare. The issue of Customer Welfare, however, manifests as the Counterfeit Drugs disclosure topic in the Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals industry.

Hotels & Lodging Remove
Access Standard
- Energy Management
  The category addresses environmental impacts associated with energy consumption. It addresses the company’s management of energy in manufacturing and/or for provision of products and services derived from utility providers (grid energy) not owned or controlled by the company. More specifically, it includes management of energy efficiency and intensity, energy mix, as well as grid reliance. Upstream (e.g., suppliers) and downstream (e.g., product use) energy use is not included in the scope.
  - Energy Management
    Hotel buildings require a significant amount of energy to operate, which is a substantial portion of hotel operating expenses. The industry purchases the majority of its electricity commercially. This purchased electricity indirectly results in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which is a significant contributor to climate change. Entities in the industry are implementing energy management best practices to reduce operating expenses and environmental impacts and to improve their brand value with guests, who increasingly are concerned about environmental sustainability.
- Water & Wastewater Management
  The category addresses a company’s water use, water consumption, wastewater generation, and other impacts of operations on water resources, which may be influenced by regional differences in the availability and quality of and competition for water resources. More specifically, it addresses management strategies including, but not limited to, water efficiency, intensity, and recycling. Lastly, the category also addresses management of wastewater treatment and discharge, including groundwater and aquifer pollution.
  - Water Management
    Hotel buildings require a relatively large amount of water resources to operate. Although water is not the industry’s greatest operating cost, reduced water availability or significant price increases could affect financial results. This effect may be particularly acute in water-stressed regions because of supply constraints. Entities in the industry are implementing water management best practices to reduce operating expenses and environmental impacts and to improve their brand value with guests, who increasingly are concerned about environmental sustainability.
- Ecological Impacts
  The category addresses management of the company’s impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity through activities including, but not limited to, land use for exploration, natural resource extraction, and cultivation, as well as project development, construction, and siting. The impacts include, but are not limited to, biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, and deforestation at all stages – planning, land acquisition, permitting, development, operations, and site remediation. The category does not cover impacts of climate change on ecosystems and biodiversity.
  - Ecological Impacts
    Healthy ecosystems are linked with the economic and financial performance of local communities and businesses. The influx of tourists and the resulting waste generated by hotels may present risks to sensitive ecosystems such as coral reefs and nature preserves. Poor environmental protection practices may preclude hotels from obtaining new construction licences in these sensitive areas and could, in the long term, diminish natural attractions for tourists that generate revenue for communities and hotels. In contrast, environmental protection may make travel destinations more attractive and increase demand.
- Product Quality & Safety
  The category addresses issues involving unintended characteristics of products sold or services provided that may create health or safety risks to end-users. It addresses a company’s ability to offer manufactured products and/or services that meet customer expectations with respect to their health and safety characteristics. It includes, but is not limited to, issues involving liability, management of recalls and market withdrawals, product testing, and chemicals/content/ingredient management in products.
  
  None
- Labour Practices
  The category addresses the company’s ability to uphold commonly accepted labour standards in the workplace, including compliance with labour laws and internationally accepted norms and standards. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring basic human rights related to child labour, forced or bonded labour, exploitative labour, fair wages and overtime pay, and other basic workers’ rights. It also includes minimum wage policies and provision of benefits, which may influence how a workforce is attracted, retained, and motivated. The category further addresses a company’s relationship with organized labour and freedom of association.
  - Labour Practices
    The Hotels & Lodging industry is reliant upon labour to operate large facilities. A service-oriented workforce that provides guests with a pleasant stay is an important value driver for hotel entities. This, combined with labour force dynamics, may create low job satisfaction that can result in high turnover and potential lawsuits and contribute to increased expenses for hotel operators. Hotels that foster anti-discriminatory practices and ensure fair wages may improve worker satisfaction and reduce turnover.
- Product Design & Lifecycle Management
  The category addresses incorporation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations in characteristics of products and services provided or sold by the company. It includes, but is not limited to, managing the lifecycle impacts of products and services, such as those related to packaging, distribution, use-phase resource intensity, and other environmental and social externalities that may occur during their use-phase or at the end of life. The category captures a company’s ability to address customer and societal demand for more sustainable products and services as well as to meet evolving environmental and social regulation. It does not address direct environmental or social impacts of the company’s operations nor does it address health and safety risks to consumers from product use, which are covered in other categories.
  
