Dalata has announced that it secured a Green Tourism sustainability certification for all of its Clayton, Maldron and partner hotels for 2023. The Irish hotel group attained the ‘Gold’ standard in Green Tourism certification for all 48 previously assessed hotels, along with a Gold and Silver for two new hotel additions to the portfolio during the period.
Additionally, all 45 hotels that applied were also accredited ‘Gold’ for ‘Green Meetings’ certification. Dalata noted it has an action plan to achieve ‘Gold’ across its entire portfolio in the coming years.
It added that the certifications acknowledge its ongoing efforts to minimise environmental impact, engage with local communities, and enhance accessibility for both guests and staff, with the recently created ‘Green Meetings’ standard, evaluating how well venues adhere to environmentally friendly and socially responsible practices of meetings and events.
To achieve a ‘Gold’ certification, businesses must demonstrate a strong environmental ethos, implement significant changes to their working practices, and consistently review and maintain them.
Achieving a 27% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon emissions per room sold in 2023 compared to 2019, Dalata is on a trajectory to meet its target of reducing energy-related emissions by 20% per room sold by 2026.
To meet this, it is implementing energy management projects throughout its existing hotel portfolio. The Maldron Hotel Merrion Road, Dublin, and Maldron Hotel Finsbury Park, London, for example, are both built to an ‘A’ Building Energy Rating (BER), utilising metering, LED lighting, and new green technologies to reduce carbon emissions.
Elsewhere, all hotels with Meetings and Event facilities applied for the Green Meetings certification with all hotels across Ireland and the UK receiving the Gold standard certification. Dalata is the first hotel group to receive the highest standard Green Meeting Gold Certification across all hotels in Ireland and the UK.
Additionally, Dalata is actively pursuing participation in the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) with a focus on the Building Sector. The building conversion opportunity at St. Andrew Square in Edinburgh will be one of the group’s first properties to be designed to operate with zero on-site carbon emissions.
Caitriona Conroy, head of Operational Risk and Sustainability, at Dalata Hotel Group, said: “As a leader in the hospitality industry, we remain committed to contributing to a more resilient and environmentally conscious future. Retaining the Green Tourism ‘Gold’ score for most of our hotels is a testament to our commitment to sustainability across all levels of our organisation and we will continue through our actions plans to build on our ‘Gold’ standard awards.
“I would like to thank all the hotel teams and managers for their dedication in sustaining key sustainability credentials across our portfolio. I also wish to express gratitude to Green Tourism for their continued guidance and recognition of our sustainability achievements.”