Sustainable Management Plan

St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse Sustainable Management Plan

Purpose

At St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse, we are committed to save our planet and be part of the solution!

Both the management and employees of St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse accept the task of controlling our environmental impact and limiting environmental risks. Concern for the environment is a structural element of the objectives of our business.

All employees perform their tasks in line with the set procedures and the business’s policy.

St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse complies with South African environmental laws and requirements, and seeks to go a step further. With our business record, water and energy consumption data, which improve continuously our facilities and our policy making them more economical.

We endeavor to minimize paper consumption and waste production, restricting negative impact in running our business considering the air, water and soil by means of an effective environmental management system as we train our employees to help look after the environment.

The primary purpose of the Sustainability Management Plan is to guide decision making, management, and the daily operations of the business in a sustainable manner considering the environmental, socio-cultural, quality, and health & safety issues.

St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse is committed to communicate this plan to our colleagues and our guests.

Scope

The Scope of the sustainability management plan covers all initiatives and activities at the St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse and its integration with all colleagues, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders.

Our Goals:

1.      Energy Efficiency:

-         Reduce total energy consumption while maintaining high quality service

2.      Water conversation:

-         Reduce water consumption in the property and collection of rain water

3.      Waste Production:

-         Reduce back of the house operational waste generated

We are very aware that sustainability is an ongoing journey; therefore the Sustainability Management Plan will be reviewed annually.

Our Sustainability Management Plan is supported by the following Policies and Procedures

-         Health, Safety and Environmental Policy

-         Waste Management Plan

-         Purchasing Policy

-         Recruitment Policy

-         Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

Sustainability Management Plan Key Areas

I. Environmental – St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse will be actively involved in conserving resources, reducing pollution, conserving biodiversity, ecosystems & landscapes, and local environmental activities.

II. Socio-cultural – St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse will be involved in social responsibility actions, community development, local employment, fair trade, support local entrepreneurs, respect local communities, implement a policy against commercial exploitation, equitable hiring, employee protection and last but not least, that our business does not jeopardize the provision of basic services, such as water, energy, or sanitation to neighboring communities.

III.  Quality – any activity that can sustain itself economically through creating competitive advantages within the industry with inspired service that not only meets, but exceeds guest expectations; it continues to contribute to the economic well-being of the surrounding community through local ownership, employment, buying local products, etc. A sustainable business should benefit its colleagues, customers, business partners, owners, other stakeholders.

IV. Health & Safety – St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse complies with all established and local health and safety regulations, and ensures that both guest and colleagues are safe and secure in the environment they work and visit.

Implement a Sustainable Management Plan

St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse shall establish and maintain the SMP complying with requirements included in this section. 

Legal Compliance

St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse is licensed according to South African law and in compliance with all relevant local legislation and regulations, including business license, health & safety, labor, environmental aspects, and insurance policies.

Employee Learning

We carefully recruit the best locally sourced employees to work for St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse, we train and stimulate our fellow employees and ourselves so that the service we give will be performed with courtesy and an ever-increasing degree of intelligence, care and pride, but without waste or extravagance.  Our staff have all been with us in excess of 10 years, indicating job satisfaction.

Service Quality & Customer Satisfaction

St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse: “We treat others as we wish to be treated”, this is our Golden Role.  We have dignity and a need for pride and satisfaction in what we do. Because customer satisfaction depends on the united efforts of many, we are most successful when we work together cooperatively with everyone, and respect the contribution and importance of our fellow workers.

We will consider every guest who visits our hotel an extremely important person. It is our job to provide each guest with a level of service that is consistently excellent

We will seize every opportunity to get our guest what they need and exceed their expectations if we can.

We have our internal system to evaluate our performance and ensure that we exceed the expectations of our colleagues, guests and shareholders, this system allows managers to observe employees and provide constructive feedback whenever needed.

Guest feedback is highly valuable for us and it helps us to improve every day, therefore, we have a “Guest Book” that our guests have access to.  They are able to write their reviews on the Guesthouse.

