Biodiversity Preservation in Green Key certified Hyvärilä Youth Centre Nurmes, Finland

Sustainability is a core component of the Hyvärila Youth Centre, which holds a Green Key certification, reflecting the centre’s standard of excellence in environmental responsibility and its awareness of its own environmental impacts.

© Hyvärilä Youth Centre Nurmes, Finland

In January 2021, the Youth Centre launched its Wildflower Meadow project, which involved planting a wildflower meadow near the Youth Centre as part of a larger biodiversity preservation project. Staff from the centre, the Association of Women in Agriculture and Housekeeping of Eastern Finland, the Association for Rural Culture and Education and the Environmental School of Finland all came together to support this initiative, providing local expertise and helping hands.

Planted using native Finnish species and species from the local area, the new wildflower meadow provides an excellent outdoor area for non-formal learning and is currently used to host biodiversity lessons for the youth centre visitors.

Wildflower meadows are a crucial habitat for many animal species. The diversity of wildflowers provides food and shelter to hundreds of insects, including pollinators, which, in turn, supports mammals and birds. Besides the planting of a wildflower meadow, the Hyvärila Youth Centre also worked closely with the local community and youth visitors to host a series of very successful insect hotel-building workshops, which will be repeated given their popularity. While only in its second year, the project serves to promote positive actions that individuals can take to preserve the natural habitat of local pollinating species and smaller animals.

The learning activities in connection with the planting of the wildflower meadow have also been used to teach about the importance of maintaining and preserving Finnish traditions and cultural landscapes. Co-funded by the European Solidarity Corps Programme, in the next five years the project aims to involve at least 70 local and international volunteers , teaching about how to grow meadows, and maintain them using traditional techniques. This includes learning about the use of traditional tools such a scythe, as well as the process of hay making. Participating in an annual flea market in North Karelia, the Youth Centre hosted an event, helping revive the Finnish tradition of “Haymaking Talkoot” – a community-based event which involves gathering local people to help complete a large task that needs doing, such as haymaking, cleaning or building something.

© Hyvärilä Youth Centre Nurmes, Finland

Launched in 2021, a programme by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is a ‘rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around the world, for the benefit of people and nature’. Local youth and community-based projects such as the one from Hyvärilä Youth Centre play an important role in maintaining and teaching about local biodiversity and ecosystems. Overall, restoration of such wildflower meadows is essential to helping achieve the UN Decade’s goals and combating insect and pollinator decline worldwide.

If you would like to learn more about the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and how you can get involved, please visit the following link.

This article is part of our UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration series which highlights the projects and activities of FEE members that contribute to the UN Decade.

Hapimag Sea Garden Resort, certified with Green Key, shares its waste management best practice

Hapimag Sea Garden Resort near the city of Bodrum in Turkey/Türkiye has been continuously working on the development of new nature-inspired solutions, and they did the same this time, by implementing new waste management system.

© Hapimag Sea Garden Resort, Bodrum

Hapimag Sea Garden Resort has been continuously Green Key certified since 2015. The establishment has developed a new waste management system by implementing new waste collection points and sustainable waste containers in the area of the resort. 

Kerem Demirkol, the Director of Hapimag Resort Operations for Turkey/Türkiye, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, explains more:

"When we look at our nearly 30-years history, we have always implemented sustainability. We have been implementing the zero-waste system for the last 4 years. We sort the waste at the source and bring it to the temporary waste collection point that was created in the hotel area which is afterwards delivered to the licensed company. By separating the organic food waste from the liquids, we deliver nearly 300 kg every week for the "food for street animals" project, which we have done in cooperation with the municipality.”

© Hapimag Sea Garden Resort, Bodrum

In order to effectively separate the waste, the establishment provides various trainings to its personnel such as waste separation training and efficient waste disposal. In this way, the establishment tries to make a difference, minimize the impact on the environment and save natural resources. This then helps to preserve the beauty of the nature, which plays a big role for the establishment and follows their philosophy of “luxury is in the nature”.

However, effective waste management is only one of the actions that Hapimag Sea Garden Resort implemented to lower its impact on the environment. Another action is the support of the local producers, using their products, and promoting their services. Most of the meals prepared at the hotel are made with the use of local organic products or grown in the hotel’s own greenhouse. On the other hand, because Bodrum city is rich in terms of traditional handicrafts, Hapimag Sea Garden Resort focuses on social development and support of the local traditions to preserve the cultural heritage from the area.

Kerem Demirkol added: “We brought the producers together with our guests from all over the world, enabling them to perform their art and exhibit their products such as carpets they weave. Our most important goal is to transfer this spiritual heritage to future generations. We see every motif woven here as a value thrown into the spiritual treasure of our children.”

