Corporate Social Responsibility and Safety Policy
Mission Statement
ashdalehotels are committed to focusing on green initiatives by monitoring and reducing consumption levels, converting environmental efforts into cost-reduction and revenue generating opportunities whilst promoting the Collection’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy.
The Director, Martin Wicks is supported by the General Managers at each property to ensure that the CSR Policy is adhered to and new policies are identified and implemented, furthermore it will ensure that environmental issues are kept at the forefront of everyone’s mind and given proper attention at all times. The company recognises the impact of its operations on the environment and aims to minimise any detrimental effect that may occur.
ashdalehotels corporate social responsibility policy sets out the principle and standards for the company. All staff at each of the properties is required to comply with the policy.
The policy is split into sections relating to the areas of Access for all, community support, environmental policy, Lone traveller and security policy
This document is a living document and will change over the coming months as the properties develop further their understanding of CSR and remain applicable to the activities of all the hotels with the company and any agreements made between each hotel and its stakeholders.
Updated December 2017
Access for All
ashdalehotels understands that every guest is individual in their needs and wants of the products available and we aim to make our hotel facilities available and accessible to all our guests equally. On the rare occasion, due to the nature of the building, weather, location, size of the property or age the facilities may be reduced, we will endeavour to provide a range of facilities for guests with a specific requirement in terms of a disability including:
- Designated Parking
- Accessible Entrance
- WC
- Accessible Bedrooms
- Induction Loops are at some sites but can be arranged with advanced requests
- Assistance Dogs Welcome
- Ground Floor, easily accessible public areas including restaurant and bar facilities
- Accessible outdoor areas, courtyards and gardens
Each Hotel has its own individual Access Statement, due to the intricacies of Grade Listed Buildings.
Environmental Policy
Overview of the Strategy and Action Plan
The main focus for ashdalehotels is on reducing the consumption and improving efficiency in our energy and waste management processes. The strategy is to investigate and implement new technology or practices to reduce levels and to agree ongoing best practice.
- Improvement in its environmental impact
- The aim to work towards continuous improvement in environmental management and performance by employees and to encourage support from customers
- Approach to the environment is guided by a number of principles with which all hotels are required to comply
Principles
- The environmental performance is set out by the Director and is developed, maintained and improved by the management team.
- All actions comply with relevant regulations.
- Business is conducted with due regard to the environment, its habitats and biodiversity.
- The business operations are regularly assessed for compliance with policy, performance and achievements of targets.
- Environmental considerations are taken into account in all major business decisions.
- Employees are encouraged to work in an environmentally responsible manner.
- Suppliers are encouraged to operate in an environmentally responsible manner and such encouragement is made a condition of any supply.
- Where appropriate, encourage support from customers by providing them with products and services that are environmentally responsible in use.
- Customers are made aware of all environmental policies of specific areas where they are in direct contact.
- The company will regularly update the environmental policy and this will be available on line or can be sent in writing if so requested.
Managing Standards
The Director is responsible for the overall environmental performance.
The policy has been developed and thereafter maintained in a documented recording and reporting system.
The implications for the environment are taken into consideration in all major business decisions.
Develop and thereafter maintain a record of formal written comments concerning environmental performance and set targets for their reduction.
Assess the business regularly for compliance with this policy.
Greenhouse Gases
- Reduce the use of energy through awareness programmes and through designing efficiency into new buildings, equipment, travel and transport and other working practices.
- Set realistic targets for the reduction of energy consumption.
Resources
- Reduce the use of water and materials through awareness programmes and through efficiency into new buildings, equipment and working practices.
- Set a target for the reduction of utility consumption.
- Reduce, reuse or recycle solid waste where economically and environmental sensible. When these options are not available, dispose of solid water in the most environmentally responsible manner.
- Set targets to reduce said waste.
