Santa Catalina , a Royal Hideaway Hotel , in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria , dates back to 1890 .
transition is global and naturally evolving and our chief motivation is the future that we know rests in our hands .
As part of our commitment , we have designed a strategic framework that will help to guide us as we integrate ESG ( Environmental , Social and Governance ) criteria into our business model in an interdependent and holistic way . In addition , we have implemented a series of measures designed to contribute to the development of the local and global economy , by dedicating ourselves to caring for the environment and for people , and by being economically sustainable and ethically responsible .
With our new sustainability plan , which we have named “ Barceló ReGen ,” we hope to drive forward a profound cultural transformation in every area of the company ’ s activity and to collaborate and forge partnerships along our entire value chain , while always upholding the values of honesty and transparency . The fight against the climate crisis is a cross-cutting , ineluctable mission that affects all our decisions . Thus , objectives such as carbon reduction , making the circular economy a reality and protecting Earth ’ s biodiversity are an absolute priority for our company .
In line with this strategy , the “ Sustainability of Impact ” project will enable us to measure and increase the economic , social and environmental impact of our hotels on those destinations where we have a presence , by directing our efforts toward achieving improved energy efficiency and seeking to directly benefit the development of the local economy .
The integration of sustainability into our plans begins when we are designing and building our hotels , and in this area , we have achieved BREEAM certification ( the widely-used accreditation in sustainable construction , which assesses impact across 10 different categories ) and 20 of our hotels gained this certification in 2022 .
We are ambitious : We design energy solutions adapted to the needs of each individual hotel and we direct our efforts toward optimization . As an example of this , 100 % of the energy supplied in our hotels in Spain now comes from renewable sources .
In addition to making our buildings as energy-efficient as possible , we need our teams to bring sustainability criteria into the day-to-day running of our hotels . With this in mind , we are designing our own sustainable management system , in line with the requirements of the Global
Sustainable Tourism Council . We hope to begin implementing this in our hotels before the end of the year . In other words , we are using technological innovation to improve all the processes that can help us to reduce our environmental footprint and to improve our management and regeneration of natural resources .
In addition , we have set ourselves the target of reducing our GHG scope absolute emissions by 50 % between now and 2030 and from then onwards we will be working on a transition plan to become a netpositive company . We can add to this the € 6 million and more that we have invested in preventing environmental risks and in protecting and improving the environment , as we aim to contribute to the preservation and the recovery of biodiversity .
Our campaign slogan is so much more than an intention ; it is a way of understanding the tourism industry at the present time and a call to take care of the planet , its people and its ecosystems . We feel that we have a duty to initiate a great change , to lay the foundations for a more responsible , more conscious tourism model that is more closely connected to our destinations and their people . Now , more than ever , every action counts .
Raúl González is the CEO of Barceló Hotel Group . He is a member of HOTELS Magazine ’ s advisory board .
Raúl González , CEO , Barceló Hotel Group
October 2023 hotelsmag . com 41