  None
- Physical Impacts of Climate Change
  The category addresses the company’s ability to manage risks and opportunities associated with direct exposure of its owned or controlled assets and operations to actual or potential physical impacts of climate change. It captures environmental and social issues that may arise from operational disruptions due to physical impacts of climate change. It further captures socio-economic issues resulting from companies failing to incorporate climate change consideration in products and services sold, such as insurance policies and mortgages. The category relates to the company’s ability to adapt to increased frequency and severity of extreme weather, shifting climate, sea level risk, and other expected physical impacts of climate change. Management may involve enhancing resiliency of physical assets and/or surrounding infrastructure as well as incorporation of climate change-related considerations into key business activities (e.g., mortgage and insurance underwriting, planning and development of real estate projects).
  - Climate Change Adaptation
    Hotels operating in climate change-exposed areas may be impacted by physical climate risks including inclement weather and flooding. Inclement weather may damage property and disrupt operations, thereby reducing asset values and revenues. In addition, hotels may face higher insurance premiums for buildings located in coastal regions or may be unable to insure their properties. Hotel operators will likely need to adapt to shifting climate trends such as rising sea levels, hurricanes, and flooding in order to maintain their climate-exposed revenue-generating properties.
Car Rental & Leasing Remove
Access Standard
- Energy Management
  The category addresses environmental impacts associated with energy consumption. It addresses the company’s management of energy in manufacturing and/or for provision of products and services derived from utility providers (grid energy) not owned or controlled by the company. More specifically, it includes management of energy efficiency and intensity, energy mix, as well as grid reliance. Upstream (e.g., suppliers) and downstream (e.g., product use) energy use is not included in the scope.
  
  None
- Water & Wastewater Management
  The category addresses a company’s water use, water consumption, wastewater generation, and other impacts of operations on water resources, which may be influenced by regional differences in the availability and quality of and competition for water resources. More specifically, it addresses management strategies including, but not limited to, water efficiency, intensity, and recycling. Lastly, the category also addresses management of wastewater treatment and discharge, including groundwater and aquifer pollution.
  
  None
- Ecological Impacts
  The category addresses management of the company’s impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity through activities including, but not limited to, land use for exploration, natural resource extraction, and cultivation, as well as project development, construction, and siting. The impacts include, but are not limited to, biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, and deforestation at all stages – planning, land acquisition, permitting, development, operations, and site remediation. The category does not cover impacts of climate change on ecosystems and biodiversity.
  
  None
- Product Quality & Safety
  The category addresses issues involving unintended characteristics of products sold or services provided that may create health or safety risks to end-users. It addresses a company’s ability to offer manufactured products and/or services that meet customer expectations with respect to their health and safety characteristics. It includes, but is not limited to, issues involving liability, management of recalls and market withdrawals, product testing, and chemicals/content/ingredient management in products.
  - Customer Safety
    Meeting customer satisfaction standards for the Car Rental & Leasing industry means ensuring vehicles are in proper working condition and customers understand how to safely operate the vehicles. Since rental vehicles accumulate significant mileage compared to private vehicles, frequent maintenance and repair are required, which can be costly. Vehicle recalls are materially significant to the industry because the associated repairs temporarily may reduce entities’ available fleet, create customer service issues and decrease the residual value of cars. In addition, if customers are involved in accidents and the car rental entity is found negligent, the entity may face legal fees, impaired brand value and a higher risk profile. Balancing cost savings while ensuring safety can be complex. The franchise model under which car rental and leasing entities operate adds to the complexity, since franchisees separately own and manage their fleets.
- Labour Practices
  The category addresses the company’s ability to uphold commonly accepted labour standards in the workplace, including compliance with labour laws and internationally accepted norms and standards. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring basic human rights related to child labour, forced or bonded labour, exploitative labour, fair wages and overtime pay, and other basic workers’ rights. It also includes minimum wage policies and provision of benefits, which may influence how a workforce is attracted, retained, and motivated. The category further addresses a company’s relationship with organized labour and freedom of association.
  
  None
- Product Design & Lifecycle Management
  The category addresses incorporation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations in characteristics of products and services provided or sold by the company. It includes, but is not limited to, managing the lifecycle impacts of products and services, such as those related to packaging, distribution, use-phase resource intensity, and other environmental and social externalities that may occur during their use-phase or at the end of life. The category captures a company’s ability to address customer and societal demand for more sustainable products and services as well as to meet evolving environmental and social regulation. It does not address direct environmental or social impacts of the company’s operations nor does it address health and safety risks to consumers from product use, which are covered in other categories.
  - Fleet Fuel Economy & Utilisation
    By providing fuel-efficient and alternative fuel vehicles, car rental and leasing entities may improve the environmental sustainability of their operations while also achieving financial benefits. Consumer demand for more efficient vehicles is growing, motivated by both environmental stewardship and lower operating costs associated with fuel efficiency. In addition to providing fuel-efficient and low-emission fleets, entities in the industry are adapting to changing vehicle needs by providing car-sharing services. In urban settings, car sharing is an attractive alternative to vehicle ownership that reduces congestion and the environmental impacts associated with private ownership of vehicles. By maximising fleet utilisation rates through car-sharing, entities may improve operational efficiency.
- Physical Impacts of Climate Change
  The category addresses the company’s ability to manage risks and opportunities associated with direct exposure of its owned or controlled assets and operations to actual or potential physical impacts of climate change. It captures environmental and social issues that may arise from operational disruptions due to physical impacts of climate change. It further captures socio-economic issues resulting from companies failing to incorporate climate change consideration in products and services sold, such as insurance policies and mortgages. The category relates to the company’s ability to adapt to increased frequency and severity of extreme weather, shifting climate, sea level risk, and other expected physical impacts of climate change. Management may involve enhancing resiliency of physical assets and/or surrounding infrastructure as well as incorporation of climate change-related considerations into key business activities (e.g., mortgage and insurance underwriting, planning and development of real estate projects).
  
