NH Hotel Group and Green Key collaboration for environmental education in Mexico

The collaboration started in January has led to a new initiative in Mexican establishments to raise guests’ awareness among their carbon footprint.

As part of the work towards environmental information to guests, a joint production of cards with environmental information has been launched between NH Hotel Group and Green Key in Mexico. This initiative aims to generate a positive change in both guests and staff in the first two NH hotels awarded Green Key in Mexico City. Indeed, NH and Green Key collaboration in Mexico focuses on environmental information to guests, one of the 13 criteria areas to comply with to achieve the Green Key award.

Through the joint production of these informative cards, Green Key supports the first Spanish hotel chain’s ambitious sustainability goals. Green Key in Mexico also takes part to the implementation and spreading of eco-friendly practices in Mexican establishments since more NH hotels are underway in the country.

Recently, NH Hotel Group announced to have approved long term goals by the Science Based Targets Initiative, meaning that these goals are reviewed by a scientific committee and are meaningful for the planet.  This target set goals to reduce its carbon emission by 20% by 2030 based on 2018 as based-year on all supply chain activities in order to avoid the emission of over 70,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

As part of its work with sustainability, NH Hotel Group also prioritizes innovation to develop eco-friendly solutions regarding energy, water, responsible suppliers, carbon footprint and climate change. With 46 Green Key awarded NH hotels worldwide, Green Key also supports this large scale transformation involving the entire hotel chain.

Green Key awarded Mexican hacienda with focus on sustainable gardening

As part of the work with sustainability, Fiesta Americana Hacienda San Antonio El Puente Cuernavaca has integrated responsible use of water and composting for its garden areas.

The hotel, located in the village of Xochitepec just 15 minutes away from Cuernavaca and 1.5 hour away from Mexico City, is a perfect place to celebrate the past and the present. It is a historical hacienda with a beautiful colonial architecture and a modern decoration of the rooms.

Fiesta Americana Hacienda San Antonio El Puente Cuernavaca is surrounded by impressive gardens requiring additional focus on sustainability. The management has installed an irrigation system only using collected rainwater supplemented with water from a nearby river, while the municipal water supply is not used for this purpose. The hotel is naturally only watering the garden at night or in the morning when the water evaporation is lower. Furthermore, the hotel focuses on collecting and composting garden waste for later use as natural fertilisers in the gardens and thereby reducing the need for adding artificial fertilisers.

José Luis Jiménez Cortés, Maintenance Manager at Fiesta Americana Hacienda San Antonio El Puente Cuernavaca, says: “With the unique location of our hacienda in beautiful green surroundings, we are aware of our need to manage the gardens as sustainable as possible, and we are therefore very proud of our rainwater and garden waste collection systems.

The Hotel belongs to Grupo Posadas, the largest hotel group in Mexico with around 160 hotels across the country holding the Green Key award.

First Green Key awarded hotel in Nigeria

Green Key is pleased to announce that the first establishment in Nigeria, the Radisson Blu Hotel Lagos Ikeja, has been awarded the Green Key!

The team of the Radisson Blu Hotel Lagos Ikeja proudly presenting their Green Key award.

Green Key keeps growing on the African continent, our newest member being the Radisson Blu Hotel Lagos Ikeja in Nigeria.

As a safe and healthy environment is top priority to the hotel, achieving the Green Key award has been a milestone in its sustainability work.

To name a few of the hotel’s initiatives, it is working in partnership with the cleaning product company Diversey and SOS Children Villages to recycle soap in the frame of the “Soap for Hope” programme, an initiative to reuse unfinished soap bars from hotels. Children and caretakers in the SOS Children Villages learn how to recycle them and distribute the new soap bars in their community. Furthermore, the hotel has several initiatives to reduce its water consumption. Guests are asked to reuse their towel and bed linen through the “Just a Drop” initiative, low-flow shower heads and taps restrict the water flow and the hotel’s main water tanks is installed with a water float switch to stop spillage when full. In addition, the use of filtration and purification systems for the pool and fountains help the hotel to conserve and reuse water. In total, these practices save the hotel about 80m3 of water daily.

 “We as a hotel are proud to be Green Key certified, showing that we are part of the leading standard of excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operations within the tourism and hospitality industry”

- Lovina Onyinye Ozoagu, Assistant Human Resources Manager

Local products become a source of sustainability at Rocche di Montexelo holiday house and spa

Green Key has been awarded to Rocche di Montexelo holiday house and spa in Italy for its sustainable management and extensive work on the use of local products

Rocche di Montexelo holiday house and spa is located in the Italian municipality of Monticello d'Alba – a UNESCO heritage site and renowned around the world for its hazelnut trees and abundance of truffles.

The choice to be sustainable respecting both the environment and the community was integrated right from the beginning with innovation and use of natural eco-fuels are the main features identified in the management system.

