Our Green Policy

Our green initiatives for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly hotel 

Our Bee Gardens

3 new Bee Gardens, fully planted with bee-friendly flowers and plants.

Award Winning

Silver Award with Green Hospitality Ireland 

The Connacht Hotel

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At The Connacht Hotel, we are passionate about sustainability and we are committed to making a positive impact on the environment by implementing effective green practices and procedures throughout our hotel. We currently hold the Silver Award with Green Hospitality Ireland and are well on our way to achieving the Gold Award.

We began our ‘Green’ journey in 2018, and our fantastic staff are key to our success in delivering a more sustainable and environmentally friendly service. Their invaluable input, insight, and engagement are at the core of our achievements to date. Many initiatives have already been introduced and new ideas are emerging and evolving daily. We recognize that sustainability is a never-ending journey and we're excited for the road ahead.

In 2023. The Connacht Hotel won an award for Best Sustainable Practices at the Connaught regionals of the Irish Restaurant awards. The award recognised just how focused our in-house Green Team is on making environmentally conscious decisions, helping customers choose eco-friendly alternatives, and taking more decisions that are better for the planet. The award was a great reward, but it highlighted just how much work is being put into our sustainability goals and is yet more encouragement to continue offering green-friendly services and options for all.

SILVER AWARD - LABEL WITH GREEN HOSPITALITY

We have been awarded the Silver Award with Green Hospitality since February 2020. So far, we have made numerous changes across all departments with many more being introduced on an ongoing basis.

 

 

 

You Choose Us, You Choose Green

The Five C’s Sustainability Strategy

• Carbon Footprint – monitoring to reduce our carbon emissions through waste reduction and the use of green energy
• Conservation – to save for later use and to protect the environment
• Co-operation – adopting the green policies and embracing change
• Commitment – to manage and reduce the consumption of goods, energy, and unsustainable products
• Community – to work together by sharing a common understanding

Carbon footprint

We follow the process of metering, measuring, monitoring, evaluating, and managing our waste, energy, water, and carbon in order to reduce:

  • All showers are fitted with water-reduction heads
  • Showers in our Leisure Centre and staff changing rooms are operated by push button
  • Key card activated power in all guest rooms
  • Jacuzzi cover in place to retain heat
  • All light bulbs changed to LED lighting
  • Installation of a CHP unit in 2020
  • Food waste monitored on a continual basis in order to minimize wastage
  • Use green energy where possible
  • Green Purchasing Policy in place
  • Most of our food products are produced within Galway and the surrounding area
  • ‘Meat free Mondays’ for staff meals every week
  • Encourage guests and staff to walk or use public transport
  • Electric car chargers located in our car park

Conservation

  • All takeaway cups and their lids are 100% compostable and compost bins are accessible.
  • In Spring 2019, we planted three Bee Gardens, fully planted with over 2000 bee-friendly flowers and plants that will re-remerge every year and help grow a bee population that is in decline.

Co-operation

  • Adopting new ideas / adapting practices / embracing change.
  • Waste Management programme in place with waste separation available in guest rooms, staff areas and public areas.
  • All our staff follow our ‘Think Before You Print’ policy.
  • We encourage guests to follow our seven steps to a greener stay:

1. Please turn off lights and TVs when they are not in use.
2. Why not walk or use public transport? 
3. Use the recycling bins provided in your bedroom.
4. All guest information is on your TV screens to reduce printing.
5. Choose not to have a straw with your drink.
6. Try order only what you think you will eat at breakfast.
7. Why not have your receipt for your stay emailed to you?

Commitment

To be fully engaged in the reduction of our energy consumption and waste production through dedication, education, reducing, and reusing. We aim to continue to reduce our landfill waste.

  • We follow a strict waste separation policy with all waste segregated into general, recycling, and compost.
  • Oil filtration system in use which reuses oil, consuming less and saving in oil used. This results in fewer deliveries, fewer pickups, and a reduction in carbon footprint.
  • Electronic messaging in guest rooms and public areas, reducing paper usage.
  • Green Meetings Program in place with no plastic glasses or water drums used. Stationary station rather than stationary per person, resulting in less paper and pen usage.
  • We aim to dramatically reduce the use of single-use, non-compostable plastics.
  • Plastic cups are no longer available in the gym - members are asked to bring their own refillable bottles.
  • We use environmentally friendly soap and shampoo in our bedrooms with no single-use toiletries available.
  • We have significantly reduced our single-use plastics throughout our food and beverage operations.

Community

  • Working together with a common understanding.
  • Active involvement with local charities and sponsorships – each year, we will be gifting our employees with a tree for their birthday.
  • Promotion of our ‘green’ message through our social media channels.
  • Tree-planting on the hotel grounds.
  • Regular beach clean ups of our local shores and coastline
  • Donating old/unwanted goods to charity.

Key Statistics to Date

We recognise that it's important to measure the impact our sustainability actions have. Statistics and figures tell us whether we're having the results we'd like - but they also give us something important to work towards. For 2023, some of our objectives are:

 

  • To reduce energy consumption by 10% on 2022.
  • To increase our recyclability rate to 75%.
  • To reduce food waste by 10% on 2022.
  • To reduce landfill waste by 10% on 2022.
  • To remove single-use plastics from the hotel.
  • To reduce paper usage by 20% on 2022.
  • To achieve Gold certification from Green Hospitality Ireland. 

Our Future Plans

We are well on the way to achieving the Gold Award with Green Hospitality Ireland with a long-term plan to become carbon neutral and even carbon positive.