With its sustainability goals, Hapimag Sea Garden Resort contributes to the support not only of the nature but also the local people and cultural heritage.

Read more about Hapimag Sea Garden Resort, Bodrum here.

Green Key certified Hägern Bed & Nature is taking various initiatives to support biological diversity

Hägern Bed & Nature shares examples of amazing best practices, which help to reinforce biodiversity by preserving existing natural areas and combating pollinator and insect loss. The biggest outcome is the abundance of insects, butterflies, wild bees, and bumblebees.

© Hägern Bed & Nature

Hägern Bed & Nature is a bed & breakfast, situated on the island Bolmsö in the Swedish region Småland. The name of this establishment was inspired by the beautiful nature that surrounds the establishment and by outdoor experiences that are available nearby, such as hiking, fishing, and bird watching.

Being located so close to nature, Hägern Bed & Nature decided to contribute to biological diversity by designing a flower garden full of pollinator-friendly flowers and herbs by the entrance to their establishment. The flower garden was designed with the help of a gardener student, Stina Gustafsson, and in addition to several birdhouses, wild bee hotels, and bird and bee baths it attracted a lot of bees, butterflies, and other insects into the area.

Karl Sandrock, the environmental manager and owner of Hägern Bed & Nature shared his thoughts on the importance of the Green Key certificate and sustainable development for the establishment:

“As Hägern Bed & Nature is located on an island of extraordinary natural beauty in the south of Sweden, surrounded by forests and lakes, it was an easy decision to want to have the Green Key certification. Sustainability is essential for us and of course also for our guests who want their impact to be as minimal as possible. Despite being a very small accommodation, we have taken all the initiatives within our reach to leave a footprint.  An especially significant one that also fills us with joy is our new garden which welcomes our guests with many flowers, butterflies, and insects.”

© Hägern Bed & Nature

To support the flower lifecycle, the establishment leaves parts of their lawn unmown, which apart from other benefits also allows meadow flowers to bloom and spread. By leaving dead wood and branches untouched, they preserve existing natural areas and combat insect loss.

Moreover, to fight diseases such as fungi, Hägern Bed & Nature uses beneficial fungi instead of pesticides. The beneficial fungi are biological products based on naturally occurring root fungi in the ground, the fungi then strengthen the plants and keep them healthier.

In addition to all these actions that help with the protection and support of biodiversity, the establishment also focuses on energy-consumption savings and managed to reduce electricity consumption by over 40%, from January to August 2021, in comparison to the same period in 2022. The reduction of electricity consumption was achieved by simply improving the manual routines for heating and lowering the temperature in rooms.

To learn more about the Hägern Bed & Nature, click here.

Zero Emissions by 2050: Radisson Hotel Group Dedicates Itself Towards a Sustainable Future

Green Key’s partner, the Radisson Hotel Group, is now amongst the companies setting its carbon reduction targets based on scientific recommendations.

Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) defines its zero-emissions commitment by 2050. To reach this goal, RHG will join the UNFCCC global campaign called Race to Zero, supporting the global goal of reaching Net Zero emissions. RHG will also become part of the Business Ambition campaign, which aims to hold global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Among other activities that RHG does to reduce its carbon footprint is its transition to renewable energy solutions. This transition has shown its results in 30% gains in energy efficiency. Moreover, compared to 2019, the Group has reduced its carbon emissions by 22% and water footprint by 23%. Radisson Hotel Group expects these numbers to increase in the future even more, as their number of green building certified hotels is rising. All the new or rebuilt Radisson Hotel Group properties follow the framework for healthy, efficient, carbon, and cost-saving green buildings and are aligned with sustainable building certifications such as LEED, BREAM, and EDGE.

Additionally to the sustainable building certifications, RHG has specified its own guidelines for sustainable buildings named “Build Planet“. These guidelines are used as a framework that encourages the efficient use of resources and sustainable materials, both when building new hotels and when renovating buildings.

Here is what the CEO of Radisson Hotel Group, Federico J. González, stated on the importance of sustainable actions: 

“Radisson Hotel Group has a strong, long-standing history of pioneering sustainability initiatives in the hospitality industry. Our Responsible Business pillars of Think People, Think Community, and Think Planet play an important part not only in our transformation plan, but also of what we see as our duty as hoteliers to establish a better tomorrow. We are taking clear action and affirming our commitment to be net-zero by 2050, not for our commercial gain but to create concrete change and encourage others to join us on the journey to net-zero, and eventually net positive.”

To learn more about how Radisson Hotel Group commits to decarbonize its business by 2050, click here.

