Anglesey Sea Zoo has won the "Ethical Green Business of the Year award"

The Green Key awarded attraction, Anglesey Sea Zoo from Wales has won the Ethical Green Business of the Year award at the Federation of Small Business Awards in Cardiff and will participate in the UK final in London in May 2019

The Anglesey Sea Zoo supports environmental concerns through marine research and conservation as well as education and visitor engagement within the aquarium. They are committed to providing visitors a fun yet educational experience so as well as sharing the diversity of British marine wildlife, they teach their visitors about the various challenges, threats and the impact of human behaviour on the seas. The Anglesey Sea Zoo has proudly held the Green Key accreditation since May 2016 and were the first business on Anglesey to be recognised with the award.

The Anglesey Sea Zoo minimises waste and recycles across all departments of the business – even recycling their waste electrical items through a scheme that benefits Keep Wales Tidy. They undertake a regular series of beach cleans with a network of volunteers and record and relay details of their findings for use by the Marine Conservation Society.

The water for the aquarium is pumped directly from the Menai Strait, thus creating as natural environment as possible within the tanks, with the rest of the water used around the site as well as their electricity use being carefully monitored.

The café strives to use as much locally sourced ingredients as possible and has switched to paper straws and reusable take-out cups. Outside areas are planted with native species to encourage pollinators and wildlife and they endeavour to use fun signage to educate their visitors on all aspects of the site – not just the marine life!

 To improve their carbon footprint further 2017 saw the Anglesey Sea Zoo undertake a large project to install a solar array. They invested in a 50kW PV system of 166 high-efficiency solar panels. These contribute significantly to the overall energy consumption requirements of the business making the Anglesey Sea Zoo the first solar powered aquarium.

Frankie Hobro, Owner & Director, Anglesey Sea Zoo said: “Environmental sustainability and conservation sit at the heart of everything we do here at the Anglesey Sea Zoo as we strive to protect our surroundings and minimise our impact. The Green Key was therefore a natural choice for us and ensured that we reviewed every aspect of our business. Whatever your starting point, there are always more ways for businesses to lessen their environmental impact and the Green Key award gently guides us to consider different areas and ways in which we can progress.”

For more information, visit the website of Anglesey Sea Zoo: https://www.angleseyseazoo.co.uk/.

'Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Resort' is the first Green Key hotel in Rome

‘Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Resort’ is the most renowned 5-star luxury hotel in the Italian capital, and it has now got the absolute primacy of being the first establishment in Rome of its category to be environmentally certified.

The establishment is distinguished by its particular attention to the sustainable management, thanks to the best practices adopted and promoted by the Green Key eco-label. The hotel has reduced its impact on the environment significantly compared to the last 10 years, and this has also led to a significant reduction in the management costs.

The 370-room hotel has a high level of energy efficiency, excellent waste management, constant monitoring of the carbon emission, activities and collaborations with numerous local associations in favor of disadvantaged communities, ambitious work in progress projects aimed at the continuous improvement of the establishment, etc. Thus, ‘Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Resort’ has really deserved to part of the network of Green Key awarded establishments.

The Green Key certificate and plaque were handed over by Claudio Mazza, President of FEE Italia, on the occasion of the event organized at the hotel to celebrate the award.

"We are really proud of Green Key award" says Alessandro Cabella, Managing Director of Rome Cavalieri, "and we will continue to direct our efforts towards an increasingly sustainable and supportive management, with the hope of being able to be ambassadors of the values expressed by the Green Key Programme in the world”.

Giovanna Garofano, Chief Engineer of Rome Cavalieri, has coordinated the hotel departments in the joint and shared effort of the staff to be compliant with the Green Key standards and thereby the protection of the environment. On behalf of her colleagues, Giovanna Garofano declares: “Each of us, with small acts, can do a lot for the planet, but an important award like the Green Key can be achieved only with team work and hotel guest involvement. It’s been an honour for me working on this environmental programme and I thank my colleagues for the enthusiasm and devotion with they have adhered to the many initiatives focused at the common goal: safeguarding the planet. "

The Westin Dragonara Resort and its sustainable meetings concept

In order to receive the Green Key, The Westin Dragonara Resort in Malta has embarked on a number of sustainable projects throughout the years.  The most recent one and that which the Hotel is particularly proud of is called ‘Westin Meetings’. 

