Aquila Hotels & Resorts Sustainability report 2013-2014

Aquila Hotels & Resorts Sustainability report 2013-2014

At present, AQUILA HOTELS & RESORTS comprises of four reputable five star hotels on Crete, Greece: AQUILA RITHYMNA BEACH, AQUILA PORTO RETHYMNO, AQUILA ELOUNDA VILLAGE, and AQUILA ATLANTIS HOTEL. We feel that the uniqueness of these properties, enhanced by our continuing commitment to improvement and our customers' ongoing support has established AQUILA as a leading hotel brand worldwide. AQUILA HOTELS & RESORTS was founded in 2007. In ancient mythology, Aquila was known to be the golden eagle always by the side of Zeus, the father of all Gods and was the symbol of power and endurance. We believe this identity reflects our enduring to customer satisfaction, veritable attention to detail and impeccable service, underpinned by a committed environmental awareness. 1

We would like to warmly welcome you all to AQUILA HOTELS & RESORTS The most important aspects of our success and for our future prospects derive from all our esteemed guests, the community where we live and work, our beautiful natural environment, our collaborators and of course from all our valued employees. With the support and aid from all the above, we strive to protect our heritage and do our utmost to respect and keep our beautiful island attractive and environmental friendly. Our main goals are: Satisfied customers in all issues A close and fair relationship with all our employees and the community. Protection of our local environment, heritage and landscape Preserve our island for the next generations Aquila Hotels & Resorts Company together with all of our four hotels on Crete has always maintained a strong corporate and serious commitment towards the economic, social & environmental issues. We kindly invite you all to join and be part of our vision and look forward to the pleasure of welcoming you to Crete and to Aquila Hotels & Resorts. Dimitris Tsounis General Manager 2

employees environment community suppliers - stakeholders guests AQUILA S VISION OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Through our operation and policies, we aim to positively contribute to social coherence, to economic development and to the preservation of the environment and cultural heritage wherever we operate and beyond. It is the commitment of Aquila Hotels & Resorts to respect and follow the national legislation concerning environment, labor and human rights, protection of children and discouraging child labor, protection of finance as well as health & safety. AQUILA S ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY We have adopted an integrated policy covering the totality of environmental themes related to our operations including Energy, Fresh Water and Solid Waste Management, Air Quality, the Coastal and Marine Environment, as well as local Landscape and Nature. In addition, our policy covers company purchases, customer information and personnel as well as all external cooperators involvement. 3

OUR AWARDS TRAVELIFE is an internationally recognized independent sustainability certification scheme which helps hotels members around the world to improve their environmental social and economic impacts cost-effectively... BLUE FLAG is a voluntary eco-label award which works towards sustainable development of beaches and marinas through strict criteria dealing with Water Quality, Environmental Education and Information, Environmental Management, Safety as well as other Services. GREEN KEY is an eco-label award which aims to increase the use of environmentally friendly and sustainable methods of operation and technology in the establishments ISO 22000:2005 sets out the requirements for a food safety management system and can be certified. It maps out what an organization needs to do to demonstrate its ability to control food safety hazards in order to ensure that food is safe. TUI UMWELT This TUI award exists since 1996 hotels that are especially committed to protecting the environment and be socially responsible. TUI intends to increase the TUI Environmental Champion awareness and commitment of the hoteliers for sustainability.

employees OUR EMPLOYEES Over the last years a team working towards sustainability has managed to educate, train and inform all employees, in order for them to be able to assist in contributing in a sustainable environment and to achieve sustainable goals set by Aquila Hotels & Resorts. 800 790 780 770 760 750 740 730 720 710 700 Numer of employees in all Aquila Hotels & Resorts 740 730 2013 2014 Our Employees of the management team has teaching experience in hotel-business schools 18% of members of the staff have received professional training 39% of members of the staff had language, management or environmental training 65% of our employees are locals 93% of the management team has received higher education 100% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 5

Employees of the chain A company with a soul Clear Health & Safety policy in all hotels Our policy does not allow discrimination in any way All employees have access to the hotels doctor Our employees have attended seminars concerning the protection of children Free accommodation is offered to employees if requested (e.g. far distance from their home, financial reasons) Free child care is offered to all employees-parents, in our own privately owned kindergarten Free breakfast, lunch and dinner is offered to all our employees Continual employee development (e.g. language courses, professional development courses, First Aid courses, etc.) All members of staff are encouraged to join the Hotel employees Trade Union. Aquila Hotels & Resorts has its own blood bank for all employees and their families. All our employees are fully insured and have a legal contract according to Greek legislation 6

