Beacon Altogether Better

Our Green Aims

In December 2007, beacon outlined its formal CSR policy. in it, we committed to conducting business in ways that help to protect and preserve the environment. This was achieved by considering the economic, social and environmental impact of all business decisions and practices, whilst taking into consideration the expectations of our members, customers and stakeholders.

As a subsidiary of Interchange and Consort Hotels Ltd, some of beacon's CSR activities are handled by our parent company. Examples are our car policy and HR policies. However, many activities are handled directly by beacon and it is these actions, carried out in 2008 that we will update you on in this report, and throughout the year.

beacon will publish annual targets for the year ahead, to measure our progress against these aims. These progress against these targets will be updated quarterly through a balance scorecard.

Progress Update - updated April 2010

beacon had a number of CSR aims for 2008/09 covering the following areas: our members, our suppliers, our employees and our community. Below we describe the progress we've made-to-date in these areas:

Our Employees

• Aims:

  • beacon will develop a range of initiatives designed to actively encourage all employees to fully embrace its CSR policy and to take responsibility and accountability for the environment and community in which we operate.

  Activities in 2008/09:

  In 2007, Interchange and Consort Hotels started the long challenge of becoming accredited by Green Tourism. Like many organisations, we are constantly building our understanding of the true impact of our activities on the environment and have implemented a lot of changes including recycling, usage of Fairtrade products, usage of 100% recycled paper, greener pool cars and the list goes on. In June 2008, we were assessed by Green Tourism and achieved Bronze accreditation with 59%

  We actively encourage our employees to reduce, reuse and recycle wherever they can and we have introduced our own Head Office voluntary 'Green Team' comprising of 10 head office employees who make recommendations for green initiatives at our office in York. Recent examples include negotiating with the dairy to have the previous day's plastic milk cartons returned for recycling; bottled water dispensers have been replaced with plumb-filtered / chilled water; bird boxes have been installed around the grounds and a staff garden was introduced, with a 'wild' section of the garden with native wild flowers.

  Activities in 2010

  In June 2010, we are being re-assessed for the Green Tourism Business Scheme and as we were only 6% from achieving the Silver accreditation, we are aiming to achieve this level at our next assessment. A 'green ideas' notice board has also been introduced to the beacon Head Office to help foster and capture green initiatives which can be actioned within the office.

Our Members

• Aims:

  • We will support members wherever possible, by providing information, advice and solutions to help them with the effective implementation of good environmental practices and procedures.
  • We will work collaboratively with members to procure suppliers best able to assist them in the implementation of CSR within their businesses.
  • We will continue to listen to the views and opinions of our members through an annual member survey, published in April each year. Survey results will continue to provide content for press releases, in order to promote our customers' views to the wider industry.

  Activities in 2008/09:

  In autumn 2008, we launched altogether better, our new member newsletter. Every edition of the newsletter contains news, features and advice on green issues. The first edition highlighted the results from our summer survey on the CSR issues as well as hints and tips to start 'going green'. The newsletter has been started in print but the plan is for it to go online in the next 12 months.

  beacon has developed an online virtual 'green' hotel, as an information source to provide a list of green products and ideas to help members introduce green initiatives of their own. Significant work was completed on this in 2008 and 2009, and the hotel now has 8 different areas within the hotel, inclduing kitchen, bar, bedroom and conference room.

  In addition, beacon has developed close links, alongside Best Western. with the GTBS - Green Tourism Business Scheme. During 2009, we defined a set of green products, available through beacon nominated suppliers, which could be endorsed by Green Business.

  Activity in 2010

  In 2010, we plan to actively promote to our members the range of green products, highlighted by Green Tourism as relevant for their accreditation scheme. We will also look to develop the range of products featured within the hotel and explore new 'green' areas inclduing refuse, anaerobic digestion, bailers, composting, recycling and alternative energy.

  beacon has also sponsored the 'Considerate Hoteliers Green Marketing Initiative of the Year 2009', which rewards innovation, the ability to respond the market demands and ability opportunities and is announced in May 2010.

Our Suppliers

• Aims:

  • beacon will monitor nominated suppliers to ensure that their organisations are proactively working to reduce the environmental impact caused by their products, services and means of distribution.
  • beacon will support relevant organisations and bodies in their aim to encourage the adoption and development of environmental standards within the hospitality sector.
  • Through the introduction of the annual "beacon Best Supplier Award" we will publicly acknowledge the contribution made by our suppliers to the achievement of our CSR policy.