© Westin Dragonara Resort - delegates preparing packed meals for people in need ‘Giving Back’

Meetings and conferences are an important segment of the hotel’s offering.  The Westin Dragonara Resort hosts numerous meetings both local and international every year.  For this reason it was vital for the hotel to ensure that our meeting offerings are thoughtful from a sustainability point of view. The best ideas aren’t hatched in the boardroom. Westin is committed to fuelling breakthroughs and creating opportunities for active ideation before, during and after meetings. Bright ideas happen after a refreshing night’s sleep, on an exhilarating run, or over a nourishing meal. From energizing activities to dynamic environments to responsible practices, every aspect of the Westin Meetings experience is designed to help attendees perform at their best and maximize their impact.  The commitment to well-being ensures that planners and attendees leave feeling accomplished, invigorated and ready to effect change.

© Westin Dragonara Resort - Running map provided in each of the guest rooms

 The hotel’s first step in this journey was made a few years ago when Westin introduced the concept of ‘Sustainable Meeting Packages’. This included ‘Clutter Free Meetings’ whereby the hotel invested in special conference and meeting furniture which allowed doing away with table cloths and other draping that were used in the past.  In doing so, the hotel reduced laundry and therefore water usage. Clutter Free also involves the meeting room set up – rather than each delegate having a paper pad pack, cluttering the meeting table, all stationery for the meeting is smartly stacked on the side of the meeting room – delegates can help themselves as required. This simple solution reduced paper wastage as it avoids delegates scribbling unnecessary notes on paper during the meeting.

 Fast forward to 2019 and the Westin Dragonara shall be taking more actions in this space. One new initiative is that related with Community Service. The Westin Dragonara is partnering with a Non-Profit Organization in order to offer delegates both on-property & off-property Community Service activities that attendees can participate in at some point during the schedule of their meeting.

 Another new introduction is that related to wellness-inspired meeting breaks – these breaks move away from the standard coffee breaks; offering instead opportunities for meeting attendees to relax and recharge either through an energising snack or activity.

 The use of alternative spaces within the hotel grounds is yet another new introduction. The Westin’s team has identified various non-traditional spaces within the hotel that could be suggested to meeting planners to support creative thinking, provide an energizing, or collaborative environment for breaks or activities.

 In February this year Isabel Lissner, International Green Key Coordinator, presented Michael Camilleri Kamsky, General Manager of the Hotel, with the Green Key award. Also present for the occasion were Dr. Gavin Gulia, Executive Chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority and Vincent Attard, Executive President Nature Trust Malta. Upon receiving the official award, Michael Camilleri Kamsky, General Manager of The Westin Dragonara Resort said: ‘The Green Key stands for our team’s promise to our guests that by opting to stay at The Westin Dragonara Resort, guests are helping to make a difference on an environmental and sustainability level – which is ever so important’.

© Westin Dragonara Resort

First Green Key in Northern Ireland awarded to Lackan Cottage Farm

Lackan Cottage Farm is the first establishment in Northern Ireland to achieve Green Key due to its focus on sustainable operation  

The self-catering accommodation is located in rural Northern Ireland around one hour from Belfast. It is a self-catering cottage and the owners, Steve and Claire, live on the farm as well. Birch Cottage has been beautifully renovated using chemical-free, natural materials, sourced as locally as possible. Steve and Claire love to recycle and many of the materials have been reclaimed and given a new life. All the bedding, towels and curtains are organic and fair trade.

Steve and Claire were delighted to be awarded the first Green Key in Northern Ireland, and the only one on the island of Ireland: “Green Key appealed to us because the commitment to rigorous standards really is the highest and reflects our own commitment to environmental responsibility. It is becoming increasingly apparent that we all have to work together to make changes to our way of life if we do not want to significantly compromise ours and our children's future. This is no longer a radical viewpoint, and as a family we are committed to demonstrating how those changes might look.” 

Steve and Clair continues: “At Lackan Cottage Farm we show people that off-grid living does not mean compromising the living standards. Our guests often comment that they are inspired to take ideas that they have seen here back home with them. Because the Green Key standards are embedded in our every-day day lives here, people can see how they work in the real world, and are reassured by that."

Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful Chairman Sue Christie commented:  “We are delighted to bring Green Key to Northern Ireland and to recognise the achievements in sustainability that local tourism businesses are attaining.  Lackan Cottage Farm is a flagship of what can be achieved when businesses truly embrace sustainability.  We hope to award more establishments, in all of the Green Key categories – Hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, etc. If your establishment would like to be rewarded for your sustainability performance, get in touch and we’ll help you on the path towards an award.” 

Guests are very impressed with their stay at Lackan Cottage:  "Birch Cottage took our breath away. Such a wonderful, functioning cottage. It was great to see that this way of life can be so eco-friendly. I'm sure this place has a positive impact on everyone who stays here. Thanks for teaching us how to be better towards planet earth!". "The cottage and your off grid small holding is a credit to you both!  It just goes to show there is no reason why people can't live off grid and be self-sustainable".

The farm is powered entirely by renewable electricity, generated on site using solar and wind power. Hot water for washing and heating is powered by the sun, and by woodstoves, fuelled by timber cut in the farm’s woodlands. Water from baths and sinks is cleaned on-site, and for the adventurous, the farm provides a composting toilet as well as a rainwater flush toilet.

The kitchen and garden wastes are mixed with chicken and horse bedding and then used on the vegetable and fruit areas. The hosts have planted thousands of native trees on site, as well as an orchard. The carbon footprint of their visitors’ travel is offset by planting additional native trees every year.

You can find more information about Lackan Cottage Farm on their website. Green Key is now present with more than 3,000 establishments in 57 countries.

Green Key present at international conference for hospitality schools

During various events of AMFORHT (World Association for Hospitality and Tourism Education and Training) on 15-16 March 2019, Green Key was present and promoted the programme for hospitality school representatives

AMFORHT has a range of hospitality schools, academic institutions and various professionals in the hospitality industry as members. AMFORHT is granted a special consultative status by the United Nations. Since 2018, the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE, the organisation administering the Green Key programme) has been a member of AMFORHT.

AMFORHT celebrated its 50th anniversary at World Forum event and General Assembly on 15-16 March 2019 in Paris, France. The celebration was honoured through participation of ministers from France and other countries, senior and honorary World Tourism Organization representatives, international and national hotel associations, international hotel chains as well as a number of hospitality schools and academic institutions.

The Green Key International Director, Finn Bolding Thomsen, attended the meetings representing FEE. During both the World Forum event and at the General Assembly of AMFORHT he gave presentations about FEE and the Green Key programme.

Finn Bolding Thomsen, says: “We are interested in supporting an increased learning about sustainability in hospitality schools, so that the students are aware of the environmental, socio-cultural and financial sustainability issues when subsequently getting employed in hotels and other areas of the hospitality industry.”

Finn Bolding Thomsen also presented a planned cooperation with a hospitality school in Switzerland, where FEE’s Eco-Campus programme for universities will be adapted to include hospitality schools, so that the students at hospitality schools not only can learn about sustainability as part of the curriculum but also work with it in practice by upgrading the sustainability standards at the hospitality schools in cooperation with the teachers and administrative staff.   

Finn Bolding Thomsen continues: “At the AMFORHT events, we received good support for our plans of working with hospitality schools on supporting their sustainability curriculum and try the learning in practice at the schools”.

Hostel in Belgium uses social media to reduce food waste

The Green Key awarded Hostel De Draecke in the city of Gent uses a local group on Facebook to reduce food waste

Hostel De Draecke is working with sustainability in many aspects such as recycling of furniture and waste material, and the hostel is also actively fighting to reduce food waste. The kitchen at the hostel is in charge of breakfast, lunch packages and dinners for its guests, and it carefully tries to prepare food according to the orders in order to reduce food waste, but it still happens from time to time that some bread or other food items are left unused.

As the surplus food varies from day to day, the hostel has taken an innovative solution in use: Through a local Facebook group, the hostel announces when it has surplus food, and local organisations or student groups are coming to pick up the food so that it is not wasted. If the hostel has other types of waste, such as empty and cleaned food plastic containers or glass jars, this is also advertised on the Facebook group and picked up by locals needing the material.  

One of the receivers of the surplus food waste from Hostel De Draecke is the organisation ‘Let’s save food Gent’. Filip François from the initiative explains: “Our first goal is to fight food waste and climate change because human people are destroying the earth. The fight against climate change and poverty is one fight.”

