Discover 10 Ways We're Promoting Hotel Sustainability at Stonehouse Court
Why is hotel sustainability integral to a greener future?
Here at Stonehouse Court, we recognise the importance of implementing eco-friendly initiatives. In this blog, we’ll be outlining some of our main impactful strategies that help to reduce our carbon footprint.
Keep reading to discover the ways in which we’re promoting a sustainable agenda:
Hotel Sustainability: Responsibly-Sourced Food & Beverage
One area where we strive to make an impact is in our food and beverage offerings.
We believe that responsibly-sourced food and beverage play a crucial role in reducing our environmental footprint and supporting a more sustainable future.
To ensure the responsible sourcing of our food and beverage items, we’ve enlisted the help of local suppliers, such as Wholly Gelato, Woodchester Valley Wines, Stroud Brewery and Stephanie Fragrances. Our focus is on purchasing and stocking organic, locally sourced products, with a view to reduce the carbon emissions associated with transportation.
As well as partnering with local food suppliers, we also collaborate with nearby businesses for our bedding and outdoor furniture needs. Johnsons Linen and Woodberry are some of our trusted collaborators, whom we’ve chosen to work with based on our shared values and principles.
By sourcing our hotel supplies from local farmers and businesses, we not only reduce the environmental impact of long-distance transportation, but also support our community and economy.
Hotel Sustainability: Kitchen Garden Project
Another way we show our commitment to sustainability is through our ‘Kitchen Garden Project’.
Led by our skilled gardener, we’ve created an on-site garden where we grow a diverse range of fruits and vegetables.
This allows us to cultivate our own fresh produce, ready for us to use in our kitchens once grown. These fresh ingredients ensure our dishes are of optimal quality and taste, as well as significantly reducing our carbon footprint.
Hotel Sustainability: Portion Management
In our ongoing efforts to promote sustainability, one area that often goes unnoticed is portion management.
At Stonehouse Court, we recognise the significant impact that portion sizes can have on food waste, energy consumption, and overall sustainability.
With this in mind, we’re mindful of accurate-sized servings, offering guests the perfect balance between satisfaction and waste reduction.
Hotel Sustainability: Shared Transportation
Promoting shared transportation is another way we strive to achieve hotel sustainability.
Our culinary team sets an excellent example by embracing carpooling as their preferred mode of transportation.
By sharing rides to and from work, our chefs reduce the number of individual vehicles on the road, minimising carbon emissions and easing traffic congestion.
We also encourage our staff members to consider cycling as a sustainable commuting option. With dedicated bike racks and changing facilities, we provide a supportive infrastructure that enables employees to cycle to work, which our garden maintenance team uses every day.
To encourage more team members to sustainably travel to work, we’ve joined the ‘Bike To Work’ scheme. As part of this initiative, we support our team members to purchase a bike, enabling them to use eco-friendly methods to get to our hotel.
On-Site Meetings
We prioritise efficiency and sustainability in every aspect of our operations, including meetings.
One of our eco-friendly initiatives is the promotion of on-site meetings, conferences and presentations for our staff.
By conducting these within our premises, we not only enhance productivity but reduce carbon emissions associated with transportation.
We host regular on-site meetings where we discuss our continued efforts to improve our sustainable business practices.
Energy Reduction and Renewable Energy
At Stonehouse Court, we understand that a key way to facilitate hotel sustainability is by monitoring our energy consumption.
Through our supplier Ecotricity, we’re now using 100% renewable energy throughout our hotel. We’ve already installed 98% LED lighting and motion sensors in our corridors and ancillary areas to reduce our electricity consumption.
As well as this, we’ve introduced energy-saving bulbs and appliances. In doing so, we maintain our status of a renewable energy-powered hotel and reduce our carbon footprint.
Looking to the future, we’re also working towards installing a remote thermostatic room control system in all of our bedrooms and public areas. Our overall objective is to reduce our electricity consumption by 30%, helping to promote green tourism.
‘Pass on Cleaning’
Another way we promote hotel sustainability is through our ‘Pass on a Clean’ scheme.
This initiative empowers guests to choose if they want daily towel and sheet changes. Or, they can opt to ‘pass’, allowing the cleaner to return the next day, or as and when required.
If guests choose to ‘pass’ they can enjoy a free drink on us. For every room passed on, we make a contribution to a local charity community project fund.
By facilitating this choice, we make a substantial impact on energy consumption. Not only does it save on our internal costs, but can benefit the environment by conserving energy and water.
Encouraging Biodiversity
At Stonehouse Court, we go beyond conventional hotel sustainability measures.
Through our local planting initiatives and commitment to reducing waste, we strive to create a thriving environment for both guests and local wildlife.
Our garden serves as a testament to our dedication to biodiversity. We regularly engage in planting activities, introducing a diverse range of native plants and flowers.
These additions not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of our surroundings but also provide crucial habitats and food sources for pollinators, including bees and butterflies.
As part of our supporting bug life campaign and encouraging biodiversity, we’ve installed ‘bug hotels’. These help to offer shelter and encourage the vital role of our busy bee pollinators, who play such an important part in our ecosystem. Alongside this, we’ve also created a wildflower area to help our bees.
Our support doesn’t end there — in partnership with Stroud Area Swan Support & Rescue, we also protect new signets on the canal with fencing and signage. In doing so, this encourages dog walkers to keep their dogs on leads and use the space sensitively.
Embracing Our Local Area
For us, preserving the beauty of our surroundings is paramount.
We feel incredibly privileged to be located in such a beautiful part of Stonehouse and the Stroud Valley. That’s why, as part of our eco-friendly initiative, we actively engage in litter-picking activities around our nearby canal.
By removing waste and debris, we contribute to a cleaner waterway and prevent harmful materials from polluting the environment. This effort not only promotes biodiversity but also improves the overall health of the canal ecosystem, ensuring its long-term sustainability.
Our commitment to local planting and litter picking extends beyond our hotel grounds. We engage with the local community, organising events and inviting volunteers to join us in these activities.
In fostering a sense of shared responsibility, we aim to inspire others to support in creating a cleaner and more diverse environment.
This goes further than making sure we have a clean and well-preserved area, we want to increase the biodiversity of the local area.
We’ve partnered with the local council and Stonehouse in Bloom, and are enhancing the community by planting flowers in the heart of our gardens, encouraging other businesses to get involved.
Inclusivity for All
At Stonehouse Court, we believe in creating an inclusive environment that accommodates the diverse needs and requirements of our guests.
We extend our commitment to inclusivity by addressing religious dietary requirements, particularly during special observances like Ramadan.
Understanding the importance of providing suitable options for guests, we offer early supply of food boxes for guests observing fasting outside of regular dining hours.
By understanding and respecting religious and ethnic differences, we strive to create a welcoming atmosphere. In doing so, we hope to create an environment where all of our guests feel accommodated and valued.
As sustainability in the hotel industry gains more attention, we take pride in our efforts to contribute here at Stonehouse Court. With your support, we believe that we can work towards minimising our carbon footprint and creating a greener future for hospitality.
For more information on our eco-friendly initiatives, please take a look at our website or contact a member of our team.
Alternatively, why not check out our previous blog to explore 5 things to do near Stroud?
