When it comes to sustainability not only environmental protection is important but also social responsibility. Let’s have a closer look at our Green Pearls^® hotels worldwide!

The three pillars of sustainability, economy, ecology and social aspects should be balanced. After being neglected for a long time, the active support of social issue within enterprises is particularly important and reflected in concepts like “social responsibility” or “Corporate Social Responsibility”. In our opinion, social sustainability and daily hotel routine should go hand in hand. And luckily, our Green Pearls^® Partner agree with us!

How the hotels realize the concept of social responsibility and how diverse these approaches are, show our Hoteliers at Creative Hotel Luise, Wild Mahseer, Green City Hotel Vauban, Hotel Lamm and SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA.

Family-friendly employer in Bavaria

For the Creativhotel Luise in Erlangen social responsibility is as important as economic and ecological responsibility. Since March 2019, the hotel is member of the initiative “family pact Bavaria”. To become a member, enterprises have to implement family-friendly measures and support the compatibility of family and job. Some of the aspects are the family-friendly organization of the daily work routine, regulations of issues like the sickness of children, the organization of working hours and holiday times in favor of the parents as well as the offer for home office for more flexibility.

The team welcomes everybody, from “young hoppers” to pensioners or people with disabilities. Moreover, all staff members are permanently employed and get payed more than according to scale, which is unfortunately still unusual for the hotel industry. When it comes to discarding furniture and other things, the hotel gets creative: they either donate it or put it on the gifts table and staff as well as guests can take the items.

-> Read more about the unique regrowing hotel room at Creativhotel Luise

Support of the Indian community

To support local communities in the Indian Assam Region, the Wild Mahseer – operated by the Balipara Foundation – organizes homestays at private lodgings in three nearby municipalities. Thus, the resort promotes sustainable tourism in the region benefitting the  inhabitants from the Nyishi Community Village, Garo Community Village and Mishing Community Village, and ensuring fair and reliable income. At the same time the visitors are provided authentic experiences of the traditional life in the tea region.

Equal opportunities in Freiburg 

Social responsibility and inclusion is the core philosophy of the Green City Hotel Vauban in Freiburg. The hotel stands out with its unique philosophy and the non-profit operated hotel offers people with disabilities – having only few chances on the classical job market – a professional perspective as well as a healthy social environment. Half of the 20 employees are disabled and are welcomed and respected members of the hotel team. They also offer special trainings and further education measurements adjusted to their mental or physical disabilities.

All for many

At the Hotel Lamm in the Black Forest social sustainability is demonstrated on several levels. The hotel supports the education of young first assistants at regional schools as well as the Red Cross. However, not only the hotel management supports social sustainability, but also the employees: in 2018 they renounced the Christmas celebration and made a donation to two social facilities instead. At the end of 2018 owner Katrin Holl has hired an employee with a severe handicap which allows her to live independently.

Social responsibility from an early age

Older people, especially after retirement, often feel like they are no longer needed by society. That’s why the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA in Bad Herrenalb hires pensioners! Furthermore, the hotel donates lost items to charities and offer internships to people with disabilities, including the option of an employment. Stefanie Schießl, who is responsible for the development of sustainable awareness, sees several advantages when it comes to interns with disabilities: “The presence of our interns has a great ‘side effect’ on our team. Suddenly, the employees show more empathy and solicitude, which energetically transmits itself to others – and everybody profits from this good feeling.”

At the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA not only adult guests can stay climate-neutrally, but also younger guests are sensitized for the topic of sustainability: The “SCHWAPA BIOKIDS”, children from the 3rd and 4th grade, will meet from mid-october monthly to develop an understanding of sustainability and organic food. The kids will have the opportunity to cook in the hotel kitchen, harvest apples, plant herbs and much more.

-> Read more about owner Stephan Bode in our sustainable pioneers series.

Find out which hotels support regional artists and artisans in this blogpost:

The social factor: Support of regional artists

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