{"id":19748,"date":"2023-04-12T16:04:08","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T14:04:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nh-hotels.com\/corporate\/?page_id=19748"},"modified":"2024-06-27T10:41:04","modified_gmt":"2024-06-27T08:41:04","slug":"processes-operational-standards","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/corporate.minor-hotels.com\/en\/sustainability\/sustainable-company-up-for-planet-people\/up-for-planet\/processes-operational-standards","title":{"rendered":"Processes \u2013 Operational Standards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Processes \u2013 Operational Standards<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

A strategic pillar focusing on efficient management and responsible consumption of resources, prioritizing the \u201c4R\u201d rules”: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Replace, while residual emissions are offset and favoring evolution towards a circular economy and the development of more sustainable products, but also the involvement of employees, suppliers, partners and guests as key players to achieve these goals.<\/p>\n

Responsible energy management<\/strong><\/h2>\n

To keep exhaustive and rigorous control over the energy consumption, carbon footprint and water consumption measures, Minor Hotels Europe & Americas uses the monitoring platforms, from which the sustainability strategy indicators are audited. This online system, to which almost all the Company\u2019s hotels have access, permits reporting, control, monitoring and traceability of the indicators and of water and energy consumption and costs.<\/p>\n

Responsible water management<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Aqueduct tool, provided by the World Resources Institute (WRI), allows us to identify the areas with the highest water-stress risk at world level and to monitor our portfolio located in these areas, so that we can take preventive measures if necessary. This is combined with water consumption saving measures have been implemented, such as the installation of aerators and consumption reduction devices in cisterns, the installation of novel water recovery and reutilization systems, the efficient procurement of devices such as dishwasher equipment in kitchens, as well as training and awareness raising in employees and the redesign of operational guidelines and actions in kitchen and housekeeping. The implemented improvements in showers reduced the volume of water used by 40% thanks to their savings technology.<\/p>\n

Biodiversity management<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Although Minor Hotels Europe & Americas has been a mainly urban hotel chain, we are concerned about biodiversity and natural habitats conservation in the destinations where it is present. Some of the actions carried out in this area are:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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  • Sustainable fishing. <\/strong>The Company\u2019s hotels promote sustainable fishing through legal compliance with the consumption of species and responsible procurement of these products, with the purpose of preserving and restoring biodiversity in the environments where it operates.<\/li>\n
  • Urban vegetable gardens. <\/strong>Some Minor Hotels Europe & Americas hotels have space to install urban gardens to grow vegetables in there. This way, we seek to enhance the landscape and gastronomic value of dishes while reducing the negative environmental impact, boosting km0 products and generating a sense of community among the hotel\u2019s employees.<\/li>\n
  • Hotels for bees.<\/strong> Conscious of the limited space in cities for biodiversity, their importance in ecosystems and aware of the critical situation of bees in Europe, the Group\u2019s hotels provide a home for bees on their roofs in a way that is safe for guests.<\/li>\n
  • Cage-free eggs. <\/strong>Minor Hotels Europe & Americas promotes animal welfare, prioritizing the use of cage-free eggs. This initiative was implemented in hotels in northern Europe, which currently use cage-free eggs in their preparations. In addition, as part of MINT, the Company has joined in the commitment made by Minor Hotels to obtain all the eggs consumed in its establishment from free range hens by the end of 2027.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    Waste management and circular economy<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Minor Hotels Europe & Americas has a system of waste separation at the point of origin in all its hotels, which permits and facilitates recycling. In 2022 Minor Hotels Europe & Americas has continued to use the hazardous waste monitoring system, for items such as contaminated containers, as well as non-hazardous waste that requires special treatment. Withdrawn furniture and fittings that are in good condition during refurishment processes may be given away to employees or donated to local organizations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    Commitment to reduce single-use plastics:<\/strong> As part of Minor Hotels Europe & Americas’\u00a0 commitment to improving the impact of its activity on the environment, and offer our guests the best experience, a new line of amenities was introduced for all our brands. This has allowed us to eliminate all single use plastics in our room set-up, replacing them with new 100% recycled and recyclable PET, complemented with a new line of bathroom accessories made using biodegradable materials presented in 100% recycled paper packaging (eliminating chemical dyes or varnishes used in packaging). In addition to this, the new products do not contain parabens, silicones, or alcohol; they have not been tested on animals and are EcoLabel certified, which also means that they do not harm the environment.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    F&B commitments<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    As an integral part of its sustainability strategy, the F&B department is implementing different lines of action by Minor Hotels Europe & Americas region:\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Zero plastic policy<\/strong>. We are actively working to reduce the use of plastics in all areas:
    \u25a0 Single-use straws have been replaced with biodegradable alternatives, in accordance with
    current legislation.
    \u25a0 In the minibars in the rooms, plastic bottles have been replaced by returnable glass
    alternatives.
    \u25a0 Plastic-free packaging, regardless of whether it is recycled and recyclable, is encouraged
    in Takeaway and Delivery services, in favor of models made of biodegradable materials.<\/p>\n

