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. 

Green Key's partner helps to reduce single-use bottled water from international hotel chain

Green Key’s corporate partner Purezza Premium Water has signed a global partnership agreement with one of the world-leading hotel groups in hospitality, Accor, which wishes to adopt more sustainable water consumption solutions.

The hospitality industry historically has had a dramatic impact on the environment, which has led to many hotel groups adopting sustainable practices and aligning them with their operations. One of the most effective actions that hotel groups can take is to reduce their consumption of single-use materials and products, such as plastic bottles.

As a global provider of freshly dispensed drinking water solutions that has direct supply and distribution in more than 60 countries, Green Key’s corporate partner, Purezza Premium Water, has played an important role in helping tourism businesses to adopt more sustainable water dispensing solutions, as well as reusable bottles. By making simple choices regarding guests’ and staff’s water consumption, hotels can reduce their negative impacts on the environment and save on delivery costs.

With over 5,000 hotels around the world, Accor is one of those hotel groups that have built a strategy around sustainability to include initiatives which aim to reduce the negative impacts on the environment. A top priority for Accor is to remove single-use packaging from its hotels and this includes single-use bottled water. The hotel’s chain has now chosen Green Key’s partner Purezza Premium Water as a preferred global supplier to assist them in removing single-use bottled water from the supply chains of their hotels.

Purezza provides water dispensers, which filter tap water, as well as reusable, glass branded bottles, in still and sparkling variants. By switching to this alternative solution, a hotel can remove hundreds of thousands of single-use plastic water bottles from all areas of their hotel operations every year!

Scott Mitchell, Global Head of Purezza Premium Water, says: “We are pleased to be partnering with Accor and supporting them in their sustainability initiatives. Our shared goals of eliminating single-use packaging and reducing waste complements our strategic partnership.”

As consumers continue to actively select their accommodation based on the sustainability practices and performance of the properties, it is essential for hotels to build a strategy around sustainability and partner with sustainability-minded suppliers.

To learn more about Purezza Premium Water solutions, visit their website here.

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.

Green Key featured in FEE's annual report of 2021

Every year, the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) shares the main highlights and decisions from the organisation and its network in the annual FEE report. Amongst others, the report includes various achievements from FEE’s five programmes. Therefore, milestones and other important highlights of the Green Key programme are also displayed in the report.

After a challenging 2020 for the tourism industry, with many hospitality businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, at the beginning of the year 2021, the Green Key programme was busier than ever. As part of its COVID-19 strategy and to assist its members during this difficult time, the Green Key programme extended the certifications from establishments affected by the pandemic. In addition, Green Key recognised the efforts of accommodations that were able to comply with the strict set of criteria, and therefore received the certificate despite the circumstances in 2020.

In 2021, the Green Key programme also achieved other milestones, such as:

• Welcoming two new countries to its network, Madagascar and Trinidad & Tobago, which are now also amongst the countries having Green Key certified establishments;

• Establishing and renewing cooperation agreements with enterprises that work closely with hotels and other accommodations worldwide. One of these partnerships was signed with Beirholm, a company that produces environmentally friendly textiles. In addition, Green Key also prolonged its collaboration with Drinkable Air, which works with Atmospheric Water Generators technology to reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles;

• Being represented at COP 26 in Glasgow;

• Being highlighted as a robust example of a sustainable tourism scheme by the Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Cafés (HOTREC) in its publication Towards sustainable Tourism in Europe (2020);

• Launching its first course on FEE Academy, which inspired the development of a training project for a hospitality school in Cambodia;

• Revising its criteria. Green Key’s new standards for 2022-2025 have been recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and can be found here.
  

  To read more about Green Key’s highlights of 2021 featured in the FEE annual report click here.