Between 8.30 p.m. and 9.30 p.m. on 25th March, Iberostar will be switching off the lights in its hotels around the world, joining the growing number of voices calling for commitment and responsibility towards the environment.
By participating in Earth Hour, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts aims to raise awareness among guests and employees on how their everyday actions can also make a major contribution to respecting and caring for the environment
Iberostar Hotels & Resorts will be taking part in Earth Hour for the third year running, adding its voice to the global wakeup call that is now in its tenth successful edition. On 25th March, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts will be switching off the lights at its head offices in Palma and all its hotels around the world for an hour (8.30 p.m. – 9.30 p.m.) to encourage guests and employees to join this awareness-raising initiative and “Make Climate Matter”. Supported by international musician Ellie Goulding, this WWF Nature initiative aims to get society involved and encourage the various groups to take action in the fight against climate change.
To mark this event, Iberostar will also be informing employees and guests of 5 measures that the hotel chain has already put in place and that can also be applied at home, enabling us all to play our part each day in the fight against climate change:
1. Cutting down as much as possible on the use of disposable items
Iberostar has replaced the use of more than 420,000 disposable cups with an alternative reusable option, successfully reducing its CO2 emissions by more than 8,000 kg a year.
2. Increasing the use of LED light bulbs and LED technology television sets - their use cuts energy consumption by 85% and CO2 emissions by 80%.
In 2016, Iberostar invested more than 33 million euros in improving the energy efficiency of its facilities as part of its emissions reduction policy.
3. Boosting the use of local produce– Not only does this contribute to cutting down dangerous gas emissions, but it also generates employment locally.
This is why more than 60% of the products used by Iberostar are purchased from local suppliers.
4. Reducing water consumption at home –40% of the world’s population suffers the effects of water shortages. Simple gestures such as turning off taps when there is no need for running water, taking a shower instead of a bath or filling electrical appliances that use water such as dishwashers and washing machines are simple ways of saving this precious resource. Iberostar reuses 70% of the waste water generated by its hotels is reused and more than 50% of its properties have their own treatment systems.
5. Using products in recyclable or biodegradable packaging and recycling waste – Did you know that plastic takes over 100 years to break down and disappear completely from nature?
By replacing the packaging used for its hotel amenities with a biodegradable option, Iberostar has managed to save 90 tons of CO2 each year.
Laura Molano, Chief Marketing Communications and CSR Officer stated that “In the year declared the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, initiatives such as ‘Earth Hour’ have a particularly crucial role to play in raising society’s awareness of the vital importance of simple, everyday actions such as saving energy. The COP21 Sustainable Innovation Forum set a clear objective for the end of the century, and it is up to each of us to ensure our habits contribute to protecting the planet we live in, turning our environment into a place of prosperity and wellbeing”.
This initiative is part of GRUPO Iberostar strategic plan which, by signing up to the United Nations Global Compact, is committed to integrating the 10 universally accepted principles to promote Corporate Social Responsibility in the areas of Human Rights, Labour, the Environment and Ethical Management, and to ensure responsible and sustainable development.
Iberostar is working for a sustainable future based on a more responsible business model, in line with the United Nation’s SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), confirmation of its commitment to the company’s six priority action areas, which include the environment and climate change.
Please click on the link to watch the Earth Hour video
