Environmental management best practices: towards social innovation

This research investigates exploratory environmental initiatives in tourism companies in Mallorca over five years, with special consideration to those involving partnerships and synergies with other parties (including academic ones), in an exploration of Social Innovation (SI) approaches in the industry. The paper starts with an outline of the growing importance of sustainability within the hospitality industry and its inherent relation with SI. The study draws its empirical material from ten innovative practices on sustainability from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and a big hotel chain in Mallorca. The data were collected by means of questionnaires and interviews. All cases incorporated SI features (partnerships, synergies, circular processes, systemic approach), developing, therefore, towards an integrated system of SI policy and practice. The study indicates that embracing environmental principles alongside social and economic concerns can lead to a systemic approach and these commitments can be regarded as a more solid model of sustainability.