Accra City Hotel’s sustainability journey hinges on SDGs

Notwithstanding who we are, where we live, and what we do, we all have a moral obligation to one another, our future generations, and other species to sustain the planet.

It is our present choices and actions that would determine the quality of the lives of future generations.That is why Accra City Hotel has, since 2016, championed a sustainability journey that is focusKester Aburam Korankyeed on not just preserving the planet but also ensuring quality living for all, riding on the back of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

After rebranding from Novotel six years ago and with the advent of the global campaign for sustainability, the management is committed to charting the ambitious journey of implementing a Food Safety (ISO 22000) and Environmental Management System (ISO 14001) to cement the beginning of a true sustainability drive that is verifiable and moves beyond “greenwashing”.That singular move pushed the Accra City Hotel to become the first ISO certified hotel in Ghana and West Africa.

Beyond putting in place a verifiable ISO system to guide its operations, the hotel has drastically reduced its environmental footprint, improved its operational efficiency and won many awards in recognition of these unique sustainability efforts.The recognition chalked up includes being awarded the best in Waste Management and Recycling at the recently held Health, Environment, Safety and Security (HESS) awards (2022), being highly commended at the prestigious Green Hotelier Awards in 2018 and being voted Best Environmental Hotel by the International Business Magazine in 2018.

Below are the nine adopted SDG’s that are fueling the Accra City Hotel’s sustainability drive:

Goal 2:

Zero Hunger [End Hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture]Soaring Food prices, conflict, climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic has further threatened food security and access to improved nutrition worldwide.

In our own small way, we have responded by working to minimise wastage in our kitchens, and including more locally available ingredients in our menus. Also as part of our Supplier Assurance Programme, we require suppliers to sign a Purchasing Policy which we use to communicate our preference for environmentally responsible goods, fair trade and eco-certified products.

For our suppliers who own farms, we encourage them to adopt sustainable practices as part of their farming methods.

A supplier’s seminar is organised periodically to explain the requirements of our Purchasing Policy and Environmental Policy.Thanks to our certified Food Safety Management System, we are able to identify and control food safety hazards that may occur throughout the food chain from farm to fork. This helps us assure our guests of improved nutrition and contributes to achieving food security.

Accra City Hotel is in the process of cultivating a herb garden which will provide fresh herbs such as parsley, coriander, mint leaves, lemon grass and oregano to our kitchen and guests on demand.

Goal 6:

Clean water and sanitation: Water is life; so as part of our Environmental Management System objectives, Accra City hotel monitors its water consumption and sets annual reduction goals. In 2017, compared to 2016, when our journey started, we were able to achieve a 16.9 per cent reduction in our water usage (from 86,154m3 to 71,524m3).

We encourage our guests to re-use towels in washrooms. We also educate staff to report leaks immediately they see them. We have incorporated motion-sensor operated sinks and urinals in our ongoing washroom construction. We have incorporated water efficient single and double flush WCs in our toilets.We plan to automate our lawn irrigation system so that water will be conserved while keeping our garden green.

We also plan to install separate meters in the laundry, guest area, kitchen and irrigation to help us accurately quantify water use in these areas so that objective reduction goals can be set.

Goal 7:

Affordable and Clean Energy (Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Over 70 per cent of bulbs in the hotel are energy efficient LED bulbs.

Accra City hotel has an energy (heat) recovery system from our chillers. The system channels waste hot water from the chiller’s condensers for heating water supply to guest rooms and kitchen which contributes to electricity consumption reduction.

We plan to incorporate Solar energy into our existing power supply.

Goal 8:

Decent Work and Economic Development (Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all) The hotel’s code of conduct prohibits sexual harassment and exploitation.

The hotel covers insurance and medical bills of employees, their spouses and children. Employee Engagement Surveys are conducted to obtain honest feedback from staff.The hotel has an internship programme which contributes to grooming future leaders in the hospitality industry.

Accra City hotel will soon reintroduce Art exhibitions which supports local artistes by providing a free introductory reception in our meeting room and space in the hotel for a month to advertise their artwork.

Goal 11:

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Accra City hotel is aware that unsustainable consumption and production is the root cause of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

We, therefore, ensure that over 95 per cent of our food consumption is obtained from local sources. Bearing in mind that only 1.6 per cent of e-waste is safely managed in sub-Saharan Africa, we have taken steps to improve our e-waste recycling with special focus on printer toners and batteries.

As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, Accra City hotel sponsored research on Particulate matter pollution at traffic hotspots of Accra by providing free wi-fi for the project’s dust monitors.

Goal 12:

Ensure sustainable Consumption and production patterns: We use paper straws instead of plastic straws. We encourage staff to do double prints in their offices.

We also give preference to Environmentally friendly paper during purchasing. Accra City hotel procures only environmentally friendly chemicals and manages chemicals soundly, in accordance with agreed international frameworks. We are committed to publishing a Sustainability Management Plan annually on our company website. Soon, the hotel will entirely switch from plastic take away containers to paper/ bamboo (made) disposables.

Goal 13:

Climate Action (Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts) Accra City hotel is certified for ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management Systems) which helps us identify and measure our environmental aspects and impacts and develop mitigation measures.

We measure our water, electricity and gas consumption and set annual reduction targets. Accra City hotel was the first hotel in sub-Saharan Africa to participate in the 2018 edition of the Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking Index. We plan to publish our Greenhouse gas emissions and participate in offsetting programmes.

We only purchase environmentally friendly refrigerants. We are in the process of introducing a new Meeting and Events concept dubbed: Green Meetings, which will see us explore green options in all our meetings and events packages.

Goal 14:

Life Below Water [Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development]To help preserve life below water, Accra City hotel will purchase fish only from sustainable sources. We will avoid including endangered species of fish from our menu. For imported fish, we will give preference to Marine Stewardship Council Certified fish or other certified fish.

Goal 15:

Life on Land (Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss) Trees are vital to wildlife. Accra City Hotel took part in the Green Ghana Day project stakeholder meeting held at the Korley Klottey Municipal Assembly and planted 10 trees on its premises to commemorate the celebration. Accra City hotel is a Corporate Sponsor of the Ghana Wildlife Society.

We have adopted an endangered species called the Yellow-Casqued Hornbill. A conservation education billboard has been erected on the premises of the Ghana Wildlife Society to sensitise the public to the bird. Accra City Hotel is home to many birds.

We plan to partner the Ghana Wildlife Society to document which birds inhabit the hotel and share with our clients. In all future renovations, we will maintain bird habitats and not destroy them.