The London Marriott Hotel Marble Arch has been awarded the top - gold - award by the Green Tourism Business Scheme for successfully implementing a green policy and green initiatives at the hotel.
The hotel had to demonstrate its green credentials against a rigorous set of criteria impacting every aspect of its daily business, including energy conservation, marketing, transportation, purchasing, recycling and display innovation.
The hotel is implementing various initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint by 25% by 2017 and has a programme to educate and encourage staff to think green. Last year the hotel was able to implement energy savings of nearly 10% and almost 70% of the hotel's waste is now recycled.
One idea that the hotel has championed in 2011 is a partnership with London Social Enterprise, Sleeping Bags, to convert redundant hotel bed linen into shopping bags. These bags are sold to hotel guests with all profits going to benefit St Mungo's, a charity which assists homeless people to get back into the community by developing new skills.
The hotel has also been at the forefront of an ongoing conservation programme in conjunction with Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, by volunteering skills and helping to raise money for equipment.
"Having achieved silver status last year, this is a great accolade for the hotel and its staff. Taking care of the environment is one of our corporate goals and we are working towards a clear set of targets over the next five years," said Govert Deketh, general manager, London Marriott Hotel Marble Arch.
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By Neil Gerrard
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