H&C News recently reported on ideas developed by Host at Edwardian Group London (EGL) which have helped the luxury hospitality group cut CO2 emissions at its properties by more than 16%. Its efforts have also been recognised with Green Tourism for London Gold Awards, as well as Two Star Sustainability Champion status with the Sustainable Restaurant Association.
The Group operates 5 star hotels such as The May Fair, close to Green Park, and the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hampshire, as well as Radisson Blu Edwardian London 4 star hotels in London, Manchester and Guildford, ranging from Mercer St Hotel in Covent Garden to Radisson Blu Edwardian Heathrow. Turnover is around £170 million, with Food and Beverage at a substantial £20 million. The cost of energy is second only to payroll.
Business Responsibility
Hotel establishments are often assumed to be extravagant in their use of energy and resources – the ‘luxury’ images that accompany this article show why this is an easy assumption – seeking to satisfy their guests at the possible expense of ‘Corporate Responsibility’.
H&C News was delighted, therefore, to have the opportunity to meet Paul Mansi, the Chief Operating Officer of Edwardian Group, who takes a very ‘hands on’ approach to Corporate Responsibility and all that it entails, and oversees a comprehensive strategy and programme of what the Group terms ‘Business Responsibility’.
Ownership advantages
The Edwardian Group is privately owned, which gives it certain advantages over many other hotels and hotel groups: its decision-making process is quicker, it can take decisions and pursue longer-term policies (such as its Responsible Business policy), and it can fund many resulting activities out of cash flow. It is also able to share knowledge across its portfolio, ensuring that experience and benefits are readily shared and utilised.
As we will see, this has made it possible to take many initiatives already. It also means that, having taken advantage of the ‘low hanging fruit’ (the easier or quicker ‘wins’), it can now seek expert advice on the next steps it should consider, which may involve much higher investment levels and longer periods to show return on investment.
Of course, with up to £20 million being invested in its properties annually, it makes good business sense to ensure that such investment takes account of longer term considerations – energy and water efficiency high amongst them.
Aims and objectives
The Group’s website states that it is “…committed to the wellbeing of the planet and its present and future inhabitants. We will conduct our business by striving to improve our overall ecological and carbon footprint, without compromising on our guests’ experience and satisfaction, using the most responsible working practices”.
It then lists its Top Ten Commitments: an impressive document (see link below) that includes the statements that they will “reduce our overall ecological and carbon footprint by conserving natural resources and energy”, and “minimize and efficiently manage waste production, ensuring the least possible negative impact on the natural environment”.
Communication
Importantly, the Group also states the intention to “openly communicate our policies and best practices to stakeholders and the general public”, and to “provide all employees with the awareness and training resources required to reach the point of self empowerment and meet our objectives and targets”.
What’s been achieved?
The Commitment is stated, but what’s actually been achieved?
It turns out that the list of initiatives taken is long – and undoubtedly made much longer by the active, ongoing engagement of staff across the Group. Not only are there Energy Champions at every location, there are also Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) for every department, ‘Green Fact of the Week’ posted on noticeboards, and encouragement for all staff to share and develop ideas – to all of which Paul Mansi responds personally.
The Group also uses its centralised training academy to ensure that all staff are made familiar with policies and their role at induction for new staff and with ongoing training. Staff also attend two half-day courses, depending on their role:
- Living Responsible Business (All personal)
- Leading Responsible Business (Team leaders and managers)
Actions implemented to date
Energy
- Intelli-Hood systems installed to reduce power consumption for kitchen extract systems in all hotels
- Hotels now receive LEC (Levy Exemption Product) low carbon power from Total Gas & Power Ltd, which reduces the CO2 emissions by approximately 40% using electricity conversion factors as supplied by DEFRA
- New energy saving computer PCs
- Low energy bulbs introduced into all guest bedroom corridors and number of lights being reduced, as well as movement sensors fitted in low-use public and BOH areas
- LED lighting in all public areas, corridors & conference rooms
- Gas/electricity consumption now part of hotel monthly performance reviews and tracked electronically
- Electronic compendiums introduced via televisions at Guildford, Mercer Street, and Berkshire, Sussex, Hampshire, Manchester & May Fair, and shortly to follow at New Providence Wharf in conjunction with new Smart Samsung television roll-out.