More above, we make it know to our guests that we are available at all times should they need anything or to contact us, thereby minimizing any negative feedback.

Accuracy of Promotional Materials

All communication regarding promotional material at St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse goes through the Sales Office and is in line with St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse guiding principles, local regulations and cultural norms. Any dissatisfaction from our guests is tracked through the guest comments, through direct communication, review sites and we encourage agent feedback when guests are not happy.

Local Zoning, Design and Construction

St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse was built in the early 70s as a holiday home and purchased in the Mid 90s. 

St. Lucia Wetlands Guest House is a uniquely designed home where the original owner’s passion for wood, nature and space has been nurtured and transformed into a bed and breakfast nestled in a beautiful sub-tropical garden.  Established in 1996, St. Lucia Wetlands Guest House is an owner run and managed B&B.

With 7 guest rooms, including a family suite, St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse offers intuitive service that anticipates every need. English, Afrikaans, Zulu and French are Spoken.

Renowned for our attentive service and breakfast, St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse is ideal for couples, families and small groups.  Afro-Colonial décor and original art pieces make for a visual feast.   Just minutes from the town’s business center, beach and iSimangaliso Wetlands Park, it’s the perfect location to explore from.

Ongoing maintenance and repairs are performed regularly with the purpose of pf being as sustainable, energy-saving and long lasting as possible, and includes use of environmentally friendly materials. Every effort is been made to ensure that all appliances that are being purchased for operating the guesthouse are energy efficient.

Communications Strategy

All staff have been made aware of the environmental challenges and how to be part of the solution.  Employees receive additional training in their respective areas in the guesthouse, in how to use energy and water efficiently and how to reduce the waste.

We communicate with our guests verbally and non-offensive yet informative signs are displayed.  Our implementations, plans and strategy for a sustainable operation are clearly defined, as well as our involvement with the local community and other charity work. Our sustainable operations involve our guests, employees, suppliers and stakeholders.

Health and Safety

Our Goal: work safely at all times; think about hazard prevention in all that we do; minimize accidents so that we, as Staff Members, can feel comfortable and confident at all times in our work environment and be proud of our commitment to safety.

The management of St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse has developed a comprehensive Accident and Injury Prevention Program, the goal of this program is to minimize the frequency of and severity of accidents involving staff members and to comply with the local laws and regulations that relate to our Guesthouse. The program has been designed to eliminate physical hazards from the work environment and to train staff members in safe work practices.

Accident prevention is a vital element of any successful organization, we recognize that accidents does not only cause physical and mental pain to staff members, but are also costly in terms of lost productivity and profit. Efficient accident prevention can be directly related to increased profitability for our business, which is something that benefits all of us.

While the final responsibility for the safety program lies with the managers and supervisors, the program cannot succeed without the full cooperation of all staff members. Everyone must be on hundred percent safety conscious in everything he or she does while on the job. We are confident that with a sincere and concentrated effort from everyone, our safety goals can be achieved.

As per the South African Labour Law, we follow strict security, environmental, health and safety laws, regulations and procedures to conserve and protect the environment and create a workplace where we bring the best out of our colleagues whilst avoiding the risk of injury.

Colleagues are appropriately trained so as to make them aware the health and safety issues while working and guests are made aware of hazards by using appropriate communication.

Social / Economic

Purchase and operating policy for all mechanisms, equipment and facilities is that they be as environmentally friendly as possible: low emission and consuming minimum energy. We use experienced and registered technicians who maintain and repair or install any facilities etc., All necessary and mandatory safety requirements for the same are in order, such as Method Statement, Risk Assessment, and Personal Protective Equipment.

Department of Labour, TGCSA, EDTEA as well as the Municipal agencies annually visit the premises to ensure all regulation is followed.  Our qualified chef ensures compliance to the Food Safety Management System.  All kitchen staff were trained on safety and procedures, and underwent a mandatory basic food hygiene sessions in food handling.

We  have regular meetings to discuss any area of improvement in the above

At St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse, we are committed to save our planet and be part of the solution!

All staff are responsible for championing the environmental.

