In addition to ongoing efforts to reduce and recycle waste, we continue to engage our hotels to develop new sustainability initiatives.
Aligned with our Green Kitchen Initiative, Swire Hotels and Swire Restaurants work closely with their design teams and contractors to incorporate recommendations in the Green Kitchen Technical Guidelines, such as adopting energy and water efficient appliances, as well as reserving sufficient space for food waste and glass bottle recycling bins. In 2021, eight F&B outlets in our Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland hotels received the Green Kitchen Award, with seven achieving the highest possible “Three Leaf” rating.
To promote the circular use of resources, we are prioritising waste prevention and reduction in a number of ways, including:
- EAST Hong Kong, EAST Beijing and The Upper House retrofitted over 800 rooms with an in-room water filtration system, eliminating the need for plastic bottled water in rooms, which will help avoid the use of over 16 tonnes of plastic bottles each year.
- EAST Beijing has made check-in and check-out processes completely paperless.
- EAST Hong Kong receives food orders through a digital menu accessible with a QR code, a contactless solution reducing about 70% of menu paper usage in the restaurant and bar department.
- FEAST at EAST Hong Kong installed sensor-enabled refrigerators, whereby the doors shut automatically when no customers are around. This keeps food fresh for a longer period and reduces spoilage.
We will continue to identify ways to design out waste in our hotel operations and provide customers with a sustainable experience.