These are a selection of initiatives that ashdalehotels adopt to help reduce, re-use and recycle:
- Dual Flush Toilets
- Energy efficient windows to improve thermal performance, thus resulting in less of a requirement for heating in winter months and air conditioning in summer.
- Dedicated recycling unit
- Re-use of furniture and fittings after our refurbishments by donating to local charities and businesses.
- Installation of low energy light bulbs
- Favour supplies derived from recycled materials or renewable resources
Daily Activities
On a day to day basis the teams in all ashdalehotels take the following actions in their contribution to helping the environment.
- Recycling of paper by reusing old menus for report printing and scrap, cardboard, glass, waste cooking oil, toner cartridges
- Re-use towels on guest request
- Provide newspapers on request to avoid wastage and recycle any spare
- Monitor consumption of water/gas/electricity to aid reducing levels – regular monitoring heating level, turning off taps, Summer and Winter heating level
- Bulk Purchase of goods – for instance stationery, chemicals and non consumables so there is only one delivery a month – reduction of fuel, packaging and printing.
- Group print runs – both a reduction of cost and printing time and delivery
- Encourage guest’s to receive their booking confirmations, brochure requests and any other literature via email than post
- Use of social media to get our message out to the customer rather than numerous mail-shots and brochure being printed
- Purchase recycled goods
- Chemical dosage dispensers
- Recycle soap bars and toiletry bottles (filling up from a larger dispense bottle)
- Compact waste so less collections required
- Use of nominated waste solutions who work at disposing waste in an environmental way
- Re-use waste components where it is safe and practicable to do so
- Use of local staff and car-share
- Managers are encouraged to car-share, use public transport to travel around the group
- Use conference call phone between properties to minimise travel
- Encourage local transport and walking to work
- Provide environmental awareness and training as part of the new staff induction programme
- Ongoing environmental and awareness training
- The initiative to promote our environmental policy to clients
Hazardous Substances
- Reduced the use of hazardous or non-degradable chemicals – supplier was awarded contract on the use of environmental products which are less harmful to both the user and the environment. We work with our supplier to encourage the use of environmentally soaps and detergents for the laundering bed linen and towels.
- Review the use of table linen in the public areas – Purchased tables that did not require the use of table cloths reducing the impact on the environment and reduction of cost.
- Where hazardous materials/chemicals are the only option – staff have been fully trained on the use and disposal of said products – minimising the impact of spillage.
- Reduce the use of ozone depleting substances in supplied packaging materials, refrigerants and fire suppression systems by specifying new equipment that is free of such materials and replacing existing systems as directed by legislation. All Staff are COSHH trained.
Working with local communities
- Reduce as far as commercially practicable the level of harmful or nuisance emissions
- Collect used cooking oil and recycle it through a licensed contractor
- Carry on business in a responsible manner with due regard to the hotels’ immediate environment, particularly at unsociable hours and in relation to noise, odour, lighting, litter, uncollected waste or deliveries and collections.
- Maintain building exteriors, outdoor equipment and grounds to create a positive visual impact within the hotels’ community
- Introduce contingency plans for major incidents to reduce their environmental impact
Local Support
We support the local community in a variety of ways and these are just a few actions:
- Provide information to guests on walks, wildlife and parks
- Provide information to guests on walking tours in the hotels area
- Work closely with golf courses to promote their facilities
- Provide local transport services information to our staff and guests
- Purchasing policy in place to ensure the hotels use eco friendly chemicals, local and sustainable produce with minimal transport and packaging
- Use local produce for beverages, fish, meat, fruit, vegetables and dairy
- Use of organic items
Recent Hotel Development Actions
- All future hotel developments take into consideration their environmental impact
- The hotels are located in city centre or village centre locations, in existing buildings to reduce the impact on Greenfield space. This also minimises wastage of energy and resources
- Due to the nature of the building – all heating is individually monitored so that when the room is not in use the heating, lighting is off.
