sustainability
Here at JA the Bruntsfield, we are committed to a range of sustainability initiatives. We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint through waste management, ethical purchasing, and energy efficiency. We model our sustainable practices through the Three Pillars of Sustainability (Environmental, Social, and Economic). Please view our Responsible Stay Charter here.
JA the Bruntsfield has partnered with Mission Net Zero and is audited by Green Tourism. Please read our Environmental, Social and Governance policy here.
Sustainability may often be interpreted as just environmental sustainability; however, it is much more than that, and the three pillars of sustainability are the fundamental framework to understand it. The three pillars of sustainability are the environment, society, and the economy. Sustainable development is built on top of those three pillars because it can be achieved only when environmental protection, social fairness, and economic profitability coexist without one area taking over any of the others.
JA the Bruntsfield aims to adopt social sustainability through the way we treat our employees and by being good neighbours and community members, both locally and globally. This is achieved by adopting a sound corporate social responsibility (CSR) model, that can offer our staff members benefits such as learning and development opportunities, and fair liveable wages.
Additionally, by becoming more involved in the community, we have come up with many ways to give back.
JA the Bruntsfield has become a sponsor of local Boroughmuir Rugby Club. We were drawn to Boroughmuir’s commitment not just to sporting excellence, but to creating opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to come together. The partnership aligns closely with our own belief in supporting organisations that make a meaningful impact locally.
We are proud to have made a four-year commitment to Edinburgh Young Carers and its summer kayaking programme. Through this partnership, the charity is able to support between 100 and 130 young carers aged 8 to 18 by offering fully funded places at summer paddleboarding sessions on the Union Canal, based at Meggetland Community Sports Hub.
For many participants, these sessions provide much more than recreational activity. The programme supports mental health and wellbeing, creates opportunities for meaningful friendships and peer support, and offers a safe space where young people can enjoy being children rather than focusing on their caring responsibilities. It also promotes physical activity, builds confidence and resilience, and helps ease the transition to secondary school.
At JA the Bruntsfield, we avoid using single-use plastic wherever we can. Our bathroom amenities are refillable and sourced from ethical companies such as BeeKind. The BeeKind collection from Gilchrist & Soames infuses their soaps and shampoos with natural honey with other organic ingredients. Additionally, with every BeeKind product sold a profit of sales goes towards bee conservation and research.
We seek to work with suppliers that share our environmental, social and ethical values. Using ethically sourced food and drink e.g. Fairtrade, helps provide better lifestyle and living conditions for producers. We prioritise sourcing food and drink from suppliers that demonstrate responsible farming, animal welfare, and environmental management practices, where available.
At our restaurant, The Neighbourhood, we aim to source our meat as locally as possible. We source our meat from John Gilmour who is based in Tranent. Their beef is chosen from sustainable small-batch farms which grass feed their animals throughout the summer and silage (a type of natural food that contains plants and forages) throughout the winter.
Recognising the demand for plant-based and vegetarian food is growing significantly our menu has various delicious vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options that can have a lower environmental impact compared to meat and can help promote a healthier lifestyle. Our healthy eating options can help customers make informed choices especially if they are weight conscious or have medical reasons for eating healthily such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Please do let us know if you require any information on the food and drink options on the menu.
We are re-wilding our secret garden and testing planting schemes designed to support local biodiversity and reduce maintenance requirements. Our Green Team member, James Murphy, is heading up this project. Please read his plans for this year here.
At JA the Bruntsfield, we aim to be economically sustainable and aim to work with suppliers that hold the same ethos as ours. We are pleased to source some of our bar products from Inverarity Morton, who ethically source their wines, they supply us with Citizen Wine and their Let It Bee red blend. Citizen Wine contributes a percentage of profits to bee conservation. We have also implemented electric car charging stations to support and encourage guests to use lower-emission transport options.
JA the Bruntsfield has partnered with Mission: Net Zero to help us on our path to sustainability. Mission: Net Zero is a sustainability consultant who assists us with lessening our environmental impact and gaining certification under a globally renowned eco-label, Green Tourism. They provide guidance to help improve our environmental and social performance.
The Bruntsfield is delighted to announce that is has recently achieved Greengage ECOsmart Gold. This is a further, important step in our net zero mission.
Green Tourism encourages companies and organisations to run their operations more sustainably. The Green Tourism Awards Certification Program honours the dedication of tourism businesses that are actively pursuing sustainability. Their bronze, silver, and gold certifications are widely recognised as indicators of solid environmental practises and are a fantastic way to advance on a green journey. They also serve as a seal of "green quality," drawing in more and more eco-aware customers. The Bruntsfield is proud to have now been awarded Gold status.