Rotana expands sustainability commitment across operations and guest experience with Ecolab and Stella Hospitality

Zawya

17-06-2025

Rotana renews 20-year partnership with Ecolab and welcomes Stella Hospitality to advance sustainability across operations and guest touchpoints
Partnership delivers quantifiable impact including water, energy, plastic, and emissions savings across multiple Rotana properties
Integrated approach combines data-led efficiency with recyclable guest amenities to meet evolving guest expectations
Abu Dhabi, UAE: Rotana, one of the region's leading hotel management companies, has announced a new multi-faceted sustainability partnership with Ecolab, a global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions, and Stella Hospitality, a provider of sustainable guest amenity packaging.
The partnership builds on a renewed agreement with Ecolab, marking 20 years of collaboration, and introduces Stella Hospitality into Rotana's supplier ecosystem for the first time. The partnership was formalised through individual agreements with Ecolab and Stella Hospitality, following leadership-level engagements with representatives from all parties.
Together, the three organisations will support Rotana in advancing its sustainability objectives across operations and guest touchpoints — from reducing water and energy consumption to phasing out single-use plastics and enhancing in-room product design.
'This renewed partnership with Ecolab, and the addition of Stella Hospitality, reflects our determination to make a meaningful and lasting impact,' said Philip Barnes, Chief Executive Officer at Rotana. 'It's about moving beyond intention to action — reducing resource use where it matters and making conscious choices that shape a better guest experience.'
Scaling Measurable Sustainable Impact Across Operations and Guest Experience
As part of the renewed partnership, Ecolab will continue to implement technologies that help Rotana reduce water, energy, and chemical use while maintaining high standards of hygiene and operational efficiency.
These outcomes are tracked using Ecolab's eROISM (Exponential Return on Investment) proprietary tool, which measures both environmental and financial impact — enabling smarter, data-driven decision-making across hotel operations.
This approach directly supports findings from Ecolab's global Watermark Study, which shows that consumers remain very concerned about climate change and are increasingly willing to support businesses that prioritize sustainability. By applying smart systems that optimise water and energy use, the partnership ensures Rotana remains ahead of these challenges.
'This partnership shows how data-driven collaboration can deliver measurable environmental progress at scale,' said Stefan Umiastowski, Senior Vice President & Market Head IMEA, Ecolab. 'By combining advanced technologies with our proprietary tool eROISM, we're helping Rotana make smarter operational decisions — reducing resource use while upholding the highest standards of hygiene and guest experience.'
In parallel, Stella Hospitality will supply recyclable amenity bottles, replacing single-use plastics across select properties. Purpose-built for hospitality, these solutions are designed to reduce environmental impact, enhance the in-room experience, and align with Rotana's operational needs and brand identity.
A Foundation Built on Long-Term Collaboration
Rotana's renewed agreement with Ecolab builds on a 20-year partnership that has delivered measurable and lasting environmental outcomes. Through Ecolab's proprietary value measurement approaches — including Total Value Delivered (TVD) and Exponential Return on Investment (eROISM) — the collaboration has helped optimise hotel operations and reduce environmental impact across multiple Rotana properties. In the UAE alone, the partnership has supported:
51 million litres of water savings annually
636,000 kWh of energy conserved each year, equivalent to powering 1,800 homes
130 metric tonnes of CO₂ emissions avoided annually
24,000 kilograms of plastic eliminated annually
'Sustainability works best when it's built into how we operate every day — not treated as a separate initiative,' said Eddy Tannous, Chief Operating Officer at Rotana. 'Ecolab's data-driven approach has helped us turn sustainability into a process of continuous improvement. Together, we've achieved meaningful reductions in water and energy use, plastic waste, and emissions — all while maintaining high standards of cleanliness and delivering safer, more thoughtful guest experiences.'
The impact of the partnership was highlighted at the Rotana 2025 Leadership Conference in Al Ain, where Ecolab delivered a keynote titled 'Sustainability Can Be Measured.' The presentation outlined how analytics, tools, and proven methodologies are enabling hospitality leaders to track and improve sustainability performance across their operations.
This collaboration has also contributed to Rotana achieving Green Key certification across several of its properties — a globally recognised standard for excellence in sustainable hotel management.
'Together, we've enabled Rotana to reach internationally recognised sustainability credentials by embedding responsible practices into every operational detail — a foundation we're proud to continue building on,' added Arzu Alibaz, Vice President, Institutional Division, Ecolab.
About Rotana
Rotana is one of the region's leading hospitality companies, founded in Abu Dhabi in 1992. It manages a portfolio of over 114 properties in operation and under development across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Türkiye. Known for its commitment to quality and guest satisfaction, Rotana operates six distinct brands: Rotana Hotels & Resorts, Centro Hotels, Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts, Arjaan Hotel Apartments, Edge by Rotana, and The Residences by Rotana.
As a member of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), Rotana is part of the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty program—one of the world's largest for independent hotel brands—offering guests exclusive benefits at more than 900 hotels in nearly 100 countries. With its brand promise of 'Treasured Time', Rotana continues to expand its presence across key markets while delivering trusted hospitality experiences.
About Ecolab
A trusted partner for millions of customers, Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) is a global sustainability leader offering water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services that protect people and the resources vital to life. Building on more than a century of innovation, Ecolab has annual sales of $16 billion, employs approximately 48,000 associates and operates in more than 170 countries around the world. The company delivers comprehensive science-based solutions, data-driven insights and world-class service to advance food safety, maintain clean and safe environments, and optimize water and energy use. Ecolab's innovative solutions improve operational efficiencies and sustainability for customers in the food, healthcare, high tech, life sciences, hospitality and industrial markets.