Waste
- Single sheet notepaper introduced in all C&B Operations
- Batteries recycling in place
- Paper hand towels removed from all public area rest rooms
- Thames Valley Oil nominated as supplier to collect used kitchen oil
- K.P. Waste nominated as waste management supplier offering separation of cardboard/paper, glass, general and food waste. All waste previously incinerated helping to produce electricity to 35,000 homes.
- All food waste is now recycled at all properties across the group in London
Rooms & Facilities
- Exclusive Vertue® mattresses, made entirely from organic and recycled materials are improving sleep quality and sustainability in all hotels.
- New organic products, treatments and suppliers introduced in all spas
- Rainbow cleaning products introduced into all housekeeping operations (all phosphate and chlorine free)
- Eco-smart pillows introduced for guest bedrooms
- Bathroom towels & eco-sheet changing strategies rolled out across the group together with guest amenity bathroom dispensers
- Flowco flow limiting shower valves fitted to all showers & taps in guest bathrooms across the group
- Re-usable vinyl bathmats introduced to all guest bathrooms at Heathrow in lieu of laundering linen variety daily
- Valves have also been fitted to all public toilet and staff urinals to reduce volumes of water consumed in all hotels
- Tap sensors installed in public toilets as part of overall renovation programmes at: Mercer St, Berkshire, Grafton, BSH & planned at Manchester & Hampshire. Balance of hotels to follow.
Food & Beverage
- Free trade tea & coffee available in all F&B outlets across the group
- Salt, pepper and sugar dispensers introduced
- Dairystix milk sachets introduced for in-room tea/coffee facilities – better quality, longer shelf life and half as damaging to the environment
- Meat and vegetable food suppliers now supply produce in re-usable plastic containers
- Watt Farms appointed as fruit & vegetables supplier based in Orpington, traditionally growers of herbs and vegetables for the supermarkets and wholesalers. They grow 35-40 different products on approximately 1000 acres and source another 20-30 lines from surrounding farms, thus again radically increasing the percentage of British grown products and reducing the carbon footprint
- Endangered species of fish removed from all outlet menus
Corporate
- Responsible business mission statement & ethos incorporated into staff induction process & in all in-room guest compendiums
- Carbon footprint measurement calculated for each hotel
- Recycling of used toner cartridges with supplies team
- World Childhood Foundation designated as nominated charity for the entire group. Each hotel also supports a local community charity.
- Bicycle rack facilities established at each hotel
- All printed collateral is now printed on recycled paper in all hotels (major reduction in overall paper usage)
- Email option had been made default setting for all purchase orders rather than printed version.
- Duplex printing options added to all main photocopier/printers across the group.
The list above is considerably shorter than the current full list, which contains over 125 actions taken so far and, because of active staff involvement and engagement, is constantly increasing.
Cumulative impact
The combined effect of active staff engagement, professional in-house staff and external consultancy has enabled Edwardian Group to not only consider ‘major’ changes that require significant spend (£500k has been spent alone on LED lighting in public areas and corridors), but also much smaller actions where savings in cost or carbon are lesser (for example, replacing pens with pencils in bedrooms).
Cumulatively, however, the myriad of actions taken has undoubtedly had a major impact on costs, energy and water usage, reduced waste, as well as carbon reduction – to the benefit of staff, guests and the wider world.
What next?
As described above, Edwardian Group has already identified and taken action on most of the ‘low hanging fruit’ – though the continuing suggestions from staff suggest that there’s still more that can be done.
Now, the Group is beginning to examine its options and strategy for the coming years. Undoubtedly, this may involve higher investment in technology, plant and equipment that can significantly improve performance (heating and cooling, for example) but where the return on investment may take longer.
Given the wholehearted and thorough way that the Group has tackled Responsible Business to date, it will be fascinating to see the decisions and actions that they take in the coming years as they seek to continue the journey that they have begun.
It’s a journey that will continue, carrying both staff and guests with it, and positioning Edwardian Group as a leader in operating a high class and Responsible Business in the hotel sector.