Green Key establishment, Sani Resort, publishes their Environmental, Social and Governance Report

The Sani Resort continuous its tireless work to minimise its environmental footprint, by dedicating their work to the protection of local biodiversity, supporting the local community, and setting a triple Zero Goal: net zero of carbon emissions by 2030 zero single-use plastic and produce zero waste by 2024. In 2020, it therefore became the first certified carbon neutral resort in Greece running in 100% renewable electricity

As part of the Sani/Ikos hotel group, the Sani Resort is encompassing five hotels spread across a 1,000-acre ecological reserve on the Kassandra Peninsula. It is surrounded by seven kilometres of Blue Flag beaches, 20km of forest trails and 270 acres of wetlands, encouraging guests to reconnect with nature within a sustainable mini self-contained world.

In 2020, Sani Resort became the first certified carbon neutral resort in Greece running in 100% renewable energy and was recently awarded as the World’s Leading Luxury Green Resort at the World Travel Awards for the second year in a row. From its commitment to the local community, to its dedication to biodiversity and its efforts to operate sustainably, Sani works tirelessly to minimise its environmental footprint. With sustainability at heart, in 2008, Sani Resort has launched “Sani Green”, a programme focusing on improving the sustainability performance of the resort, from energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources to water conservation and sustainable procurement. Each Sani Green initiative is supported by well-defined policies and measurable targets, in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Therefore, the resort is powered by 100% renewable electricity, energy consumption has been reduced by 3% in 2019, water consumption per guest has been reduced by 48% since 2016, and 2,000,000kg of materials have been recycled in the last five years, with a recycling performance of 290,000kg planned for 2021.Furthermore,the Sani Resort has set a triple Zero Goal; net zero of carbon emissions by 2030, zero plastic and produce zero waste by 2024. As a result, the Sani/Ikos group has already banned the EU single-use plastic list. Furthermore, electric car charging stations with are offered within the resort, and all club cars are electric. In addition, Sani is reducing food waste via AI technology and launching its first zero waste restaurant, the Tomata restaurant at the Sani Marina.

The pollinator hotel of the Sani Resort

Over 60% of Sani’s products come from within 100miles of the resort, with in-resort botanical gardens supporting the farm-to-table approach of its restaurants. Sani’s food and wine range, Land of Grace, produced exclusively by local artisans, is available to taste or purchase-all profits donated to local food banks for vulnerable communities. Guests immerse in nature through guided eco-activities like Sani Wetlands, birdwatching, forest walk, beekeeping, olive harvesting and day farm trips. Home to 225 bird species (total 456 species found in Greece), the complimentary birdwatching tours in Sani Wetlands have seen a 680% increase in participation since 2013.

The Sani Resort furthermore actively works on the protection of the local biodiversity. Together with the not-for profit organisation, Bee Camp, the Sani Resort just launched the largest Bee Spot in Greece, to give shelter to pollinators and host educational activities about the importance of bees in the local eco-system. Adults and kids have the chance to have an eco-trip to the bee spot and learn more about the importance of the pollinators in the local eco-system. In addition, Sani teamed up with ISea to monitor the resident dolphin population and create the first catalogue of cetaceans in Halkidiki. Teenagers and kids participate in educational activities about the rich biodiversity in the Greek seas and the human interaction. Finally, Sani supports further biodiversity projects, such as the Sani Wetlands Project and tree-planting, as well as encourages local farmers to farm more sustainably.

On the importance of receiving the Green Key certificate, Eleni Andreadis, Director of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility explains;

"For more than 50 years, Sani Resort has placed sustainability at the center of its activities. We have been recipients and supporters of the Green Key award since its early days. Our cooperation has helped us build and develop our commitment to sustainability as a vital part of our philosophy in pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals that serve as a blueprint for a better and more sustainable hospitality industry in Greece."

The hotel group’s recently published Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2021, which summarises all their environmental and social sustainability actions in greater detail, can be downloaded here. For more information about the Sani Resort in general, please visit their website, by clicking here.

Sani Resort Properties

Sani Resort Natural Reserve

Sani Resort Rooms

Resorts in Mauritius receive the Green Key certification for the first time

Four of the idyllic Veranda Resorts (Pointe aux Biches, Paul & Virginie, Palmar Beach, and Tamarin Hotel) have now joined the Green Key network of certified establishments. The resorts are part of the Rogers Hospitality group, that has also ownership over two Heritage Resorts units, in Maldives, that have been receiving the Green Key label since 2017.

The Veranda Tamarin unit is one of the newly certified Green Key establishments in Mauritius.