Management are responsible for:

-         Spread the awareness about the environmental challenges, the issues that our planet is facing and the importance of being part of the solution.

-         To come up with creative green ideas in all areas to save energy & water and to reduce the waste.

-         To be part of the local environmental communities and non-profit organizations.

-         Participate in all environmental activities when organized by local organizations.

-         Ensure having consistent and proper communication between all colleagues about all environmental activities.

-         Give back to our community by participating in charity and donation events.

Local Entrepreneurs

We encourage our guests to used locally owned tour operators to explore the region and shop at the local shops, markets and dine at local restaurants.

St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse tries to source from nearby growers and food providers. Breakfast selections incorporate sustainable offerings, including vegetarian and vegan items that take fewer resources to produce.

Respect Local Culture

St Lucia is known as the Gateway to the iSimangalo Wetlands Park, a Natural World Heritage Site. While tourists to the town seek to explore the natural beauty of the area, St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse encourages our staff to greet them in isiZulu and teach them phrases like thank you and salutations to our guests.  We encourage our guests to ask questions about the surroundings and those wanting to know more we offer Zulu guided tours into the nearby township.

Exploitation

St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse is in strict compliance to the South African Labor Law and its relations. Hence, appropriate policies are in place against the employment of children, discrimination, sexual harassment, and exploitation.

Equitable Hiring

St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse promotes diversity and equality on all levels of the business, and no employees are discriminated against in any way. All positions are filled on the basis of competence. Our guesthouse adheres to all local laws and regulations concerning labor laws, and offer conditions and wages superior to the minimum requirements.

Employee Protection

Salaries and benefits meet national regulations, and all payments required by law into insurance and holiday funds are made on behalf of all employees. Overtime is paid for hours worked beyond the established work in accordance with South African Labour law. Week hours and working hours do not exceed the legal maximum established by the labor law, but being a hospitality industry at times a need might arise to work additional hours, colleagues are accordingly remunerated as per the policies outlined.

Basic Services

The activities of the business have not impacted or jeopardized resources or services in the local area or neighboring communities in any negative manner. The activities of the business generate a number of secure jobs and reflects positive influence in the community

Culture Heritage

On arrival Guests at St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse are briefed on cultural sights and ecological highlights as well as restaurants that the guests are most interested in.  South African, history and politics as well as local Zulu culture and places of interest can be explained and discussed with guests.

Historical artifacts or animal products are not sold, traded, or displayed. We comply with laws, standards and regulations concerning the protection of historical sites and cultural heritage. St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse places great emphasis on being a part of the local environment in regards to cultural and social activities, as well as incorporating use of local food and competencies from local businesses.

Environmental

At St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse, we are taking major steps to increase the awareness between our colleagues and make them behave and act every day while thinking about our environment and its challenges, and how we can be part of the solution.

St Lucia Wetlands Guesthouse Initiatives:

- On arrival guest are given a welcome drink and a briefing on everything there is to do and see in the area.  This information helps guests to identify all local entrepreneurs they would be keen to support.   It also gives us the opportunity to explain to guests our efforts to support the environment while not compromising on their comfort.

- Paperless Check-ins and outs.

- Room Keys made of recycled steel.

- Towels are washed and dried on demand only.

- Fans placed in the rooms to minimize the use of air-conditioning.

- Reusable coffee mugs, metal spoons and glasses are used in the rooms not plastic.

- Biodegradable waist is used in compos

- Plastic take away boxes have been replaced by carton boxes and cutlery made from bamboo.

- Rain water catchment for washing of cars and gardening.

- Minimize the use of single use plastics. (portion amenity bottles are refilled and reused)

- Edible food is never discarded but rather given to staff to take home.

- Solar energy is used to lower carbon emissions and off set problems with loadshedding.

- Annual sponsorship of an Orphanage to support children with their schooling.

- Environmentally friendly cleaning products are used in our housekeeping.

- Commitment has been undertaken that when appliances are replaced or purchased only      energy/water-saving appliances will be considered. 

- Local bins are sponsored using environmentally conscious messages.