Responsible Business - Let's take responsibility

Taking responsibility for the environment and local community has been an important part of Rezidor's broader commitment to sustainable development for many years. In 2001, this commitment was fortified and placed within the scope of a programme called Responsible Business (RB). Each hotel has a unique RB Action Plan covering areas such as community outreach, environmental improvement, employee well-being and health and safety. To read more about the RB programme, please go to www.responsiblebusiness.rezidor.com.

Our hotels are engaged with both local charity groups and Rezidor's corporate international charity organisation, the World Childhood Foundation. The mission of Childhood is to defend the rights of the child and to promote better living conditions for vulnerable and exploited children at risk all over the world.

Here are some of the Responsible Business activities and achievements of this hotel:

Hotel Environmental Action Week (HEAM) September 2006

Each week during September 2006, staff from the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Galway undertake a series of good deeds and charity events, donating their time, effort and money raised to a series of deserving causes and charities. During HEAM this year, Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa Galway worked with the charities GOAL, Enable Ireland, Shelter Box through the Galway Rotary Club and COPE.

• Annual Lough Atalia clean up to benefit the environment carried out by members of staff - This annual event is in the public interest and takes a day of staff's times offered voluntarily to rid this area of debris and build up of rubbish.
   
• Promotion of "Diversity in the Workplace" - A large mural was created by the entire staff in the staff's restaurant creating interest and giving information on the 22 nationalities represented amongst the staff in the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa Galway.
   
• An opportunity was provided for guests to contribute (voluntarily) a minimum of One euro each during the month of September for international aid agency GOAL. Radisson Blu corporate clients also were given an opportunity to buy raffle tickets in aid of GOAL and it is hoped to raise significant funds for work overseas.
   
• Staff raffle with significant prizes was held with monies raised donated to Shelterbox through the Galway Rotary Club
    
• Action week held in the hotel's Leisure Centre including a Water Polo Night, Morning tea morning in aid of Enable Ireland.
   
• Hotel involvement in Ireland's largest Coffee Morning welcoming the local business community, residents and leisure guests to participate in aid of the local Galway Hospice Foundation.
   
• Full hot meals cooked for the residents of the COPE homeless shelter.

The websites of the charities are as follows
www.goal.ie
www.shelterbox.org
www.cope.ie
www.galwayhospice.ie
www.enableireland.ie

Ongoing Hotel RB Activites

Community involvement

• Sponsorship of local football, GAA and Rugby.
• Continuously supporting local charities by way of voucher donations and support/sponsorship when charity functions held at hotel.
• Bring 'n Bin campaign whereby different charities are selected by the RB team and donation from the ongoing collection by staff of goods, clothing and various categories of items on a monthly basis.

Environmental improvements

• Separate all waste for recycling.. e.g. Glass, paper, cardboard, cans, food waste etc
• Energy saving
• Water saving, e.g. Guests have option to reuse towels if staying more than one night
• Safe disposal of light bulbs, batteries, used cooking oil and old/used equipment

Employee well-being

• Health & safety in the work place
• Good work practices
• Diversity in the workplace

Guests

• Saving water, guest has option to reuse their towels when staying more than one night
• Battery disposal box in reception
• Save the Children box in reception
• Offer healthy choice on menus, including organic food

The above are just some examples of what we do.