Environmental Policy at Holiday Inn Winchester

Find out more about how we are committed to going green…

At the Holiday Inn Winchester we are committed to working in a sustainable way and reducing our Carbon Footprint. 

Here at the Holiday Inn Winchester we are committed to working in a sustainable way and reducing our Carbon Footprint. We continually strive to ensure our business practices are sustainable and have minimal impact on the environment and our local surroundings.

Electric car charge point at the Holiday Inn Winchester

Sustainability is a big focus for the Holiday Inn Winchester…

At the Holiday Inn Winchester, we are continuously seeking to improve our environmental and social performance. With this in mind, we are the first hotel in Winchester to install an electric car charging point. Situated opposite the entrance of the hotel, the EV car charging point can charge the vehicle type 1 & type 2 and can charge 2 cars at a time. Most vehicles sold in the Uk fall under these car types.

Electric Vehicles are becoming more popular and are definitely the thing of the future. The electric charging point can provide up to 80% battery with just 30 minutes of charging, so guests attending a conference or just stopping for coffee can charge their car as well as guests staying overnight.

Electric car owners are likely to plan their journey to enable them to charge their vehicle when necessary and the Holiday Inn is proud to be able to provide this complimentary service.
We have recently had TESLA make use of our EV charge point. Tesla is an American company who make high-performance cars and we were lucky enough to have 2 of the Model S versions at the hotel. The Tesla Model S is all electric with zero emissions and has been compared to Mercedes CLS, BMW 7 series and Range Rover Sport.

Carbon Smart

At the Holiday Inn Winchester, we are committed to working in a sustainable way and reducing our Carbon Footprint. We continually strive to ensure our business practices are sustainable and have minimal impact on the environment and our local surroundings.

The Carbon Smart Certification Programme continues to be the fastest growing environmental programme in the UK and in 2014 the Holiday Inn Winchester was awarded the Gold Carbon Smart award in recognition that the hotel has taken positive steps to improve environmental performance.

The Holiday Inn was initially assessed in 2013 and was awarded the Carbon Smart Blue certificate for our efforts in reducing Carbon Footprint. Since then we have worked hard to improve environmental performance and are extremely proud to announce that we have managed to jump straight to ‘Gold’! Carbon Smart certification recognises the practical actions and decisions that the Holiday Inn has taken to reduce its impact on the environment and acknowledge the steps that have been taken to tackle carbon footprint.

In order to achieve the Gold certificate the Holiday Inns’ data quality has been rated ‘good’ by Carbon Smart, we have improved carbon savings year on year in line with the target set and enhanced the environmental policy documentation ensuring its integration into the organisation. Overall the exceptional actions achieved by the Holiday Inn has resulted in the Carbon Smart Gold Award. We will be working hard to maintain this throughout 2014.

Green Policy

At the Holiday Inn Winchester, we are committed to working in a sustainable way and reducing our Carbon Footprint. We continually strive to ensure our business practices are sustainable and have minimal impact on the environment and our local surroundings.

      • We comply with the requirements of environmental legislation and approved codes of practice. 
      • We continuously seek to improve our environmental and social performance.
      • We reduce pollution, emissions and waste.
      • We reduce the use of energy, water and other resources.
      • We raise awareness, encourage participation and train employees in sustainable business practices.
      • We expect similar environmental practices from all our suppliers and contractors.
      • We assist customers to use products and services in an environmentally sensitive way.
      • We liaise with our local community.
      • We have minimized our risk associated with social and environmental issues.
      • We have joined the Green Tourism Business Scheme as an indicator of our sustainable practices. 
      • We encourage guests to recycle towels, reduce water usage and make use of the recycling bins we have provided.
      • We take part in the Carbon Smart programme, we currently hold a Gold certificate.

Here at the Holiday Inn Winchester, we understand that our guests want a sustainable hotel that’s why we are part of Green Engage. Green engage, which is an IHG company policy scheme, allows us to measure the impact of the day to day running of the hotel on the environment. From this, we are provided with recommended actions to ensure that we are doing everything we can to reduce our impact on the environment. For more information on Green Engage click here.

Initiatives the hotel has completed so far:

      • Installation of an electric car charge point in our car park. 
      • Installation of a Monscierge screen which enables guests to email information, such as maps, to their phone without printing them.
      • Use of LED lighting, dimmer switches and timers.
      • Removal of staff waste paper bins to encourage more recycling.
      • Bedroom air conditioning controlled by a master panel to be activated only when a guest is occupying a room.
      • The hotel has monthly meetings and a staff notice board both dedicated to green thinking.
      • Staff send PDF documents instead of brochures to save paper.

For the Future the hotel is looking to:

      • Increase landfill diversion by 10% in 2014.
      • Install occupancy sensors in all cupboards to avoid wasting electricity.
      • Change its current company car to an electric vehicle.

FEEL GOOD … Seven things you can do to help save the planet

We are working to make our destination more eco-friendly, but we need your help. We can all reduce our impact on the environment by making choices. As a visitor, you have a very important role to play in helping us to conserve our natural assets and become a more sustainable destination. Here are our recommended tips on how you can help:

Conserve Energy
Reduce energy by switching off lights and closing windows if the heating is on. The Energy Saving Trust provides information on what you can do at home.

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Give the Car a Rest
Leave the car behind, if only for a day. Walk, cycle or use public transport. We will happily provide you with advice.

http://www.traveline.org.uk/
http://www.seat61.com
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/
www.visitwinchester.co.uk/…/bikeabout-bicycle-hire-and-loans-p872581

Shop Local
Use local products, they give you a flavour of the area and help support local communities. We are fortunate to have some fantastic producers of food, drink and arts and crafts. Ask us about local markets or local and regional produce.

http://www.hampshirefarmersmarkets.co.uk/
http://www.hampshirefare.co.uk/

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Try to avoid overly packaged goods and say no to that extra carrier bag. You can also support us in our efforts to recycle – we now have recycling bins available for guests, please ask staff for more details.

Be Water Wise
The UK has rising costs for water treatment and flood defence so please use water wisely. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth and adhere to towel policies or other water saving initiatives

http://www.water-guide.org.uk/

Respect Nature
Help us to look after the landscape and wildlife by not littering, guarding against fire and using footpaths and cycle-ways responsibly. Ensure you follow the Countryside Code

http://www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk
http://www.cpre.org.uk/

Support Green Businesses
There are thousands of businesses in the British Isles working to reduce their carbon footprint through the Green Tourism Business Scheme. Businesses are awarded Bronze, Silver and Gold for their efforts to be more sustainable.

http://www.green-business.co.uk

Support Local Community
Holiday Inn Winchester sponsors a giraffe at Marwell Zoo and has just signed a 3-year partnership with the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester specifically supporting the Magic Wand Appeal.