The Rogers Hospitality group has taken even more significant steps towards a more sustainable hospitality sector in Mauritius. After successfully renewing the Green Key certification for two of its Heritage Resorts units (Le Telfair and Awali) since 2017, the hospitality group decided it was time for another of its hotel brands to comply with the high environmental standards set by Green Key International.

For the first time, four out of the five units of the beautiful Veranda Resorts have entered the Green Key network of certified establishments, namely the Veranda Pointe aux Biches, Veranda Paul & Virginie, Veranda Palmar Beach and Veranda Tamarin Hotel. On the importance of receiving the Green Key certificate, the Sustainable Development Coordinator of Veranda Resorts Pooja Etwah has said:

"[…]I am truly proud of our first Green Key certification. Upon the recruitment of full-time sustainability officers in all our resorts, there has been a smooth implementation, follow-up and engagement across all our hotels in undertaking sustainability principles to a higher level. Our teams are committed to protecting the environment through best practices and innovative measures and including the local community and guests in all activities related to sustainable development.[…] By embarking on the Green Key program, we are sure to be following strong international standards as well as provide our stakeholders with a high level of transparency and credibility in our actions. […]".'

According to the Veranda Resorts' Sustainable Development Coordinator, following the Green Key criteria has allowed the hotels’ teams to develop and revise their operational procedures. In addition, extra training has been provided to the Veranda staff to raise awareness on the importance of integrating environmental and social factors into operations. 

Sustainable development has been embedded in Rogers's Hospitality DNA for several years. The hotel's strategy has focused on five pillars: energy transition, biodiversity preservation and restoration, a circular economy model for better waste management, inclusive development and vibrant communities. For each of its pillars, the Veranda Resorts have adopted specific measures. For example, in the energy transition pillar, staff is asked to verify whether new electronic equipment is energy-efficient before proceeding with the purchase. Moreover, there is regular monitoring of the lighting systems at the resorts to ensure that all LED lamps are correctly functioning and that external lighting is only used when necessary. 

Guests are also involved in the different Veranda Resorts strategies targeting sustainability. For example, visitors at the Veranda Pointe aux Biches unit are invited to switch off their room lights for 1 hour to help reduce energy consumption. In all resorts, the visitors are also encouraged to enjoy nature activities, including sea activities, bike-riding or visits to natural parks.

Waste management is also essential to the Veranda resorts' sustainable programme. Each hotel's team is responsible for sorting all waste before sending it to recycling stations. In addition, the concerns about waste management are also transmitted to the younger generations of visitors through upcycling workshops offered at the resorts' kids clubs. More recently, the Veranda resorts have committed to work towards eliminating single-use guest-related plastic items from operations, such as wet bathroom amenities, that have now been placed in recyclable and reusable containers.  

Finally, the Green Key-certified Veranda resorts also work closely with the local community in Mauritius. Donations and healthy food are distributed among vulnerable families, and literacy classes are also offered to the hotels' staff. In addition, the hotels make sure to include local seasonal food in their menus and support local businesses. 

Green Key International congratulates the four certified Veranda Resorts for their incredible strategy and initiatives that target the reduction of environmental impact while helping to promote more literacy and knowledge on sustainable tourism development in Mauritius. 

Mandarin Oriental Doha renews its sustainability commitments

Once again, the luxurious Mandarin Oriental Hotel Doha in Qatar, continues to maintain its sustainable commitments by renewing the Green Key certification.

Designed by the world-renowned David Collins Studio, the Mandarin Oriental Doha is a beautiful and luxurious hotel with 117 rooms, 41 suites and 91 serviced apartments located in the centre of Msheireb Downtown, Doha. The hotel joined the Green Key programme in 2020 and thereby became one of the more than 3,500 tourist accommodations worldwide that commit to following a set of environmental principles. These high sustainability standards expected of Green Key establishments are maintained through rigorous documentation and frequent audits.

This year, the Mandarin Oriental Doha has once again solidified its commitment to a more sustainable hospitality industry by renewing the Green Key certificate. About this accomplishment, the General Manager of the Mandarin Oriental, Martin Schnider states:

“We are delighted to sustain the Green Key Certificate for 2022 as we contribute towards doing more for a sustainable future. We aspire to engage all our stakeholders, from guests and colleagues to partners, in our relentless pursuit of sustainability and hospitality excellence”.

Some of the Mandarin Oriental Doha’s efforts towards reducing its environmental impact have focused on eliminating all single-use plastic within the hotel. For this purpose, an on-site water filtration system has been used to replace and reduce plastic consumption by up to 80,000 bottles annually. In addition, the hotel has switched to more sustainable options regarding disposable food containers and amenities, for example by introducing solid beauty products in the guest rooms and spa area.

