The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts partners with Karuna Ethics Alliance as a founding member

Strengthening its commitment to responsible sourcing and animal welfare across its food supply chain.

Mumbai, 23rd October 2026: For four decades, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has celebrated the finest traditions of Indian hospitality, creating bespoke experiences rooted in care, respect and thoughtfulness. Guided by its philosophy of Mindful Luxury, The Leela continues to extend these values beyond the guest experience, strengthening responsible practices across its operations and supply chain.

Reinforcing this commitment, The Leela has joined the Karuna Ethics Alliance (KEA) as a Founding Member, becoming part of an industry-led collective working to advance animal welfare and responsible sourcing across India's food supply chains.

As part of this association, The Leela aims to progressively transition towards cage-free eggs across its owned hotels, while collaborating with industry peers and experts to encourage responsible sourcing practices and practical animal welfare solutions.

The association builds on The Leela's ongoing commitment to responsibly sourced ingredients and thoughtful culinary practices. In FY 2025–26, 99% of salmon procured across its owned hotels was MSC-certified, reflecting its focus on sustainable seafood sourcing and traceability. The Leela's responsible sourcing approach also supports inclusive economic growth, with 85% of procurement sourced domestically and 46% directed towards MSMEs and small producers. Complementing this, The Leela has formalised its Supplier ESG Code of Conduct, integrating responsible business practices into supplier engagement and procurement decisions.

Anupam Das Gupta, Senior Vice President – Operations, North and Head Wellness, and Priyanka Rajgadkar, Associate Vice President – ESG, represented The Leela at the launch of the Karuna Ethics Alliance on 22nd September 2026.

Speaking on the association, Anupam Das Gupta, said:

"At The Leela, our philosophy of Atithi Devo Bhava and our Leela Dharmas inspire us to create experiences rooted in care and responsibility. Through our association with the Karuna Ethics Alliance, we look forward to collaborating with industry peers to encourage more responsible and ethical sourcing practices across the food supply chain. We believe culinary excellence begins long before an ingredient reaches the plate — shaped by the integrity of our sourcing choices, the quality of our ingredients, and the thoughtfulness behind every experience we create."

Welcoming The Leela as a Founding Member, Sonal Jain, CEO, Karuna Ethics Alliance, said:

"We are delighted to welcome The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts as a Founding Member of the Karuna Ethics Alliance. As an iconic name in Indian luxury hospitality, The Leela has the opportunity to help advance higher animal welfare standards and influence more responsible sourcing practices across the industry's food supply chains. We look forward to working together to turn this shared vision into meaningful, lasting change."

About The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts

The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts is India’s largest institutionally owned and managed pure-play luxury hospitality brand. Backed by Brookfield, The Leela’s portfolio comprises 15 operating award-winning properties spanning owned, operated, and managed hotels and another 10 in the pipeline across leading leisure and business destinations in India and Dubai. Recognized globally for architectural excellence and bespoke services, The Leela was ranked #2 globally among the best Hotel Brand in the World by the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2026 and has been previously ranked as the World’s Best Hotel Brand by Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards in 2020 and 2021, and among the global top three in 2023, 2024 and 2026. The brand remains committed to delivering timeless Indian hospitality through world-class luxury experiences.

About the Karuna Ethics Alliance (KEA)

The Karuna Ethics Alliance (KEA) is India’s first industry-led alliance dedicated to advancing animal welfare across food supply chains. Established as a Section 8 not-for-profit company, KEA works with businesses, financial institutions, researchers and technical experts to develop practical standards, strengthen implementation, promote credible assurance mechanisms and accelerate the adoption of responsible animal welfare practices across India’s food system. KEA is an initiative of the India Karuna Collaborative (IKC).

Media Contacts:  

Anjali Mehra
+918800466085
anjali.mehra@theleela.com