Responsible Business - Let's take responsibility

Taking responsibility for the environment and local community has been an important part of the Rezidor Hotel Group's broader commitment to sustainable development for many years. In 2001, this commitment was fortified and placed within the scope of a programme called Responsible Business (RB). Each hotel has a unique RB Action Plan covering areas such as community outreach, cultural heritage, employee and children's rights, health and safety, as well as environmental improvements. To read more about the RB programme, please go to responsiblebusiness.rezidor.com

Our hotels are engaged with both local charity groups and Rezidor's corporate international charity organisation, the World Childhood Foundation. The mission of Childhood is to defend the rights of the child and to promote better living conditions for vulnerable and exploited children at risk all over the world. See www.childhood.org for further information.

Below are some of the RB activities and achievements of this hotel:

Waste generation
We follow 3 simple rules to help cut our waste generation:

1. REDUCE:

• Our suppliers are asked to decrease the amount of packaging in their deliveries.
• Ask our guests to re-use their (towel cards in the bathroom)
• Change bed linen every other day (only for long-staying guests)
• And more..

2. RE-USE:

• Papers are printed on both sides as much as possible
• Donating hotel furniture, bedding & equipment to charity like an orphanage in Surinam
• Frying oil is collected for reuse by a certified company "Filtafry"
• And more..

3. RECYCLE:

• Recycling: paper, cardboard, glass, plastic bottles, printer cartridges, magnetic cards, batteries.

Energy efficiency

• We use energy efficient light bulbs
• Lights in public areas have an energy saving night mode
• Single switch off/on for all lighting in guest rooms
• The hotel's outside lighting is turned on/off automatically with light sensors

Security
Safety and Security within the Rezidor Hotel Group rely on the simple formula TRIC: Threat Assessment, Risk Evaluation, Incident Response, and Crisis Management & Communication

• Our staff have been trained to perform first aid in case of a medical emergency and to use the Heart Start defibrillator
• Our staff have also been trained to be part of a fire & evacuation team

Community involvements/charities
Responsible Business is not just about the environment, we also take into account social and economic issues, concerning the local community

What do we do?

• Over the last few years several staff members have been running marathons for charities like Kika and the World Childhood foundation.
• Kika bears are sold at the reception. The total amount paid will go to the Children's Cancer Foundation (KIKA)
• We are a member of "Stichting doe een wens" (Make a wish Foundation) and we already fulfilled one!
• We sponsor the Gère Paulusen Leefkringhuis in Amsterdam; A house where children between the ages of 0 to 18 years can stay. Either because of abuse at home or because their parents are not able to take care of them.
  Over the last few years we have helped to renovate a part of the house, held auctions and bought them items they needed. Every year the children are invited to join our Sinterklaas party, search for Easter eggs in our garden and this year they have had the pleasure stay overnight, enjoy VIP treatment, cook their own 3-course dinner, to go plane spotting and play games.
• For everyone's health and by Dutch law the hotel will become fully non-smoking as per 1 July 2008.
• All menus have vegetarian and healthy dishes
• Fair trade coffee is served in our meeting rooms and Grab 'n Run corner
• "Well water" is served during breakfast, via Room Service and given as amenity. "Drinking Well Water will not only quench your own thirst, it will quench someone else's. The income helps Simavi build wells in Africa.
  

How you can help?

• Use Public Transport when you go sightseeing in Amsterdam
• Put used batteries in one of our Battery boxes at the reception
• Rent bikes to explore the rural surroundings or to go "plane spotting"
• Save energy by switching off any appliances when they are not in use and by not overfilling kettles
• Offset the carbon emissions associated with your stay through our loyalty programme goldpoints plus
• When you leave the room, turn off the air conditioning, heat, television, lights and any other electrical devices.
• Let the hotel know that it's not necessary to change your sheets and towels every day. At Radisson Blu we will not replace your towels if you put them back on the towel-rail.
• On cold nights, draw curtains to keep heat in the room, and similarly on hot days, draw curtains to keep the heat out of the room.
• If the hotel provides a complimentary newspaper, or if you buy your own, ask the hotel to see that it's recycled. Even better pass it on to someone else or leave it in the lobby for another reader.
• Participate in the recycling program and sort your waste accordingly. If your hotel doesn't recycle, consider taking your empty bottles or other items home with you to recycle them there.

Links for more information:
 
www.leefkringhuis-noord.nl
www.wellwater.nl
www.goldpointsplus.com