Sustainability

At the Grand Hotel our Green Team are working on a constantly evolivng Sustainability Policy. We recognise the need for all businesses to make a contribution toward reducing our impact on the enviroment and improving our long term sustainability.

Read our Sustainability Policy

1. Vision/Mission/Company Ethos

Mission
We strive to be the best Four-Star Hotel in the area, offering a full service to all customers. The Hotel will provide excellent service with a well-trained staff, properly maintained facilities and demonstrate concern for our environment. The Hotel will attract business using these resources and through good management of the Hotel and its finances ensure it achieves profits that can comfortably ensure loan repayment, continued investment, and the building of reserves.

Core Values
We commit to operate all aspects of the business with honesty and integrity. We will be fair in all our dealings with customers and staff. While our ultimate goal is to sustain the Company into the future, we do so considering the needs of our colleagues, community, sustainability and customers in the present.

Vision
To combine our mission and core values to deliver a product that is constantly improving, offers value to customers and is a leader in the local community for action on climate change and sustainability.
The Grand Hotel is aware that its business activities impact upon the environment and we are committed to alleviating those negative impacts as it’s our mission/vision.

2. UNWTO definition
At the Grand Hotel, we believe that sustainable tourism is tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts while addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities (UNWTO, n.d.). We therefore aim to reduce our negative effects and increase our positive impacts.

3. Continuous improvement
Sustainability is a journey of continuous improvement, and we are aware that we have a lot to learn. So far, we have taken measures on an ad hoc basis, but we now will organise all our efforts under this single policy. We will remain constantly questioning our actions and will seek to improve all the systems already established for sustainability. Our Green Team will be leaders in this approach.

4. Measuring and reducing negative impacts

4a. Energy consumption

We measure our electricity use at the meter at the end of every month. This measurement is plotted within an excel spreadsheet and distributed to management.
We currently get 63.4% of electricity from renewable sources, we will seek to improve this.
We measure our gas use at the meter at the end of every month. This measurement is plotted and distributed to Management.

To reduce our energy consumption, we currently:

Have a Building Management System (BMS) installed to monitor all heating, etc.
Rolling out LEDs throughout the building, 80% complete
•nstalled Timers and sensors to control lighting
Buy energy efficient devices when upgrading
Housekeeping instructed to ensure TVs are off, not in standby
Scheduled window cleaning and double-glazed glass

Planned

Have commissioned an Energy Audit, results due in July 2022. We will use this as a baseline for energy usage and to calculate our carbon footprint.

4b. Water consumption

We measure our water use at four points, all meters, at the end of every month. This measurement is plotted within an excel spreadsheet and distributed to management
We will aim to reduce water consumption by 10% in 2023

To reduce our water consumption, we currently:

Fitted all bedroom showers and sinks with aerators
Fitted toilet cisterns with blocks to reduce water flow
•ntegrated leak detection without any apparent spike in usage over a two-month period
Replaced dishwashers with lower water use machines

4c. Waste production

We measure our waste production at two points in the Hotel, the Kitchen, and the waste bins.
Our average recycling levels, as measured by our Waste Management Company, is 90%.

We reduce waste by:

Attempting to separate as much as possible. We operate black, green, and brown bins.
Receiving a monthly report from our waste collector on the content of the bins returned to them, we expect 90% to be recycled.
Utilising a compost machine for all wet waste to convert this to a reusable material.
Placing waste food in a bin monitored by camera that in turn analysed the type and quantity of waste in the kitchen.
Compacting all carboard using an on-site compactor
Using a minimum of disposable cups etc. All drink is usually dispensed from bottles and into glassware. All bottles are sorted and send for recycling.
Gathering electronic waste and sending it to a registered recycler.

Planned

Looking at replacing plastic water bottles in bedrooms
Looking to move toward zero plastic wherever possible

5. Ethical purchasing
At the Grand Hotel we are committed to:

Buying locally (within Ireland) where possible, especially food products.
Buying only the needed produce required
Buying in bulk, where possible, to reduce packaging and the carbon footprint associated with deliveries.

Planned:

Asking suppliers for their Sustainability Policies and using this as part of the purchasing decision.
Look at packaging reduction at delivery point

6. Carbon management

At the Grand Hotel we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint as much as possible and to offset the remainder with a trusted partner. We are currently looking to find a partner to offset our remaining emissions. We aim at having found our partner by June 2023.
We make a monthly donation to HomeTree.ie to promote the planting of native Irish trees.
We will look at allowing our customers make a carbon offset contribution for their stay at the hotel when they use our online booking system.
Continued emphasis on energy reduction
Guest information includes goes information on the excellent public transport options available in Malahide, including bus and DART.
We provide a shared vehicle scheme, GoCar, at the Hotel to reduce the need for guests and locals requiring hire or private vehicles.

Planned

Installation in August 2022 of four EV Charging stations to promote the use of electric vehicles.

7. Responsible sustainability marketing

We know we can’t always get things right first time. We therefore commit to honestly communicating where we are on our journey and our improvements.
We will back up claims with measurements or tangible facts.
We will also identify areas in which we are having difficulty.
Our general marketing efforts will be ethical, accurate and truthful.

8. Social responsibility

We support our local community by:

Sponsorship of events and charities
Support for our Tidy Town committee
Provision of meeting rooms for some voluntary organisations
Annual staff charity fund-raising or donation event. Usually an annual drive for SVP.
Providing staff with access to the Bike Scheme and reduced public transport costs

9. Supporting Biodiversity

We recognise the need to protect and conserve our local biodiversity.
We have a small green area on the grounds and will look to see how this may be made more diversity friendly.
That said, we acknowledge that our options are restricted due to space available and the need to maintain the space to a certain standard of presentation and safety.
We support HomeTree.ie in planting native varieties

Planned