Environmental and social policy

It’s BEST when you care for the environment

Best Western Bruntsfield Hotel recognises that we must operate our business with care and consideration both within our local environment and in the wider environment. We have committed to operate with the following policies:

Our social policy in our local community:

We use local suppliers wherever possible to minimise transport and CO2 emissions but also promote local and Scottish produce.

We use local trade’s people and companies for property maintenance and operation.

We pay all our suppliers promptly and within their own credit terms.

We work closely with Edinburgh Council and all statutory authorities to ensure that we operate our business above the minimum standards for Environmental Health and Safety.

We have ensured that all areas of the hotel are accessible for mobility impaired customers and have provided two specially adapted bedrooms to ensure access to all.

We give our excess and used furniture free to local charities.

We pro-actively maintain the appearance of the built environment around the hotel by keeping the public pavement clean, keeping the street furniture free of graffiti, weeding the public pavement in the summer, keeping the public pavement free of ice and snow in the winter and planting and maintaining window boxes with seasonal planting.

We have received a silver award from Edinburgh Council in the Keep Edinburgh Clean scheme.

We work with local schools, colleges and universities to provide work experience and training.

We work with Edinburgh Council Social Services to provide paid employment to young people who are disadvantaged by their circumstances and find it difficult to secure employment.

We support local community groups.

Our wider social and environmental policy

We have achieved the Silver standard in the Green Business Tourism Scheme since September 2002 and since then have continuously maintained this standard for operating the business in an environmentally responsible “Green” way.

We have formed an Energy Committee which investigates and initiates ways to reduce energy and wastage from hotel operations and to increase recycling. This committee also monitors meter readings for all energy and pro-actively takes steps to reduce usage when consumption increases by calculating and setting targets for energy use per customer and per room sold.

We recycle paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, electric light bulbs, fabrics, cooking oils and metal cans.

We compact all other waste before collection to reduce landfill.

We encourage our guests to recycle by placing recycling containers in public areas.

We use fair trade beverage produce in the bars and restaurant.

We use recycled paper for all printing, general stationary and sanitary use.

We encourage re-use of guest towels and change bed linen only on demand.

We have thoroughly insulated all bedrooms and have individual heating controls to reduce excess energy use and have energy switches to prevent appliances being left on when the room is vacant.

We have installed a large proportion of low energy and long life light bulbs.

All heating and hot water plant are regularly maintained and insulated and set at optimum comfort and energy consumption levels.

We have installed motion sensors for automatic switching off of corridor lighting and “auto-switch off” switches in back of house areas and stores.

We have installed aerated shower heads and taps to save water consumption.