The owner, Irene Ghiazza, has decided to transform hazelnut shells, the main resource of the surrounding area, into a source of heating. The hazelnut shells are considered waste for farmers but are collected and used to feed the boiler.

The establishment has done a range of other sustainability initiatives: solar-thermic energy exchange panels to warm up water for heating system and bathrooms; rainwater  collection for irrigation and toilet flushing; lighting entirely LED to guarantee very low energy consumption in all areas; air conditioning lock system by opening doors and windows maximizes efficiency and minimises waste; charging stations supplying bicycles and electric cars; purchase and use of local food; opportunity to consult a wide range of information material on routes to discover the surrounding territory and nature, etc. The establishment is acknowledged as a “net-zero energy building”.

The establishment is located in one of the most ancient villages of the Roero, at the foot of Monticello d'Alba Castle, where guests can enjoy the view directly from the entrance of their apartments. Respect for the environment is one of the priorities of the Rocche di Montexelo holiday house and in this respect, the message sent to all guests is that "You are helping the environment with us!"

For anyone wishing to have a green experience in this period when the truffle season is approaching, try Rocche di Montexelo holiday house and spa that from today is Green Key eco-labelled.

100 companies and organisations in tourism to reduce plastic waste on holiday destinations

Green Key is joining over 100 companies and organisations from the tourism sector in signing the International Tourism Plastic Pledge today. In doing so, Green Key expresses its commitment to reducing plastic pollution at holiday destinations worldwide.

Every year, more than eight million tonnes of plastic end up in the sea. It is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the sea than fish. The tourism sector also contributes to this. Think of bottles, straws and bags used by tourists. Research has shown that hotel room visitors generate much more plastic waste than a normal household in the same region.

The signatories include TUI Group, Radisson Hotel Group and Hostelling International. Together they represent around180,000 employees and 50 million holidaymakers. In the coming months, a plan will be developed to reduce the use of plastics and to prevent plastic pollution at destinations. This will be a collaboration with the UNWTO (World Tourism Organization), UN Environment and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. MVO Nederland (CSR Netherlands) is the initiator and guides the companies towards further steps.

As a signatory of the International Tourism Plastic Pledge, Green Key recognizes the urgency and the need to work together to reduce plastic pollution and keep our holiday destinations plastic pollution-free. We will continue our efforts to promote alternatives to single-use plastics by exchanging knowledge, best practices and tools for the hospitality industry in particular.

Signing the Tourism Plastic Pledge is another step forward to implement sustainable practices within the tourism industry. Green Key criteria are taking into account the establishments’ commitment to educate and provide their guests with alternatives to single-use plastic. Each action (or inaction) matters and we will continue our work to preserve our planet from plastic pollution.

- Finn Bolding Thomsen, Green Key International Director

Resources regarding best practices such as stories and news about eco-friendly initiatives from the 3,100 Green Key awarded establishments can be find on our website. For example, Green Key strongly supports world’s leading hotel companies which recently banned bathroom miniatures from their rooms such as establishments introducing alternatives to single-use plastic bottles to their guests.

Check the complete list of signatories of the International Tourism Plastic Pledge here.  Other companies from the tourism sector are also welcomed to participate. You can also sign the Tourism Plastic Pledge here: www.tourismplasticpledge.com.

Marriott Hotel saves water and energy by bringing laundry in-house

The London Heathrow Marriott saved 1.7 million litres water per year by opting for an on-site laundry

Hospitality establishments have to deal with dirty laundry every day. 76% of them hand it over to expensive outsourced laundry business where laundry doesn’t always come back as clean as they would like. Moreover, an off-premise laundry emits carbon emissions from both washing operation and transport. That is why bringing laundry in-house could have multiple wins for both the establishments and the guests.

The London Heathrow Marriott has seen a return on investment within 8 months after installing a Hydrofinity washing machine in-house. The latter uses up to 80% less water, 50% less energy and 50% less chemistry than a conventional machine. By bringing laundry in-house, the hotel reduced its outsource costs, energy and water bills such as generated long-term savings in under one year. The 1.7 million litres of water saved would be enough to refill a reusable water bottle for 3.4 million Heathrow passengers every single year!

An on-premise laundry has several benefits that could push establishments to choose it instead of off-premise laundry. First of all, it can be quicker and easier, which also means more efficient. Investing in commercial laundry equipment permits to avoid breakdowns and downtimes of the domestic ones, just as reducing running and maintenance costs. Furthermore, it just requires a space with an access to services and plumbing so in the end would probably take up less rooms than expected. 

The London Heathrow Marriott commitment to sustainability also goes through two electric car charging stations, rooftop solar panels and reusable glass water bottles in-room and meeting room. The hotel’s practices are based on performance, guest satisfaction and sustainability.