  Activities in 2008/09:

  Since 2008, beacon has proactively collated CSR policies from all nominated suppliers. Linking to the green hotel, beacon has actively encouraged its suppliers to recommend environmentally-friendly products and services for accreditation by the GTBS and inclusion in the beacon virtual hotel.

  We have provided 50 accredited products across four category areas - food, drink, non food & contract services - and we have increased the number of featured suppliers to 37 and 3 partners - Green Tourism, Envirowise and Carepar.

  beacon launched its first Supplier Awards in September 2008 and hundreds of votes were received from customers of the thirty suppliesr who entered the awards. The voting customers chose the winners of the awards for Outstanding Customer Service, Most Reliable Supplier, Exceptional Staff Member and Best Product. A judging panel comprised of the Director of beacon, toher leading industry figures and Jon Proctor of Green Business, chose the winners for the Green Award and the 2009 beacon Supplier Award for the company most engaged and supportive of beacon's philosophy and brand. The uptake and success of the 2010 Supplier Awards exceed the 2009 awards, with over 50 suppliers entering and hundreds of customers voting.

   In 2009, beacon nominated a network of regional / local suppliers within our defined business regions of Scotland, North, Central and South. Specifially within the food category and to include meat, dairy, fish, and fruit & veg, beacon have and will continue to actively procure new purchasing solutions on behalf of those customers who wish to use more locally sourced products and suppliers.

  Activities in 2010

  In 2010, beacon will actively look to procure new purchasing solutions for local linen suppliers, focusing on their green credentials as well as local delivery locations, and have already secured Chester Textiles, a local North West linen suppliers. beacon will continue to nominate, where requested, regional suppliers in all areas of the business.

  In 2010, beacon will increase the product and hints featured on the green hotel site and increase the number of suppliers to 50. The green hotel will also increase the category offering to cover linen, waste recycling, composting and washroom services, as well as provide some support and advice on some of the upcoming legislation changes within the industry, including the Carbon Reduction Charter.

The Community

• Aims:

  • Through the formation of 'The Best Western beacon Trust' we will support the charitable aims of members through the company's fundraising activities.

  Activities in 2008/09:

  In January 2008, beacon and it's sister company, Best Western, set up a charitable trust to support local causes close to the heart of their members. The initial funds for Best Western beacon Charitable Trust were generated during Best Western's 2008 awnnual members conference, and fund-raising efforts have continued throughout last year.

  Examples of grants given inlcude £260 towards the fund-raising efforts of a hotel receptionist whose son has been suffering from an incurable illness. The grant helped her to go on and raise £1,600 for a UK-based medical chairty conducting research on the illness. Another grant, for £700, will benefit a local football club for underprivledged children in Glasgow. The club, which was in financial difficulties, needed the money to prepay some fundraising costs so that it can generate the £2,000 it needs to survive for the next year.

  beacon's contribution to the hospitality industry is also important and beacon, whether independently or through its parent company, is an active member of organisations such as BHA (British Hospitlaity Association), Arena, BAHA (British Association of Hospitality Accountants). We actively seek opportunities to get more involved industry initiatives.

  beacon and its sister company Best Western fundraise with a number of differentcharities such as Woodlands Respite and care centre, Comic Relief, Cancer Awareness, St. Lenard's and Hospice, Brain Injury Awareness and Playtex Moonwalk for caner plus many more. In 2008/09, through internal chairty activities such as adress down days, cake baking competitions and department competitions, beacon and Best Western raised over £ 900.

  Volunteering within the beacon and Best Western head office has proved a huge success with employees working with York cares on the Right to Read, life swap in schools, York Cares Christmas collection and Sherry Parties at haxby Hall and Morrell House, and conservation volunteering.

  Activities in 2010

  beacon will continue to support and promote the Best Western beacon Charitable Trust to our members and report some of the successful grants stories via the green hotel website. beacon will also actively promote and support employees to take part in the voluntary schemes available through the business, as well as work closely with Best Western in their continuing fund-raising activities.

  beacon has also sponsored the 'Considerate Hoteliers Green Marketing Initiative of the Year 2009', which rewards innovation, the ability to respond the market demands and ability opportunities and is announced in May 2010.