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Environmental Policy

The Dean Hotel Group is committed to building a sustainable future for the hospitality industry and Ireland. Climate change and the impact of human activity is the single biggest threat facing our planet, and The Dean Hotel Group recognises the urgent need for action and the importance of playing our part in this journey towards a more positive future. Working with key industry partners, the Dean Hotel Group’s sustainability policy outlines a three-year roadmap towards a more sustainable future with ambitious targets and goals to reduce our carbon footprint, preserve natural resources, support biodiversity, and contribute to a more sustainable future for Ireland and the planet. This policy focuses on three key pillars: Waste, Energy and Biodiversity.

Waste

The Dean Hotel Groups waste management system is designed to handle waste across all aspects of the business and minimise its negative impact on the environment. The program involves a series of strategies aimed at reducing waste generation, promoting waste recycling and recovery, and proper disposal of waste materials. The program commits to a 30% reduction in general waste in year one (2024), with an additional 10% reduction in year two and three. This ambitious program prioritises recycling, composting, and reducing single-use plastics. For any food to go offerings we have adopted either 100% compostable or recycling packaging and offer incentives for using Keep Cups across our cafes. Water usage also forms a large part of this program, with initiatives to collect and recycle rain water for use as grey water, cut down on use in kitchens, and implement water-efficient devices in public areas.

Energy

Reducing carbon emissions is a crucial step towards mitigating the impact of climate change. To reduce the Group’s carbon emissions, we are implementing strategies that will reduce, and in time remove, our reliance on fossil fuels and promote the use of clean energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. The first step of this policy is establishing accurate measurements of emissions across each property within the Group to assign targets for reduction, which will be achieved in year one. We are committed to reducing our primary energy consumption by 10% in year one with an additional 10% reduction in year two and three. Energy-saving measures include LED lighting, energy-efficient equipment, improving building insulation, and providing training to our employees to raise awareness of energy-saving practices and encourage them to adopt sustainable habits in their daily work.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity provides a range of ecosystem services that are essential for human well-being, including clean air and water, nutrient cycling, soil formation, and pollination, as well as supporting cultural and recreational activities. We know that protecting and restoring biodiversity is crucial for ensuring a sustainable future, which is why biodiversity forms a key pillar of the Group’s sustainability policy. Across our urban-based properties we are committed to supporting biodiversity and the natural environment with initiatives such as our rooftop beehives with Open Hive, green roofs and wildflower gardens, while our regional properties are working on planting native trees and wildflowers across our grounds for pollinators.

How are we rolling out this strategy?

50 Shades Green Program

We are proud to partner with the 50 Shades Green Program, and our goal is to achieve silver certification by November 2023, and gold certification by November 2024. We are working closely with the 50 Shades Green team to guide us in our sustainable practises and continuously improve our environmental performance. We will also engage with our guests and the wider community to raise awareness of sustainable practices and encourage sustainable behaviours.

Green Teams

Action starts on the ground, which is why our team members are crucial to the success of this strategy. On site Green Teams have been established across all venues, who have been provided with certified training and ongoing support to equip them with the skills and knowledge to drive sustainable practices across all areas of their venue’s operations. The Green Team are responsible for ongoing measurement and reporting on their venue’s performance and driving the green agenda amongst their teams.

Community Support

We recognise the importance of supporting our local communities as part of our wider sustainability policy. As well as sourcing produce and supplies locally wherever possible, we are working with our partners to reduce our carbon footprint along our entire supply chain through our procurement process, opting to work with suppliers who align on our sustainability initiatives. Through The Dean Hotel Groups Community, Arts and Cultural Strategy, we invest and support the communities in which we work through purchasing art, partnerships and sponsorships, providing spaces to create through The Dean Art Studio. Our Green Teams don’t shy away from getting stuck in, and can often be seen out and about in the community doing litter collections, planting, or supporting local initiatives.

First steps towards a more positive future

This three year Environmental Policy is the first step towards a more positive future. We know that we have a long journey ahead of us and lots to do, but we are committed to embracing the challenge and driving change. We will continually review and improve this policy to ensure we remain on track towards a sustainable future.

Glasson Lakehouse
Killinure, Glasson,
Co. Westmeath
Ireland
N37 HX45

 Get Directions

T / +353 90 6485120
 E / reception@glassonlakehouse.ie



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