- Temperatures are controlled throughout the building with thermostats
- Energy efficient boilers to replace old systems that were costly to both the environment and the company
- Energy saving lighting, dimmers are replacing existing light fittings and fixtures – where feasible.
- The lifts are maintained under contract so that their impact on the environment is reduced.
- All capital expenditure is reviewed to ensure the company we purchase from is equally focused on its own environmental policy.
- New Property Management System (PMS) cutting down on paperwork, faxes, post – allowing staff to work closer to where they life and remotely, including our IT company.
- Having one form of headed paper – therefore reducing the number of different paper products required in the company
- Continual reviews of recycling arrangements for all waste products
- Continuous reminder to all staff to report maintenance issues that may in turn affect our environment.
Lone Traveller Policy
As per our commitment to our customers we conduct ourselves in accordance to the following Lone Traveller Policy.
- Guests are provided with a well lit and CCTV secure car park
- The entrance to the hotel and court yard are well lit for guests arriving late
- The reception team stand and welcome all guests in to the hotel
- They take the guest’s name to find their booking, not announcing if they are travelling on their own
- When issuing the key the key is shown to the guest but the room number isn’t announced and the guest is directed to the room verbally
- All guests are offered luggage assistance and/or to be taken to their room
- Women travellers are not allocated rooms on the ground floor or in our annex room unless they have requested it
- The hotel has a door entry system so only guests of the hotel can enter via a buzzer in to the premises at night
- Our receptions are manned 24 hours a day, so there is always someone on hand to help
- Every bedroom door is fitted with a deadlock or chain
- If you're eating alone we ask you where you would like to sit and not announce a table for one, we also have nooks, crannies and corners where you can enjoy your meal undisturbed.
Security Policy
We believe in everyone's right to feel safe
Our hotels are safe meeting places for all our guests. But a large number of people also create a higher risk for unsafe situations. To us, safety is about being prepared, and we know how to act in undesirable situations. Training, preventive actions and common sense are our key tools. Safety considerations are a part of our daily work. This may not always be apparent on the surface, but you will notice it if something were to happen.
We want everyone to feel safe and secure
- Every day, we check that the evacuation routes are clear from obstruction, corridors are well lit, free from maintenance issues
- All team members are trained in safety work on an ongoing basis.
- There is always at least one team member in the hotel trained in first aid
- All team members take part in practical fire and evacuation drills at least twice a year.
- Staff are trained in the awareness of security on induction and throughout their employment to notice issues and alert the management team on duty
- All meeting participants receive safety information, security of rooms and what to do in the event of…..
- Each hotel has double locking doors, ground floor windows with security locks and all meeting and event spaces are locked at break times
- Each hotel has staff present at all times to ensure there is the feeling of a secure building, there is 24 hour reception and an overnight door locking policy
You play an important part to your safety
In order to maintain a high level of safety, we want to work with our guests. We can only be fully prepared if everyone does their bit to create a safe hotel environment. We make things easier for you by providing clear information in the hotel rooms regarding evacuation routes and assembly points. In addition, we also make sure there are easily accessible fire extinguishers, good locks and clearly displayed information.
Fire is our greatest threat
Fire is the greatest safety risk at a hotel. Through prevention, we can avoid or limit the danger of fire. We do this through training, alarms for early detection, weekly checks of equipment and a good extinguishing system. We also work with the local emergency services.
If anyone has an accident or falls ill
There is always at least one team member in the hotel trained in first aid. And if something happens, we will act quickly and show care and consideration for guests and colleagues. We will call for an ambulance promptly. Through knowledge and the right equipment, we will take the right action in those vital first few minutes of an acute illness or injury.
Not all visitors are guests
Unfortunately, we sometimes receive unwanted guests. We have to show common sense and consideration for our guests when we challenge unknown individuals at the hotel. By giving clear signals to people about the risk of discovery and the high level of security, we make the hotel less attractive to those with criminal intentions.
