RETTER BIO-NATUR-RESORT

Contributor	Herbert Hamele
Country	Austria
Keywords	ETGG2030-GP ETGG2030-MAP
Postal address	Pöllauberg 88, 8225 Pöllauberg in der Steiermark
Webpage	http://retter.at
Release date	08/04/2022
Landscape type	Mountain
Topics	Good Governance & CSR
GSTC Criteria for Industry	A1 Sustainability management system A3 Reporting and communication A4 Staff engagement A5 Customer experience B3 Local purchasing B4 Local entrepreneurs D1.1 Environmentally preferable purchasing D1.3 Energy conservation D1.4 Water conservation D2.1 Greenhouse gas emissions D2.3 Wastewater D3.5 Animal welfare
Marketplace category	Certified Green: Accommodation Providers
Type	(Best Practice Business)

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#	File name	Contributor	Release date	Uploaded by	Upload date	Size	Content type


Category:	Hotel, resort and seminar centre
Size:	Medium
Protected areas nearby:	Pöllauer Tal Nature Park in Eastern Styria
Certifying body:	Green Globe, Austrian Ecolabel

Outstanding contributions

The Retter Resort is a 116 bedroom hotel, seminar centre and wellness facility in rural Austria. The business was established and is run by the Retter family. It places a major emphasis on its relationship with nature, linking this to the whole ethos of the business operation and to the guest experience, of which its location within the Pöllauer Tal Nature Park is a key aspect. This relationship pervades the communication on the website and the positioning of the Retter brand.

The Retter Resort has achieved very high scores in its certification by both the Austrian Ecolabel and by Green Globe. It has been officially certified as a Carbon Neutral Hotel. The low temperature and biomass heating system, using wood chips and an optimised energy concept with ceiling air conditioning, has helped to cut emissions by 1m Kg per year. All doors and windows are equipped with sensors which prevent unnecessary cooling or heating. All seminar rooms have CO₂sensors and guarantee a constant supply of fresh air. Further action to reduce net emissions includes the promotion of alternative transport options for guests and staff and the installation of 10 charging stations for electric vehicles.

A goal has been set only to use food that is organically certified and from the local region. The Retter BioGut is a shop next to the hotel selling organic bread and pastries made from regionally sourced flour and baked daily in a wood oven. All meat used is from organic husbandry. Since 2014 Retter has been collaborating with Labonca Pasture Abattoir, involving a private pasture of 100 pigs, stress-free slaughtering and the production of ham and sausages using phosphate-free and nitrite-free hot-frying processes. A newly planted orchard is managed for biodiversity and the grazing of sheep and chickens. Sparkling water is sourced directly from a local spring. Rainwater is used not only in the gardens but also to flush the toilets, thereby saving 3m litres of water each year.

The company has an employee profit-sharing system for sustainable management, with bonuses paid annually. The motivation of employees is promoted through the joint development, achievement and celebration of corporate sustainability goals. Lasting partnerships are also established with the trainers and companies who use the Retter’s extensive and award-winning seminar facilities and who value the venue as a showcase for service, quality and sustainability. The latest seminar technology is employed, including the use of Weframe to enable hybrid meetings to reflect the new market reality.

Key SDGs related to this action

See: Tourism for SDGs - Recommendations for Companies