In line with our commitment to the environment and the circular economy, we’ve set ourselves the goal of increasing the amount of waste we recycle at our hotels. In the last year, we’ve hit our goal of recycling over 40% of the waste produced at the majority of our hotels, including standard materials, such as paper and cardboard, glass, plastic and textiles, and other, more innovative items, such as glycerine soap, wine corks and coffee capsules.
Since we were founded in 2001, Vincci Hotels has put in place a series of commitments in relation to our respect for the environment and society and we have started a number of actions, set out in our 2016-2018 Corporate Social Responsibility Master Plan, which affect the entire company, covering both our hotels and our offices. The plan takes stock of the goals achieved to date, and sets new challenges for the coming years. One of these actions is the recycling of waste, which is something we have done since our company was launched. What’s more, over time we have incorporated new materials we can recycle. Some of the items that we have always recycled include paper and cardboard, glass, batteries, packaging and organic material, while in recent years we have added others such as oil, fats, lightbulbs (LEDs, low consumption and fluorescent tubes), toners and medicines.
The recycling we do often has a dual purpose, both environmental and social, such as plastic bottle caps, which go to helping children through the Fundación SEUR; textiles, which are donated to a number of foundations or used to make new clothes; wine corks, which are used to make surf boards or furniture in collaboration with Richpeoplethings; glycerine soaps, in collaboration with Fundación Dalma, who work to assist individuals at risk of social exclusion integrate into the job market; and coffee capsules, which are collected separately so the aluminium can be recycled and the coffee grounds used for fertiliser.
The implementation of an Environmental Management System in accordance with international standard ISO 14001 for our entire European portfolio of hotels has made it possible to systematize every environmental aspect affected by our activity, in addition to promoting environmental protection and the prevention of pollution. In line with this, we have opted to use 100% green energy in most of our properties and launched various energy saving actions which have allowed for a decrease in consumption of 7 GWh per year over the last seven years. The Quality and Environment department of Vincci Hotels is responsible for calculating the carbon footprint of each of the hotels, a measure that helps set optimal, effective objectives and policies for reducing emissions, as well as implementing best-cost savings initiatives. We also calculate our water footprint, both in order to measure water consumption and to put in place measures to reduce it.
All the above forms part of our Corporate Social Responsibility Master Plan which ties together the mission and vision of Vincci Hoteles, based on three pillars: society, the environment and health, with the priorities being continuous improvement, optimisation of resources, control of consumption, reduction and management of waste, as well as respect for, and protection of, the cultural and social environment of the places where the chain’s properties are located, both hotels and offices. For the company it is vital to integrate quality and environmental management at each of its hotels; identify and comply with local, regional, national and EU laws and regulations in these areas; prevent, as far as possible, pollution; and promote the saving of energy and natural resources, both at an individual and a hotel level. For these reasons, all the company’s processes are defined by a firm commitment to the environment and to society, which has been explained to both to employees and suppliers.
In line with our commitments, for the past five years we have published an Annual Sustainability Report. The various actions carried out by the chain in these areas can be consulted on the Vincci Hoteles Sustainable and Responsible corporate website.