  None

General Issue Category

Remove Hotels & Lodging Access Standard

Remove Car Rental & Leasing Access Standard

Energy Management

Energy Management
Hotel buildings require a significant amount of energy to operate, which is a substantial portion of hotel operating expenses. The industry purchases the majority of its electricity commercially. This purchased electricity indirectly results in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which is a significant contributor to climate change. Entities in the industry are implementing energy management best practices to reduce operating expenses and environmental impacts and to improve their brand value with guests, who increasingly are concerned about environmental sustainability.

Water & Wastewater Management

Water Management
Hotel buildings require a relatively large amount of water resources to operate. Although water is not the industry’s greatest operating cost, reduced water availability or significant price increases could affect financial results. This effect may be particularly acute in water-stressed regions because of supply constraints. Entities in the industry are implementing water management best practices to reduce operating expenses and environmental impacts and to improve their brand value with guests, who increasingly are concerned about environmental sustainability.

Ecological Impacts

Ecological Impacts
Healthy ecosystems are linked with the economic and financial performance of local communities and businesses. The influx of tourists and the resulting waste generated by hotels may present risks to sensitive ecosystems such as coral reefs and nature preserves. Poor environmental protection practices may preclude hotels from obtaining new construction licences in these sensitive areas and could, in the long term, diminish natural attractions for tourists that generate revenue for communities and hotels. In contrast, environmental protection may make travel destinations more attractive and increase demand.

Product Quality & Safety

Customer Safety
Meeting customer satisfaction standards for the Car Rental & Leasing industry means ensuring vehicles are in proper working condition and customers understand how to safely operate the vehicles. Since rental vehicles accumulate significant mileage compared to private vehicles, frequent maintenance and repair are required, which can be costly. Vehicle recalls are materially significant to the industry because the associated repairs temporarily may reduce entities’ available fleet, create customer service issues and decrease the residual value of cars. In addition, if customers are involved in accidents and the car rental entity is found negligent, the entity may face legal fees, impaired brand value and a higher risk profile. Balancing cost savings while ensuring safety can be complex. The franchise model under which car rental and leasing entities operate adds to the complexity, since franchisees separately own and manage their fleets.

Labour Practices

Labour Practices
The Hotels & Lodging industry is reliant upon labour to operate large facilities. A service-oriented workforce that provides guests with a pleasant stay is an important value driver for hotel entities. This, combined with labour force dynamics, may create low job satisfaction that can result in high turnover and potential lawsuits and contribute to increased expenses for hotel operators. Hotels that foster anti-discriminatory practices and ensure fair wages may improve worker satisfaction and reduce turnover.

Product Design & Lifecycle Management

Fleet Fuel Economy & Utilisation
By providing fuel-efficient and alternative fuel vehicles, car rental and leasing entities may improve the environmental sustainability of their operations while also achieving financial benefits. Consumer demand for more efficient vehicles is growing, motivated by both environmental stewardship and lower operating costs associated with fuel efficiency. In addition to providing fuel-efficient and low-emission fleets, entities in the industry are adapting to changing vehicle needs by providing car-sharing services. In urban settings, car sharing is an attractive alternative to vehicle ownership that reduces congestion and the environmental impacts associated with private ownership of vehicles. By maximising fleet utilisation rates through car-sharing, entities may improve operational efficiency.

Physical Impacts of Climate Change

Climate Change Adaptation
Hotels operating in climate change-exposed areas may be impacted by physical climate risks including inclement weather and flooding. Inclement weather may damage property and disrupt operations, thereby reducing asset values and revenues. In addition, hotels may face higher insurance premiums for buildings located in coastal regions or may be unable to insure their properties. Hotel operators will likely need to adapt to shifting climate trends such as rising sea levels, hurricanes, and flooding in order to maintain their climate-exposed revenue-generating properties.

Relevant Issues for both Industries (7 of 26)

Select up to 4 industries