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The environmentally and socially responsible Considerate Hoteliers Association (CHA) is pleased to announce that Beacon Purchasing, a subsidiary of Interchange and Consort Hotels Ltd. and the largest purchasing consortium for the UK independent hospitality industry, is to sponsor the CHA’s newly introduced award category – ‘The Considerate Green Marketing Initiative of the Year’.
The new award is one of five categories comprising the CHA’s prestigious annual ‘Considerate Hotel of the Year Awards 2009/10’ – celebrating the best in environmental and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) performance; and open to all hotels and guest-houses in the UK, with a closing date for entries of Friday, 19 March 2010.
Commenting on Beacon Purchasing’s sponsorship of the new award category, CHA Secretary John Firrell said: “We are absolutely delighted that Beacon Purchasing will be sponsoring ‘The Considerate Green Marketing Initiative of the Year’ award. Beacon and its Head of Sales & Marketing, Diane Webster, have done a fantastic job in developing Beacon’s award-winning interactive, environmental virtual website – entitled ‘The Green Hotel’ – which comes complete with lounge bar, bedrooms, bathrooms, reception and even staff!
“The website rightly scooped the 2009 Caterer.com ‘Innovation and Interaction’ Web Award; and Diane Webster’s contribution earned her the ‘Woman Technology Innovator of the Year Award’ at the 2010 annual Shine Awards – designed to recognise outstanding female achievement and role models in hospitality, travel and tourism. It was Diane’s inspired idea to create a ‘real hotel in a virtual world’ to help Beacon members – comprising over 2,000 UK hotel, bar and leisure establishments – find out what actions can be taken to make a genuine contribution to responsible purchasing.
“For our part, CHA’s internationally recognised ‘Green Source Guide’ to sustainable procurement – which shows what you should look for environmentally when purchasing hotel-related products – has a natural link to Beacon’s exciting virtual initiative which indicates what products have these qualities. It is, therefore, only fitting that such an innovative and influential organisation as Beacon Purchasing should be the sponsor of our new environmental award.”
Commenting on behalf of Beacon Purchasing, Diane Webster said: “Having invested a significant amount of time and resources to develop our beacongreenhotel.co.uk green information website, we’re delighted to link in with the CHA in sponsoring the ‘Considerate Green Marketing Initiative of the Year’. If this award encourages more hospitality businesses to promote green initiatives, that has to be an excellent step in the right direction.”
The 2009/10 Considerate Hotel of the Year Awards will be presented in May 2010, at a special gala lunch in London, for the following five categories:
New category – ‘The Considerate Green Marketing Initiative of the Year 2009/10’, sponsored by Beacon Purchasing: The CHA judging panel wants to hear from entrants about green marketing initiatives during 2009 that have really made their mark, and deserve to be saluted. Green marketing is increasingly important to the success and business development of today’s hotels and guest houses. Innovation, the ability to respond to market demands and an ability to identify opportunities will be just some of the areas judges will be considering when judging the winner of this award.
– Re-introduced by popular demand – ‘The Considerate Sustainable Food 2009/10 Award’, supported by Sustain and Fairtrade: It is presented to the hotel or guest-house which, in the opinion of the judges, has gone ‘that extra mile’ in 2009 to support its local food producers; to produce and/or purchase ethically, seasonally and sustainably; and then to proudly demonstrate to their guests and restaurant users – through marketing and via the menu and hotel staff – why they are doing so.
‘The Considerate Green Team of the Year 2009/10’: presented to the hotel or guest-house which, in the opinion of the judges, has – by virtue of the work undertaken by their Green Team – made the most difference in 2009. What’s more, they will have had fun doing so. Green Teams come in all shapes and sizes; and the award could be won by a dedicated lean and green team of just two people. In 2008/9, the winning team came from the Crowne Plaza Hotel London – The City
‘The Considerate Green Champion of the Year 2009/10’: presented to the individual, nominated by fellow hoteliers, who by sheer dedication has inspired others to raise the green standard. The individual may exist in a specific hotel, guest-house or within the hotel industry generally – whoever they may be, CHA wants to know so they can be properly recognised. In 2008/9, the recipient of the award was Vanessa Scott, Director and Head Chef of Strattons Hotel and Restaurant in Swaffham, Norfolk
– The main award – ‘The Considerate Hotel of the Year’: sponsored for 2009/10 by Gilchrist & Soames Ltd and presented to the hotel or guest-house that is considered by the judges to be the best all-rounder in 2009 re: succeeding in a wide range of environmental initiatives, from energy and water conservation, waste reduction and support for sustainable food, to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In short, they will need to demonstrate that they run their business ethically and with a conscience and hopefully a strong bottom line to become the ultimate Considerate Hotel for 2009. The current joint holders of this award are: CampbellGray Hotels’ One Aldwych in London, and the Rezidor Hotel Group’s Radisson SAS Hotel Edinburgh.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
