The Hotel Britomart Ltd
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2022-04 to 2023-03, 2023-04 to 2024-03)
Reporting Period: 2022-04 to 2023-03
Environmental Metrics
Total Carbon Emissions:251 tCO2e/year
ESG Focus Areas
- Governance
- Environment
- People & Culture
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced carbon emissions per occupied room by nearly half (from 0.020 tCO2e to 0.011 tCO2e)
- Planted 1200 native trees at The Landing through a collaboration with their tree nursery and landscape team.
- Removed plastic milk bottles from the supply chain, using reusable pails and glass mini milk bottles.
- Introduced compostable coffee pods in guest rooms.
Social Achievements
- Developed partnerships with ocean-related charities Live Ocean and Sustainable Coastlines.
- Collaborated with Critical NZ to develop a chopping board recycled from fishing nets, benefiting ocean charity Legasea.
- Aligned with the Pride Pledge and sent team members to a training session.
- Worked with Te Kura Kaupapa Māori at Hoani Waititi Marae to provide students with an understanding of hotel operations and job roles.
- Donated 275kg of soap to SoapAid for communities in need in the Pacific.
- Donated second-hand clothing, blankets, etc. to Bald Angels.
Governance Achievements
- Achieved Toitū Envirocare Certification and developed an emissions reduction plan.
- Established a tracking and communication process for tree planting.
Climate Goals & Targets
Short-term Goals:
- Achieve reduction goals set within Toitū Carbonreduce plan.
- Create a one-page document outlining carbon emissions for a standard night's stay or meeting.
- Review and update sustainability storytelling on the website.
- Extend tree-planting program to include Green Cleans.
- Give team members opportunity to participate in tree planting and beach clean-up.
- Hold at least six structured learning opportunities on sustainability topics.
- Find a partner for regenerative travel opportunities for guests.
- Encourage team members to volunteer two paid hours annually.
Environmental Challenges
- Increased resource use (electricity, gas, water) due to higher guest numbers post-pandemic.
- Low participation in the Green Clean program.
- Challenges in convincing overseas suppliers to change their plastic use practices.
Mitigation Strategies
- Focus on optimizing energy use and reducing waste.
- Established a tree-planting program linked to meetings and conferences.
- Educational approach with suppliers regarding the Plastic-Free Policy, switching to alternative suppliers when necessary.
- Implemented a new cleaning product supplier with a lighter chemical footprint.
Supply Chain Management
Responsible Procurement
- Social Procurement Policy (95% NZ suppliers, 80% NZ made)
- Plastic-Free Policy (95% compliance)
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: Toitū Envirocare, Tiaki Promise, Tourism Industry Aotearoa’s Tourism Sustainability Commitment
Certifications: 5 Green Star Design and Build (NZ Green Building Council), 5-star Gold Sustainable Tourism Business Award (Qualmark)
Third-party Assurance: Toitū Envirocare
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Compostable coffee pods
- Chopping boards from recycled fishing nets
Awards & Recognition
- 2022 Hospitality New Zealand Awards (Best Luxury Hotel, Best Restaurant)
- 2023 TripAdvisor #1 Hotel in NZ
- 2023 Remix Magazine Lifestyle Awards (Readers’ Choice Best Hotel)
- 2023 Cuisine Good Food Awards (kingi One Hat)
- 2023 AmCham Commitment to sustainability (Highly commended)
Reporting Period: 2023-04 to 2024-03
Environmental Metrics
Total Carbon Emissions:247 tCO2e/year
ESG Focus Areas
- Governance
- Environment
- People & Culture
Environmental Achievements
- Launched New Zealand’s first hotel-led regenerative travel experience in partnership with Velskov Native Forest Farm.
- Participated in a food waste reduction pilot programme (Kai Keepers).
- Planted 1200 native trees in partnership with The Landing.
- Replaced lobby cushions with Wisewool filling, reusing/repurposing over 60% of old filling.
- Reduced GHG emissions per guest night slightly from the previous year (0.0086 tCO2e per room night).
Social Achievements
- Launched a team wellbeing programme with various activities and fundraising events.
- Implemented a social procurement policy, ensuring 95% of procurement from NZ suppliers and 80% NZ-made.
- Donated 478kg of soap to Soap Aid.
- Donated $1155 to Six For Good charities through Astro Hospitality.
- Contributed 48 paid volunteering hours to various charities.
Governance Achievements
- Continued preventative maintenance programme.
- Appointed a Sustainability and Procurement Coordinator and a People & Culture Manager.
- Established a Sustainability Committee with monthly meetings and a quarterly newsletter.
Climate Goals & Targets
Long-term Goals:
- Net zero emissions by 2045
Short-term Goals:
- Develop a detailed sustainability strategy with a roadmap to net zero by 2045.
- Analyze climate risks to The Hotel Britomart.
- Redevelop sustainability dashboard for real-time progress tracking.
- Set up a system for detailed guest feedback on sustainability.
- Model the potential for tree-planting to act as GHG mitigation.
- Increase tree-planting at The Landing.
- Find a provider to recycle soft plastics.
- Find a cost-effective method to weigh waste for better tracking.
- Work towards Great Place to Work certification.
- Complete accessibility assessment and implement changes.
- Register with an accreditation provider for safe, inclusive employment.
- Implement leadership development training programme.
- Encourage team member participation in volunteering activities.
Environmental Challenges
- Challenging economic environment for the tourism industry.
- Previous over-reporting error in GHG emissions calculations.
- Need to reduce food waste further at kingi restaurant.
- Need to improve sustainability storytelling on website.
- Need to address greenwashing in the industry.
Mitigation Strategies
- Efficient, sustainable approach and moderate size helped weather economic downturn.
- Corrected GHG calculation methodology.
- Will explore opportunities to reduce food waste at kingi in the second stage of the Kai Keepers trial.
- Updated sustainability storytelling on website to reflect progress and ongoing projects.
- Increased due diligence on sustainable procurement to avoid greenwashing.
Supply Chain Management
Responsible Procurement
- Social procurement policy (95% NZ suppliers, 80% NZ-made).
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: Toitū Carbonreduce, Qualmark (5-star Gold award)
Certifications: New Zealand Green Building Council’s 5 Green Star Design and Build certification
Third-party Assurance: Toitū Envirocare
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- kingi Boards
Awards & Recognition
- Exteriors Award, World’s Most Beautiful Hotels
- Maica Horigue Receptionist of the Year (AICR NZ)
- Maica Horigue Receptionist of the Year Runner-Up (AICR International)
- Best of the Best Awards (TripAdvisor)
- Best Hotel in New Zealand (Hospitality New Zealand Awards)
- Finalist Luxury Hotel over 50 Rooms and Emerging Brand to Watch (Luxury Travel Gold List Awards)