Hotel St Pol

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

Name Hotel St Pol

Contact Person:

 Robert Schluter      info@hotelstpol.be

NOMINATED BUSINESS

 Name Hotel St Pol

Internet contact

https://hotelstpol.be

Size of business (if known)

Micro (<10 employees)

Category

Serviced accommodation

Country

Belgium

Destination, with related protected area(s)

Name of the destination: Knokke-Heist

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

Contact Person at the nominated business

Name, email: Robert Schluter , info@hotelstpol.be

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:

For St Pol, “sustainability” means an integrated approach with attention to People, Planet and Profit. These three elements are always tested when making policy decisions.

Care for the environment is therefore an integral part of the sustainable policy at Hotel St Pol and is interwoven throughout the entire business.

The management and employees of Hotel St Pol take on the task of controlling the environmental impact and limiting environmental risks. Employees are given guidelines for this and they commit themselves to perform their tasks in accordance with the established procedures and the sustainable policy of the company.

Hotel St Pol complies with the Flemish environmental laws and regulations, but also wants to go a step further. Our company registers water and energy consumption in order to continuously improve and make more efficient both the infrastructure and the policy based on this data. We are committed to minimizing waste and limiting the impact on air, water and soil from our operations through an effective environmental management system. Some examples:

– In the entire hotel, the original lighting was replaced by LED lighting

– Waste is sorted in the rooms and the hotel.

– An electric charging point for bicycles and cars  is available in the car park,

– In the culinary field, we work with regional products and Fair-trade products

In order to apply our policy consistently and throughout the organization, Hotel St Pol has decided to implement the required measures in the context of the Green Key.

Hotel St Pol will propagate this environmental policy to its employees and visitors. We train our employees to take care of the environment. But also to provide you with more information about our policy.

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:

 The hotel tries to minimize its co-2 footprint. We largely manage our own electricity with 62 solar panels. acknowledge exclusively with suppliers from the region, see that they also have the same goals as we have as much as possible. The hotel strives for climate neutrality in the entire sector of (business) tourism and leisure: business managers, staff, suppliers, customers, citizens, cities/municipalities and governments. Tourism and leisure activities depend to a great extent on our environment. We must do everything we can to save that environment.

Measurable achievements:

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:

We need to maintain sustainable marine ecosystems so that fish stocks are preserved for future generations. Zeebrugge, the fishing port near our hotel, watches over this. As well as the construction of the many windmills in the sea and off the coast of Knoke-Heist, they are creating new life around these places, where there are now many more cod and shellfish. The algae growth at the foot of the windmills also contributes to the development of marine biodiversity.

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:

our hotel works where possible with raw materials from local organic farmers in the region. Such as jams made on the farm, bread made with wheat from the region, honey from our beehives, cheeses from the region and much more.

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:

Our hotel has had a female manager for 15 years. We also give vulnerable young people the opportunity to work with us during the holiday periods. Furthermore, we always allow young women and girls from other European countries where wages are significantly lower to work under the same conditions as our staff. Free lodging and meals are also provided for them so that they can save max.

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:

 Our hotel works together with the environmental department of the City of Knokke-Heist for help in the further expansion of our business and help with the available subcides that are provided for in our ecological project.

Measurable achievements:

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

 https://hotelstpol.be

https://hotelstpol.be/start-green-key/

https://hotelstpol.be/st-pol-groene-sleutel/

https://hotelstpol.be/actieplan-groene-sleutel-2019-2022/

https://hotelstpol.be/duurzaam-de-toekomst-in/

https://www.facebook.com/hotelstpol/videos/944660719626000