LindenGut

Boosting Sustainable Tourism Through Certification

EUROPEAN GOOD PRACTICE COLLECTION 2021

NOMINATION FORM

Please send until 6^th August 2021 to (herbert.hamele@ecotrans.de / cc diego.nunez@ecotrans.de)

NOMINATING CERTIFICATE

LindenGut

Contact Person:

Anja Lindner, anja.lindner@w-e-g.eu

NOMINATED BUSINESS

LindenGut

Internet contact

www.linden-gut.eu

Size of business (if known)

Small (from 10 to 49)

Category

Serviced accommodation

Country

Germany

Destination, with related protected area(s)

Name of the destination: Dipperz/Biosphärenreservat Rhön/Hessen

Name of protected area(s) and/or major cultural heritage site(s) (if not the same name as the destination): =

Contact Person at the nominated business

Anja Lindner, anja.lindner@w-e-g.eu

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS

according to following SDGs on Tourism4SDGs.org:

Please indicate very briefly their exemplary or innovative actions and measurable achievements (including quantified results if known)

SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production

The tourism sector needs to adopt sustainable consumption and production (SCP) modes, accelerating the shift towards sustainability. Tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for tourism including for energy, water, waste, biodiversity and job creation will result in enhanced economic, social and environmental outcomes.

Exemplary or innovative actions:

•    Certified BIO HOTELS member since 2015

•    exclusive use of organic products (up to 3 exceptions per hotel possible; these are clearly visible to the guest)

•    min. 75% of the wines and spirits must come from organic cultivation

•    certified organic and natural cosmetics throughout

•    comprehensive resource management through mandatory CO2 certification

•    exclusive use of recycled paper or primary fiber paper from sustainable forest management

•    100% green electricity

•    Standards: https://www.biohotels.info/media/64783/bio-hotles-standards-2021-en-2142329.pdf

•    Inspected by ABCERT

•    Demeter agriculture in the BIO HOTEL LindenGut is managed according to biodynamic principles (This means forward-looking agriculture, which, starting from the human being, wants to recognize the spiritual interrelationships in nature and acts and shapes with them. The closed agricultural organism plays an essential role in this. Fertilizers produced by the farm itself are integrated and the coexistence of animals and plants is central. In addition, cosmic elements (such as the moon phase) are included. Of course, this method of farming is also subject to strict guidelines that must be adhered to.)

Measurable achievements:

SDG 13 - Climate Action

Tourism contributes to and is affected by climate change. Tourism stakeholders should play a leading role in the global response to climate change. By reducing its carbon footprint, in the transport and accommodation sector, tourism can benefit from low carbon growth and help tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time.

Exemplary or innovative actions:

•    1st climate-neutral hotel in the Hessian Rhön and climate-neutral company

•    Hotel with charging station for e-cars

•    Organically built building

•    Environmentally friendly and self-sufficient energy concept

•    About 70 percent of our products come from suppliers no more than 50 kilometers away from us or from the local seasonal garden, which is cultivated biodynamically.

•    Have the greenhouse gas emissions of our BIO HOTEL, including our various areas, recorded and offset by sponsoring a climate protection project for the year 2019. With these certificates we support the project: cooking stoves in Kenya.

•    A comprehensive and certified resource management is of central importance.

•    We are guided by the EMAS easy system - the world's most demanding system for sustainable environmental management. (see environmental statement )

•    Demeter certificate

•    Blue Swallow Certificate

•    Allergy friendly cleaning

•    Our environmental responsibility is also responsible for the planning, execution and monitoring of the management system. It includes regular training(s) of employees and external controls to ensure compliance with our set measures and the most careful use of resources as possible, as well as continuous increase of energy efficiency through technical renewals and awareness raising among employees and guests. In addition, we are Bioland and Demeter partners.

•    Water: change of linen on request; one-hand mixer taps; flow limiter; own well circuit each for hotel & LaWi ; garden irrigation with rainwater; own fire pond with over 20sqm water volume; permanent control and timely repair of the water supply pipe, additional connection since Dec 2019 to the municipal water.

