Radisson SAS Hotels and Resorts take their commitment to sustainable development very seriously. In 2001 the company launched a Responsible Business Programme which along with health and safety aspects included as its two key priorities:

• showing responsibility for social and ethical issues in the company and in the community;
• reducing the company’s negative impact on the natural environment.

When the company opened Radisson SAS in Glasgow they wanted to ensure the principles of their Responsible Business Programme were present in the hotel from its inception.

The Radisson SAS opened up in Glasgow in November 2002 with 247 guest bedrooms. The building was purpose built and architecturally designed to compliment the existing traditional and modern architecture of Glasgow. In February 2003, only a couple of months after opening the hotel, it was awarded a gold award with the Green TourismBusiness Scheme (GTBS).

The key to running a large hotel in keeping with the standards of a gold GTBS award is a system for monitoring and reporting back. The Radisson SAS in Glasgow makes daily checks of their electricity, gas, water and waste which are reported back at a corporate level on a monthly basis. Each Radisson SAS hotel has set sustainability targets, based upon its size and other features, relating to its resource use. The Radisson SAS in Glasgow endeavours to exceed those standards on a regular basis regardless of the time of year or level of  occupancy.

If a standard is not met, corrective action is identified and implemented until that standard is again within the set limits. To meet these corporate standards, the Glasgow Radisson SAS has undertaken a number of environmentally motivated measures. They have for example installed energy saving, low wattage light bulbs where it doesn’t impact on the aesthetics and atmosphere of the hotel. All lighting in public areas is controlled by a computer which allows it to be turned off where it is not being used. This is also the case for the air conditioning units. When areas of the hotel are not in use, the air conditioners and other electrical appliances are switched off automatically.

The Radisson SAS Glasgow also recycles glass, paper and cardboard and monitors the amount of waste that is being put to landfill. They have recycling and maximum landfill waste targets that are required. If these are not met corrective action is taken to ensure that targets are met in future.

In each of the bedrooms there is a pamphlet providing information on Radisson SAS’s Responsible Business Programme. This pamphlet puts forward the environmental and social philosophy of Radisson SAS and outlines how guests staying at the hotel can help meet their sustainability commitment. For example, there is guidance on how to prevent guest towels being washed on a daily basis by housekeeping.

Room lighting is activated by a card which is also required to unlock the door into the room. Guests need to take the ‘key’ to leave the room thereby ensuring that all of the lighting is switched off as they leave.

The rooms have also been built with low water volume showerheads (which do not affect the quality of the shower) and low water volume toilet cisterns. With 247 guest bedrooms in the hotel, these simple measures for saving water are very effective.

 All staff are provided with information on sustainability measures taken by the hotel during their initial induction upon joining as a staff member. A follow-up session is held to discuss department specific environmental impacts and measures that can be taken to manage these.

Radisson SAS Corporate is committed to lending support to the local communities in which they operate their hotels. In Glasgow, the Radisson SAS supports the Glasgow Children’s Holiday Scheme which provides holidays to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Last Christmas the hotel hosted a Christmas party for the children associated with the charity providing the venue, food, games and presents. At Christmas they also raised money for Save the Children by donating a proportion of money collected from tickets sold for the Glasgow Radisson SAS Christmas party.

The Glasgow Radisson SAS will also use local products and services wherever possible.

 As well as the corporate marketing undertaken by Radisson SAS, their Glasgow hotel has posted its Gold GTBS award prominently on its website. It has put up posters on their environmental efforts in front and back of house and it has been included in several articles in the Green Hotelier magazine.

The Glasgow Radisson SAS hotel believes that their green edge gives thema marketing advantage with international visitors, especially German and Scandinavian tourists. They also believe that it may give them a more definite marketing edge with the business travel market. It is their impression that businesses, especially those which belong to environmentally quality labels such as ISO 14001, would chose a ‘green’ hotel over one that didn’t rate green issues very highly.

The Radisson SAS commitment to sustainability is not dependent upon the marketing edge that it may give the company. It runs all the way through the Radisson SAS corporate ethos, right down to ground level.

For further information please contact:

Natasha Rhymes
301 Argyle Street
Glasgow G2 8DL
Tel: 0141 204 3333
Email: Info.Glasgow@RadissonSAS.com

Or visit the Radisson SAS website at www.radissonsas.com

Case study added on 23 April 2004

Back to 'Best Practice' menu page