The Indian hospitality industry is undergoing an immense shift in current times. For many years, luxury and service were the metrics hotels were based on how hotels are being measured on sustainability and eco-conscious practices on par with service and luxury.  Properties today are focusing on sustainable measures and environmentally sound practices, such as energy-efficient building infrastructure, zero-waste kitchens, practices for water conservation, eliminating single-use plastics, etc. Hotels in India are changing their business models and practices to match the sustainability goals of the rest of the world, and this development is creating green jobs across the industry. 

Why Sustainability Matters to Hotels in India?

For hoteliers in India today, sustainability is no longer just a marketing tool, sustainable practices are now an operational priority. Rising costs for energy and water, tighter state-level liability laws for waste, and a growing awareness from both Indian travelers and international travelers is forcing hotels to choose sustainable practices for their guests. Guests today expect, as part of their standard of service and luxury, sustainable practices, including solar-powered hot water, locally sourced organic food, or eco-conscious toiletries, and every hotel they now visit is under scrutiny for that practice or lack thereof. 

This demand is changing the way markets are... and creating an entirely new segment of hospitality jobs focused on sustainability.

The New Green Positions being introduced in Indian Hotels

The Indian hotel industry is changing its HR strategy to include sustainability roles. The green roles that are emerging the most include:

Sustainability Manager / Head of Green Operations

• The role leads all sustainability elements in a hotel or hotel chain.
• Works with the General Managers to prepare for and assess the hotels' compliance with eco-certifications such as LEED, EarthCheck or Green Globe.
• Determines the sustainability road map — may include reducing energy usage, tracking carbon footprint, and educating the staff on green initiatives.

Energy and Resource Efficiency Advisor

• Specialises in energy audits, solar energy adoption, LED lighting retrofits, and HVAC improvements.
• Records water usage via smart meters, and implements rainwater harvesting or waste-water recycling programs.
• Settings are often low risk, but have a significant impact on reducing operational costs while improving environmental performance.

Green Chef / Sustainable Culinary Specialist

• Today, chefs are expected to create menus that are farm-to-fork, seasonal, and zero waste; it’s no longer just about fine dining.
• Sourcing local produce, minimising food miles, eliminating plate waste, and encouraging plant-based dining are all foci of the green chef.
• Also working with suppliers to insist on green packaging, and try to provide food donations.

Waste Management & Recycling Coordinator 

• Creates the waste segregation system for kitchens, guest rooms and back-of-house operations. 
• In partnership with municipal authorities and recycling partners, manages e-waste, food waste and plastics. 
• Monitors compliance with India's Solid Waste Management Rules (2016) and local municipal requirements. 

Sustainable Housekeeping Supervisor 

• Ensures the housekeeping department is being as sustainable as possible. 
• Introduces biodegradable cleaning products, machines that save water in laundry and programs to reuse linen. 
• Trains the housekeeping team to always consider how to reduce chemical and water usage, while maintaining a hygienic workplace. 

Eco-Guest Experience Coordinator

• Links sustainability with guest engagement. 
• Creates programs for guests, such as tree planting, eco- walks or opportunities to volunteer in the local community. 
• Offers sustainability-related information in guest rooms, such as smart thermostats, refillable amenities and green transport options. 

Community Engagement & CSR Manager 

• Creates collaborative partnerships with local artisans, farmers and NGOs to ensure community development is part of hotel operations. 
• Works to ensure the hotel contributes to sustainable tourism by empowering people within destinations, promoting cultural heritage, and mitigating adverse environmental impacts. 

Indian Hotels are Leading the Way with Green Hiring

Several hotel chains in India are already establishing benchmarks in the sustainable hospitality industry, and their hiring practices are echoing this shift:

• ITC Hotels: Rebranded as “Responsible Luxury”, the ITC chain has multiple LEED Platinum-rated properties and is hiring sustainability managers, energy efficient specialists and chefs trained in zero-waste principles.
• Taj Hotels (IHCL): Taj has invested heavily, through the Paathya initiative, in renewable energy and water stewardship, and embraced eco-friendly operations, creating job postings for new sustainability officers and reporting opportunities.
• The Oberoi Group: While Oberoi provides luxury, it too has recruited new staff to oversee eco-design and energy efficiency, eco-like housekeeping, and tourism with community links.
• Eco-Resorts and Boutique Hotels: From Ayurveda resorts in Kerala, to eco-lodges in the Himalayas, smaller properties are hiring green general managers, eco-chefs and waste coordinators to position themselves within the market. 

The Future of Green Jobs in Indian Hospitality

As India fulfills its Net Zero 2070 commitment every hotel in India is now going to have millions of responsibilities, but it is up to the hotel industry to lead the way. The next decade will look like this:

• Every large hotel will have a sustainability manager.
• Every hotel will have green chefs, and restaurants in hotels will have zero-waste kitchens.
• Every housekeeping department, and engineering department will add sustainability KPIs into every standard operating procedure (SOPS).
• Hospitality schools will come up with graduates specialised in sustainable hotel management. And,
• Guests will review hotels on sustainability performance along with service and luxury.

Hospitality in India stands at a crossroads. Sustainability is no longer an add-on; it's a fundamental operational function that is influencing everything from kitchens to guest rooms. This has ushered in a new wave of green jobs in the hotel sector — sustainability manager, eco-chef, waste manager, efficiency specialist.

For professionals, this is a newly defined career trajectory where hospitality and environmental stewardship meet. For hotels, sustainability is no longer a matter of compliance or branding; it's about ensuring future operations, capturing guest trust, and contributing to India's vision of sustainable tourism.