OUR ENVIRONMENT Aquila Hotels & Resorts is a company showcasing high levels of environmental consciousness and social awareness, which never misses the opportunity to prove its strong commitment to protecting our home: the earth and its people. Aquila Hotels & Resorts is a Greek-owned hotel chain strongly committed to minimise and make the best out of the company s impact and interaction with the local environmental, social, economic and cultural structures existing in the magical areas that host its hotels and resorts. The company is determined and takes specific action, in order to positively contribute to the protection and preservation of the environment and cultural heritage, to the social coherence and the economic florescence of its properties surroundings. Management, staff and guests environment Environmental policy in place We try to choose suppliers who as well invest in sustainable management and environmental friendly procedures. Every hotel has its own Eco Team who meet at least once a month Energy and water savings measures Water efficient filters and mixing taps in most bathrooms (flow control devices) Automatic irrigation systems in all our garden areas Most of our water is heated by solar thermal collectors Thermal insulations and shading components are often used for increasing natural cooling Energy efficient light bulbs in all public areas and most guest rooms The watering of our gardens take place late in the evening to prevent water waste New purchases in order to replace old high energy consuming equipment Key cards or magnets to switch off lights when guests leave the room Investment in renewable energy systems Regular maintenance & training on the equipment at the beginning of each season towards efficient energy use Information towards guest by using the bathroom card in order to save water/energy VRV systems are being installed when older A/C systems are replaced Waste management and recycling Used oil & fats are collected Recycle bins for recycling batteries, plastic, glass, paper, aluminum, toner cartridges We undertake efforts to limit the use of disposable products The reuse of paper for internal use We choose returnable glass - bottles wherever available Recycle bins are available to our guests 7

Air quality Electric vehicles are used in Aquila Hotels & Resorts Support of the local transport Rental of bikes Chemical management We apply environmental criteria when purchasing cleaning agents Use of chemicals is limited and organic farming methods are applied Use of local plants in the garden that need less water and are more resistant to the local climate The daily control of the swimming pools in order to use the minimum amount of chemicals and other substances Minimum use of chemicals in garden area and housekeeping department Coastal protection and activities We undertake initiatives for the protection of the sea turtles The beaches are properly organized and regularly cleaned while bathing water quality is constantly monitored All our initiatives on the beaches are recognized through the international Blue Flag award 8

community OUR COMMUNITY We are all working together for a better environment. Every year we put our hands together with our guests and local community to: Protect the sea Turtle Caretta Caretta Clean up the Med Weekly garden tours Weekly presentation of local teas & local coffee Walks to the close villages Protection of the local flora Own biological vegetable garden (at Aquila Rithymna Beach) 9

Our Community: Support of local excursions/shops and sights to our guests Donations to various organizations Close cooperation with the Greek Organization The smile of the child Aquila Hotels & Resorts supports the local schools of the area with free maintenance services, excursions and donations. In order to support the local economy, we support our local suppliers by purchasing fresh fish, meat, cheese, vegetables, fruits, pastries etc. for our food and beverage outlets. We support local institutes by giving donations to local hospital, elderly homes, etc. Whenever renovations take place, furniture, equipment and other various materials are given to weak members of the society or organizations All Aquila Hotels & Resorts hotels are members of the hotel association 10

suppliers - stakeholders OUR SUPPLIERS-STAKEHOLDERS In order to support the local economy, we support our local suppliers by purchasing fresh fish, meat, cheese, vegetables, fruits, pastries etc. for our food and beverage outlets. We have adopted a new purchasing policy with sustainability criteria trying to increase the local value and the sustainability supply chain Aquila Hotels & Resorts has a close cooperation with the local community, town hall and local organizations guests OUR GUESTS Sustainability Information to our visitors (brochures, posters and meetings) Guests involvement in our environmental activities (sea turtle Caretta-Caretta protection, clean up actions, etc.) Special programs through our animation team (Greek cooking lessons, garden tours, village walks, herb presentation, Greek Dances, etc.) ECO learning and activities in our kids club Local events Promotion (wine festival, theater plays, renaissance festival, local feasts & celebrations etc.) Local food and beverage promotion in our restaurants Encouraging guests to support recycling Our Policies 1. AQUILA QUALITY POLICY 2. AQUILA HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY 3. AQUILA ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY 4. AQUILA EMPLOYMENT POLICY 5. AQUILA COMMUNITY POLICY 6. AQUILA CHILD PROTECTION POLICY 7. AQUILA PURCHASING POLICY 11

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