Strand Palace awarded gold for green tourism

Gets Gold Accreditation in the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS), with a score of 84%.

The hard-earned award follows a constant implementation of eco-actions, introduced by the Strand Palace Hotel’s “Green Team”. Led by Nadia Simmonds and Mike Davison, the “Green Team” has reduced environmental impacts throughout the hotel by operating a long series of ‘best practice’ measures, including the construction of an onsite bottling plant and the acquisition of LED lighting.

When grading the hotel’s green contribution, judges were particularly impressed with the Strand Palace Hotel’s well organised ‘green management’. This management has produced an effective employee training procedure, which involves educating all employees to be environmentally responsible and to divert more and more from landfill.

The Strand Palace Hotel’s Human Resources Manager, Nadia Simmonds, said: “The Strand Palace Hotel has worked hard to reach its environmental goals. The Gold Award is not only a great achievement for the hotel itself, but it also acknowledges the determination and team work within our hotel. We are extremely proud of receiving this prestigious award.”

Over recent years, the Strand Palace Hotel has recognised the need for responsible environmental management and is committed to improving energy and water efficiency and reducing waste. The hotel has progressively strengthened its environmental actions and continually works to minimise the adverse environmental impacts of its operations by involving guests and suppliers in its eco-awareness.

The Strand Palace Hotel focuses on a wide range of environmental aspects, paying particular attention to energy, water and waste. To achieve positive results within these areas the hotel regulates boiler efficiency audits, operates Combined Heating and Power Units to reduce CO2 emissions and has provided water saving devices in toilets and restrictors for showers.

Although the Strand Palace Hotel has made a huge effort to improve its eco-habits, the hotel is aware that it can further strengthen its environmental actions. This awareness has formed future initiatives, such as reviewing how the hotel’s waste streams are segregated, ensuring glass, cardboard and paper are recycled, as well as investigating whether deliveries and purchases can be more locally and ethically sourced.

Valere Tjolle
Valere is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite 2011 Get your copy at a special offer price: HERE