”We believe in recycling and reuse of material and left-over food to the largest extent possible, and we are happy that we found a way to ensure that surplus food is eaten by local people in need of it,” says Sara Geysels, Manager at Hostel De Draecke.

Half of all hotel rooms in Aalborg (Denmark) are eco-labelled

With the Green Key being award to Kompas Hotel in Aalborg from 2019, 50% of all hotel rooms in Aalborg are now eco-labelled

Kompas Aalborg Hotel joins the number of green hotels in the city of Aalborg (Denmark’s fourth largest city). The former sailors’ home has just been restored, and environmentally improved with a new reception area and an expansion of the number of rooms to 111.  

 The hotel joins a number of other Green Key hotels in the city, such as neighboring First Hotel Aalborg, Comwells Hvide Hus Aalborg, which was completely restored when it was acquired, and Radisson Limfjorden which has also has been through a larger environmental upgrading.

 The four Green Key hotels have in total 651 rooms, and together with the two Nordic Swan labelled Scandic hotels in town, there are 819 eco-labelled rooms in Aalborg, equivalent to 51% of the rooms in town, or 1/3 of the hotels.

Marriott International trains 500,000 hotel workers to recognize signs of human trafficking

Marriott International has announced that, as of January 2019, it has successfully trained 500,000 hotel workers to spot the signs of human trafficking in its hotels and how to respond if they do, marking a watershed moment in the global fight against this multinational crime.

“Human trafficking is a horrific form of modern slavery that entraps millions of people around the world,” said Arne Sorenson, President and CEO of Marriott International. “By educating and empowering our global workforce to say something if they see something, we are not just standing up for the most vulnerable in society, we are also protecting associates and guests as well as living up to a core company value—serving our world.”

Marriott launched its mandatory human trafficking awareness training program for on-property staff in both managed and franchised properties in January 2017, underscoring ongoing efforts under the company’s robust sustainability and social impact platform, Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction.

As part of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Marriott reports that hundreds of thousands of associates have stepped forward to understand and stop the exploitation.

“Hotels can unfortunately be unwilling venues for this unconscionable crime—and as a global hotel company that cares about human rights, we’re proud to be training hotel workers across the Marriott system to spot the signs,” said Dr. David Rodriguez, Chief Global Human Resources Officer, Marriott International. “There is no easy fix, but combating modern-day slavery starts with awareness—and we now have a significant number of people capable of recognizing suspicious behavior and reporting it to management and, in some cases, law enforcement.”

Training Has Resulted in Rescues

Since launching the program, Marriott’s training has directly resulted in young people being removed from dangerous situations.

To develop and test its human trafficking awareness training program, Marriott spent nearly a year collaborating with ECPAT-USA and Polaris—two leading nonprofits that specialize in combating human trafficking. The company arranged for the program to be translated from English into 16 additional languages and made sure it could be taken either online or in a classroom setting, so it can be accessed and understood in the 130 countries and territories where Marriott operates. The instruction is also broken down by role because the signs that a front desk clerk sees may differ from those that a housekeeper or bartender sees.

The International Labour Organization projects that worldwide more than 40 million people are subjected to modern slavery—and UNICEF  estimates that about 25 percent of trafficking globally involves children. Polaris, which runs the National Human Trafficking Hotline in the United States, estimates there are hundreds of thousands of sex and forced-labor trafficking victims in the United States.

Examples of the visible and hidden warning signs that Marriott shares with its hotel staff:

• Minimal luggage and clothing;

• Multiple men seen being escorted one at a time to a guestroom;

• Individuals who can’t speak freely or seem disoriented; and

• Guests who insist on little or no housekeeping.

“Hotel workers wouldn’t necessarily see a human trafficker visibly restraining a victim; they would typically see a scenario that is much more nuanced and harder to detect if you don’t know what to look for,” said Rodriguez. “That’s why helping hotel workers identify the signs of sexual exploitation and forced labor is so important. This knowledge gives them confidence that they can do something to help, which is already having an important impact in our hotels.”

