Mövenpick: Making a difference for Mother Earth/
MÖVENPICK Hotel Mactan Island Cebu has been recertified by Green Globe for the second consecutive year, in recognition of its efforts to preserve the environment.
Green Globe is the worldwide sustainability system that is based on internationally accepted criteria for the sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses.
Operating under a worldwide license, Green Globe is based in California and is represented in over 83 countries.
Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu was first awarded the international Green Globe certification (GGC) in 2014.
At that time, the hotel also received Green Globe’s Sustainability Leadership Award for pioneering this international standard in Cebu and the Philippines.
Harold Rainfroy, general manager of the hotel said, “While innovation in the hotel industry is synonymous to im- provement of facilities and services, part of our ethos is to thrive on changing the way we do business for the greater good, not just for the company, but also for the people, community and environment.”
Staff and management at Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu actively support sustainable initiatives at each departmental level.
“We understand our role in global sustainability and eco- tourism, and we honor our commitment to improving and maintaining ways to reduce our impact on the environment. Our green mission focuses on ecofriendly initiatives, such as the efficient utilization of energy-saving LED lights and facilities, reducing resource consumption and recycling, and waste management,” Rainfroy added.
Energy usage and reduction goals are specified, recorded and monitored by the hotel’s chief engineer, through a daily utility report.
Data are then posted on the staff bulletin board to ensure the property’s goals are achieved by set deadlines.
To further reduce energy consumption, the property has been designed to use the fresh breeze from the sea to naturally cool the lobby area. Timers are also installed in the parking lot to regulate electricity usage.
A key business objective of Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu is to promote effective resource management resulting in environmental benefits.
The property recaptures rainwater for hotel use, and has explored and identified ways to filter available water.
Chillers use seawater for cooling purposes, and treated grey water is used to flush toilets, while an onsite sewage treatment plant handles the treatment of wastewater and the responsible disposal of black water.
The hotel prefers biodegradable products to protect the coral reef environment of the island. Paper, newspaper, glass bottles and aluminum cans are also collected for recycling by waste collection companies. In addition, all electronic equipment is sent for recovery to be reused or given to charity.
Batteries and other waste materials that are difficult to recycle are segregated and collected by a contractor that is accredited by local authorities.
Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu works consistently on raising social and environmental awareness among employees, to encourage them to embrace responsibility on a personal level.
It does so by integrating sustainability into the career paths of each staff member.
Monitoring progress against goals ensures that the entire hotel team is aware that even the simplest actions can contribute to environmental conservation.