…….(see next site)

SDG 13 - Climate Action (continuation)

•    Waste water: 100% use of environmentally friendly, biodegradable detergents & cleaning agents; compliance with and control of national limits for waste water quality; disposal via own constructed wetland; control of sewers; control of water hardness and PH values;

•    Waste: use of returnable bottles as well as bulk units; avoidance of portion packs; waste separation of paper, glass, plastic, metal, batteries, illuminants; biological waste and composting for own cycle; recycling and proper disposal of hazardous waste e.g. used oil etc.; avoidance of food wastage (participant-adapted production

•    Energy: 100% LED/solar/energy-saving light bulbs & motion detectors, photovoltaic system, 100% green electricity; reduction of room temperature according to occupancy, wood separation & wood chip heating; optimal provision of service water between 55-65 degrees Celsius; permanent temperature control and closing seals of the cooling systems; use of new appliances at least A++ or Blue Angel seal; regular consumption measurements; no minibar and TV in the room.

•    Environment & People: Environmental aspects were taken into account during construction and renovation; publication of the in-house environmental policy and use of an environmental officer; use of refillable soaps and shower gel dispensers as well as ecologically certified products, employee training & seminars; employment of employees over 60+ as well as training and development of young people; above-tariff remuneration structure;

•    Purchasing & resource: use of 100% organic food, fish from controlled wild catch and game from own hunting. Preference for regional and fair trade products and produce, as well as artisans & suppliers (70% within a radius of 50km, 10% within a radius of 100km, 10% over 100km from Germany, 7% from Europe,3% worldwide), use of 100% environmentally friendly office supplies and recycled/hygiene paper, 100% organic cotton (GOTS & fair), 100% natural cosmetics use, allergy-friendly vacuum cleaner Delphin & Flipper, theme 2019 - plastic avoidance.

•    House & farm Own organic chicken, duck & goose keeping Own organic fruit & vegetable garden Own PEFC certified forest Own Demeter agriculture Provision of guest bikes, e-bike/ e-scooters and pedal scooters, shuttle transfer Ecological outdoor facilities (ponds, breeding grounds, bees, animal husbandry, etc) Use of CO2 saving vehicles; and electric charging station for guest cars.

Measurable achievements:

•    11,81 kg Co2-equivalents/night

•    16,8 tons Co2-equivalents/year

•    "Meeting Experts Green Awards" 2017 in the category "Sustainable Event Center / Location / Hotel

SDG 14 – Life below Water

Coastal and maritime tourism rely on healthy marine ecosystems. Tourism development must be a part of Integrated Coastal Zone Management in order to help conserve and preserve fragile marine ecosystems and serve as a vehicle to promote a blue economy, contributing to the sustainable use of marine resources.

Exemplary or innovative actions:

Measurable achievements:

SDG 15 – Life on Land

Rich biodiversity and natural heritage are often the main reasons why tourists visit a destination. Tourism can play a major role if sustainably managed in fragile zones, not only in conserving and preserving biodiversity, but also in generating revenue as an alternative livelihood to local communities.

Exemplary or innovative actions:

Measurable achievements:

SDG 8 - Decent work and Economic Growth

Tourism, as services trade, is one of the top four export earners globally, currently providing one in ten jobs worldwide. Decent work opportunities in tourism, particularly for youth and women, and policies that favour better diversification through tourism value chains can enhance tourism positive socio-economic impacts.

Exemplary or innovative actions:

Measurable achievements:

SDG 17 - Partnership for the Goals

Due to its cross-sectoral nature, tourism has the ability to strengthen private/public partnerships and engage multiple stakeholders – international, national, regional and local – to work together to achieve the SDGs and other common goals. Public policy and innovative financing are at the core for achieving the 2030 Agenda.

Exemplary or innovative actions:

•    Cooperation with other farmers from the region - e.g. purchase of excess production of products, which in turn are processed by the Lindengut.

•    Support (research) project through own W-E-G foundation (https://www.w-e-g.eu/)

•    The initiatives of the W-E-G - Our initiatives unite the goal of serving the development of people in their actions:

•    Morgensternhaus and bankett sinnreich (https://morgensternhaus.eu/)

•    Lernstatt Fulda (https://lernstatt-fulda.eu/)

•    WEG Academy (https://www.weg-akademie.de/)

•    Microagriculture (https://www.mikrolandwirtschaft.org/)

•    GedankenGut (https://www.gedanken-gut.org/)

Measurable achievements:

Link to further information about the nominated business (if available):

  https://www.biohotels.info/lindengut , https://www.biohotels.info/en/categories/lindengut, https://linden-gut.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Biohotel-Lindengut-Umwelterklaerung.pdf