Greater Awareness Leads to Greater Responsiveness

Through Marriott’s training, hotel workers learn to observe and take notes about what they remember and then report their suspicions to a manager, who may then contact law enforcement. For their part, law enforcement officials say that this training helps enhance security in their community because greater awareness can lead to greater responsiveness both inside and outside of a hotel’s walls.

The training is having an impact far beyond Marriott International’s workforce. The company donated the training to academia and to the industry through the American Hotel & Lodging Association Education Foundation, where the proceeds of the training bought by other lodging operators go back to support ECPAT-USA and Polaris.

Guests who suspect trafficking or abuse should not confront the child or adult but should alert hotel management or security, dial 911 or their local emergency number for emergency situations. In the United States, they can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “BeFree” (233733).

Hotel Hilton Belgrade joins the large network of Green Key awarded establishments

Hotel Hilton Belgrade has received the Green Key eco-certificate as the third hotel in Serbia

Hotel Hilton Belgrade now belongs to the list of establishments that have received the prestigious Green Key eco-label for hotels and other tourism facilities based on compliance with a range of criteria that demonstrate that Hilton Belgrade is active on developing itself as an environmentally friendly, sustainable and responsible business.

The Green Key programme is internationally administered by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) with Environmental Ambassadors for Sustainable Development as the authorised organisation for implementing the FEE programmes in Serbia as a national operator.

During the design and construction of Hotel Hilton Belgrade, new technologies have been implemented that enable more rational utilization of the energy consumption. Their heating and cooling is based on geothermal systems and heat pumps, which is unique in the region. The presence of a sensor system controls a rational usage of lighting that is 100 percent implemented in newest LED technology, and by installing high quality sanitary equipment, the hotel has enabled optimal water consumption.

Nicolaas Houwert, General Manager at Hilton Belgrade says: "Obtaining Green Key certificate demonstrates the Hotel's efforts to develop environmental friendly, sustainable and responsible business."

The Green Key was presented at the ceremony in Hilton Belgrade hotel, Dr. Anđelka Mihajlov, expert and national mentor for FEE programmes in Serbia, and Aleksandra Mladenović, president of the Environmental Ambassador for Sustainable Development. The reward was received by Nicolaas Houwert, General Manager of Hotel Hilton Belgrade.

About Hilton Hotel Belgrade

Hilton Belgrade was opened 8th of March 2018. With 242 guest rooms, visitors can enjoy first class accommodation with elegantly designed stylish and spacious rooms. All rooms have floor to ceiling windows that provide natural light to illuminate the space. The hotel has 19 suites, offering extra space and luxury for larger groups or those staying for longer periods. Guests can enjoy a variety of gourmet offerings from the hotel’s various dining outlets. The hotel’s signature restaurant, Two Kings Restaurant & Bar, serves up authentic and modern Serbian cuisine. Elsewhere in the hotel, guests can enjoy exclusive views across the city at the SkyLounge Bar, where Asian platters and prime cuts of meat meet signature cocktails. The ultimate experience in relaxation is at the onsite LivingWell Health Club, with sauna, thermal baths, relaxation room and fitness room. The hotel offers an array of attractive meeting spaces, consisting of a ballroom, boardroom, courtyard and three additional rooms.

About Hilton Hotels & Resorts

One of the most recognized names in the industry, Hilton Hotels & Resorts stands as the stylish, forward thinking global leader in hospitality. From inaugural balls and Hollywood award galas to business events and days to remember, Hilton is where the world makes history, closes the deal, toasts special occasions and gets away from it all. The flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide continues to build upon its legacy of innovation by developing products and services to meet the needs of tomorrow's savvy global travellers while more than 144,000 Team Members shape experiences in which every guest feels cared for, valued and respected. Today, the Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio includes more than 540 hotels in 78 countries and the brand remains synonymous with "hotel." Access the latest Hilton news at www.hiltonglobalmediacenter.com or begin your journey at www.hilton.com. Social media users can engage with Hilton at www.twitter.com/hiltononline, www.facebook.com/hilton and www.youtube.com/hilton. Hilton Hotels & Resorts is one of Hilton Worldwide’s ten market-leading brands. 

About Hilton Worldwide

Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 93 years, Hilton Worldwide has been offering business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,750 hotels and timeshare properties, with 615,000 rooms in 86 countries and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. For more information about the company, visit www.HiltonWorldwide.com or connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.HiltonWorldwide.com/Media.