    Sustainable packaging<\/strong>. Several of the Company’s hotels have initiated a process to optimize and manage more efficiently the waste from the packaging and containers of their purchases, working directly
    with suppliers on their correct segregation, removal and reuse.<\/p>\n

    Used cooking oils<\/strong>. All BU’s have waste oil management agreements in place. This management is carried out by an external company that provides us with oil storage containers and is responsible for periodic collection.<\/p>\n

    Fight against food wastage<\/strong>. Minor Hotels Europe & Americas continues its alliance with the TooGoodToGo App to combat food wastage in its hotels in Spain, Portugal and Germany. In this way, the Company continues to show its commitment to sustainability by implementing practices that contribute to the minimize waste impact, utilization of food and reduction in waste.<\/p>\n

    With TooGoodToGo<\/strong>, every day through the app the Company offers surprise packs with unconsumed products from its morning buffet that users of the platform can buy at a reduced price to prevent them from being wasted.<\/p>\n

    44,386 kg of food not wasted, equivalent to 110.96 metric tons of CO2eq emission saved in 2023.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

    Food Waste Pilot.<\/strong> Throughout 2023, Minor Hotels Europe & Americas has carried out an analysis to evaluate automated solutions to improve the Company’s food consumption optimization and food waste
    reduction strategies. In the last three months of the year, a possible solution has begun to be
    tested in two hotels in Spain, in which, through technological innovation, data on food that is
    not being used and ends up in the trash is captured in the daily kitchen operations in an agile
    and simple way. As a result of these months of testing, the amount of organic waste
    generated in the kitchen has been reduced by 36% and additional lines of action have been
    identified to continue improving this figure.<\/p>\n

    CORK2CORK project<\/strong>. This is a pioneering initiative in the European hotel sector created with the aim of promoting the circular economy and encouraging other forms of waste reuse. It has been developed together with the leading companies in cork coverings and stoppers, Amorim to recover and recycle used cork stoppers from bottles in its hotels to give them a new use, by turning them into material for covering or insulation that can be used as a raw material in the group\u2019s rooms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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    Notable local projects<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    Business Unit of AMERICA<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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    Bottle cap collection. <\/strong>The hotels belonging to the Americas BU have carried out a project to reduce plastic waste and generate resources that are converted into health<\/strong>. This initiative involves collecting plastic bottle caps for recycling to fund treatments and care for children and young people with cancer. The collection is carried out through containers installed in the hotels and both guests and employees are encouraged to participate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    Business Unit of Northern Europe<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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    Ecodigester<\/strong>. In collaboration with Ecocreation, NH Hotel Group is developing a pilot project called \u201cEcocreation Ecodigester\u201d. The aim of the project is to achieve a reduction in waste of 15%<\/strong> of the original volume by installing composters in the hotels to create compost that will be used as fertilizers for the surrounding woodland areas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    Business Unit of Southern Europe<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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    Portugal by Nespresso.<\/strong> NH Hotel Group is collaborating with Nespresso for a more circular economy and responsible waste management<\/strong>. The initiative consists of the delivery of used capsules to Nespresso so that the coffee grounds can be extracted and reused as compost to grow km0 rice. Furthermore, depending on the number of kilograms of capsules delivered to it, Nespresso donates the corresponding metric tons of rice to the Food Bank institution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Processes \u2013 Operational Standards A strategic pillar focusing on efficient management and responsible consumption of resources, prioritizing the \u201c4R\u201d rules”: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Replace, while residual emissions are offset and favoring evolution towards a circular economy and the development of more sustainable products, but also the involvement of employees, suppliers, partners and guests as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":19737,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-19748","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.minor-hotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.minor-hotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.minor-hotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corporate.minor-hotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corporate.minor-hotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19748"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/corporate.minor-hotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19748\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22991,"href":"https:\/\/corporate.minor-hotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19748\/revisions\/22991"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/corporate.minor-hotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/corporate.minor-hotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}