Source: https://www.hydrofinity.com/blog/roi-8-months

NH Hotel Group is reducing its carbon footprint worlwide

The first Spanish hotel chain has committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 20% by 2030, thus avoiding the emission of over 70,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

According to a recent press release, NH Hotel Group’s target is to cut direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by 20% with respect to those registered in 2018. The project has been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a leading alliance mobilizing the world of business to take action against climate change. SBTi is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), World Resources Institute (WRI) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). In early 2019, the Group earned a score of A- from CDP Climate Change (formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project). Furthermore, this goal is aligned with the Paris Agreement’s target of limiting the rise in global warming to under 2ºC.

We have been actively supporting climate change mitigation since 2007, since when we have managed to reduce our operations' carbon footprint by 67%. Moreover, in the last year, 70% of all of the energy we consumed came from renewable sources. However, now is the time to be even more ambitious with our sustainability targets”

- Said Rufino Pérez, Chief Operations Officer & Global Transformation Leader at NH Hotel Group

With more than 370 hotels in over 50 countries worldwide, this new commitment framed by NH Hotel Group’s new Business Plan is another step forward to spread eco-friendly strategies within the hospitality industry. We are delighted to have 46 Green Key awarded NH hotels which will be part of this plan and in this way contribute to a large-scale transformation involving the entire hotel chain.

The end of single-use toiletries?

With the growing concern about plastic pollution worldwide, the world’s leading hotel companies are banning bathroom miniatures from their rooms.

Now that the hotel industry has embraced bans on plastic straws, travel-sized toiletries seem to be the next plastic items targeted by hotel chains.

In July, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced that its establishments with almost 843 000 guest rooms will remove bathroom miniatures in favour of bulk-size amenities. The brand, which owns Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and Kimpton, hopes for a complete transition in favour of bulk-size amenities by the end of 2021. This switch to larger-size amenities across more than 5 600 hotels is a big step to significantly reduce hospitality industry’s environmental impact. Indeed, such hotel chains as IGH use roughly 200 million mini toiletry products each year. By the end of the year, IHG aims to remove plastic straws from all its hotels.

For its part, Marriott International announced last month that it will get rid of single-use toiletries in favor of bulk-size pump-topped bottles by the end of 2020. The larger recyclable bottles will contain the same amount of product as between 10 and 12 tiny bottles. This initiative will save the equivalent of more than 700 000 kg of plastic, that is to say a 30 per cent reduction in the amount of plastic produced in the hotels. This is the second global initiative aimed at reducing single-use plastics.

With IHG and Marriott leading the change, the era of travel-sized tubes of shampoo, conditioner and shower gel is finally coming to an end. This tried-and-tested approach is also part of the guests’ desire of more sustainable stays. However, the reduction of single-use plastics may not be optional in the future: hotel brands will have to take actions for the environment while not sacrificing the quality service and the guests’ experience. Green Key strongly supports the transition from single-use items to dispensers and other solutions and congratulates all Green Key awarded establishments that are taking the step to a plastic free future.

New global Responsible Business training programme for Radisson Hotel Group

Since the launch of its first environmental policy in 1989, Green Key partner Radisson Hotel Group never stopped paying attention to its commitment to sustainable development

Known as “Living and Leading Responsible Business”, the new Responsible Business training programme is set to be rolled out worldwide over the next 16 months. First launched in 2001, the existing Responsible Business training programme has been revamped by a global and cross-departmental team as part of a five-year strategic plan.

The new global Responsible Business training programme provides team members in the near 100 countries where the group operates with the tools they need to drive standards and best practices. Training pilots have been completed to identify how the programme can help driving Responsible Business in every hotel and corporate offices. Moreover, all the participants have the opportunity to know how to put it into practice since the programme is available in 21 languages. Radisson Hotel Group aims to have trained its 1 100+ hotels in operation by the end of 2020.

Our responsibility for People, Community and Planet is borderless, so global alignment on our Responsible Business program is a key driver for Radisson Hotel Group. The new Responsible Business training program aims to engage and align all our team members – helping them to have a stronger impact on our group targets, as well as global efforts to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development goals.”

- Sven Wiltink, Director Responsible Business EMEA and Training Project Lead

This new strategy consists of two pillars: Living Responsible Business and Leading Responsible Business. On the one hand, all hotel team members are invited to follow classroom training. The latter deals with ethics, diversity, inclusion, community support, footprint reduction and sorting waste. More sensitive topics can also be evocated such as sex trafficking and forced labour. On the other hand, an e-learning tool permits group and hotel leaders to discover how Responsible Business can be integrated into all company departments. This part of the programme deals with footprint reduction, youth employability, responsible recruitment and sourcing, such as human rights.

This new Responsible Business training programme is such an inspiring strategy for hospitality establishments which want to be part of a more responsible and sustainable industry.