Adequate energy and water management are also carefully considered in Mandarin Oriental Doha. The Green Key-certified establishment has 29 solar panels that provide more than 80% of hot water used by guests. Moreover, the hotel uses the rainwater captured from its rooftop and the water condensation from the air conditioning in guests’ washrooms and other bathrooms.

Finally, great attention has also been given to the protection of biodiversity within the region. The Mandarin Oriental Doha recognises the extreme importance of bees as natural pollinators and has, therefore, partnered with beekeepers from a Qatari apiary to harvest honey that is sold at the hotel.

About Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world’s most luxurious hotels, resorts and residences. Having grown from its Asian roots into a global brand, the Group now operates 36 hotels and seven residences in 24 countries and territories, with each property reflecting the Group’s oriental heritage and unique sense of place. Mandarin Oriental has a strong pipeline of hotels and residences under development and is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group.

Booking.com reveals new travel trends in Sustainable Report

The international booking platform report compiles information from 30,000 travellers from 32 different countries and territories and analyses travellers’ behaviour and expectations with regard to sustainability.

Photo by Jamie Fenn on Unsplash

For the 7th consecutive year, Booking.com inquired thousands of its users about their travel choices. The results show an increasing interest in sustainability around the globe, at environmental, social, economic, and cultural levels.

According to the Sustainable Travel Report 2022, half of the global travellers admit that the alarming news on climate change has influenced them to pursue more sustainable choices when travelling. Almost half of the travellers inquired (46%) chose at least one sustainable accommodation during their travels last year. The main reasons for this choice were a willingness to reduce the impact on the environment, wanting to have a locally relevant experience and supporting sustainable accommodations that treat the community better.

The Booking.com report suggests that the demand for sustainable accommodations can grow soon, with 78% of respondents showing their intention of staying at a sustainable property throughout this year.

Despite the significant positive numbers, the Sustainable Travel Report 2022 of Booking.com also shows that there is still a large portion of travellers that hesitate to travel more sustainably, with the biggest reason being: not knowing that sustainable properties were an option (31%) and not knowing where to search for them (29%).

The report also shows that 54% of travellers want to filter their options when booking accommodation to select those with a sustainable certification.

In recent years, Booking.com has created a “Travel Sustainable Properties” filter to help travellers find certified accommodations. To know if an establishment is for example Green Key certified on Booking.com, you can use the filter, and then click on the property that you are interested in. Under the pricing list, you will find the “Travel Sustainable Property” information that the establishment is taking significant steps towards sustainability. Finally, by clicking “read more”, it is possible to confirm whether the accommodation is certified with FEE’s Green Key.

To read the full Booking.com report, click here.

Green Key certified establishment joins group of climate partners in Denmark

The conference hotel Kolle Kolle is one of the organisations joining the Furesø Klimapartner working group. The project aims to encourage business owners in the Furesø municipality, in Hovedstaden, Denmark, to compromise with climate action and adopt strategies to reduce environmental impact. 

Located in the Furesø municipality, a few kilometres of distance from the Danish capital, the Kolle Kolle hotel has long been a Green Key certified establishment. Inside the conference hotel, attention is given to food waste, recycling, and knowledge sharing about sustainability issues between staff and guests.  More recently, Kolle Kolle’s compromise with reducing its environmental impact has transcended the hotel's frontiers.

Since 2019, the establishment has been involved in the creation of Klimapartner, a project developed by several local businesses in collaboration with the Furesø municipality. Although the COVID-19 pandemic put the project on hold, the working group has now restarted the course of action. Inspired by SDGs 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and 13 (Climate Action), the Klimapartner initiative hopes to involve local businesses and encourage them to share knowledge and work together in areas such as waste management, heat and energy supply and green mobility. The goal is to inspire all 4,000 companies in Furesø to take action against climate change and join efforts as a community.

The general manager of Kolle Kolle Berit K. Leth considers that the Klimapartner objectives align with the hotel’s goals of raising awareness of environmental issues:

KolleKolle sees Klimapartner as a very important task and we hope to contribute with ideas and knowledge, from our long history of working with environmental issues and most important our membership of Green Key. We hope to be able to help other companies in our local community with environmental questions and how they can turn even small things into reality. We of course also hope to get new ideas and knowledge, which can contribute to our never-ending work to improve KolleKolle’s contribution to a greener world.

Green Key International praises Kolle Kolle’s efforts and compromise toward a more sustainable hospitality world. Visit Kolle Kolle’s website to learn more about its sustainability actions.