Green Globe Sustainability Management Plan 2018

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SUSTAINABILITY POLICY

MANAGEMENT PLAN
DESCRIPTION NAME/TITLE DATE

PREPARED BY: Shiella Calambro/Coordinator 01.09.018

REVIEWED BY: Rohit Salunke / Director of Engineering 01.09.018

APPROVED BY: Christophe Schnyder/General Manager 01.09.018

AMENDMENT RECORD

PAGE
REV. REV. DESCRIPTION OF EFFECTIVE
/SECTION APPROVED BY
NO. DATE AMENDMENT DATE
NO.

001 01.2.18 3 Hotel Fact Sheet added Rohit Salunke 01.2.18

002 01.2.18 22 Health and Safety Rohit Salunke 01.2.18

Document No: 1
Revision: 01

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TABLE OF CONTENT

3
Hotel Fact Sheet 4
Purpose
Scope 4
Reference 4
Definitions, Terms & Abbreviations 4
A Sustainable Management Plan 5
A1 Implement a sustainable management plan 5
A2 Legal Compliance 6
A3 Employee training 12
A4 Customer satisfaction 12
A5 Accuracy of Promotional material 12
A6 Local Zoning, Design and Construction 13
A7 Interpretation 15
A8 Communication Strategy 15
A9 Health and Safety 16
B Social / Economic 17
B1 Community development 17
B2 Local employment 19
B3 Fair trade 19
B4 Local Entrepreneurs 19
B5 Respect local population 19
B6 Exploitation 20
B7 Equitable hiring 20
B8 Employee protection 20
B9 Basic service 20
20
C Cultural Heritage

21
D Environmental
26
E Health and Safety

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HOTEL FACTSHEET

Sofitel the Palm Resort & Spa Dubai is a Polynesian themed Resort having 142,000 Sq.Mtr built up
area which opened for operations in July 2013.

Hotel Category: 5 star


Hotel Theme: Polynesian
Opening Year: 2013
No. of keys: 546
No. of Restaurants: 7
No. of Meeting Rooms: 8
Private Beach: 500 meters

Sustainability programs in resorts was well planned by us at the pre-opening stages of the Resort
especially considering that Resort already had sustainable technologies in its initial design like solar
panels / weather station for irrigation / Ac condensate drain connected to irrigation system
incorporated .
As part of the Accor group we have the Planet-21 program a sustainability program implemented all
over the resorts with specific criteria’s to complied to achieve the level of platinum compliance. The
resort achieved the Gold compliance within one year of operation.

 We have an effective staff awareness for the sustainability program is been launched in the
resort at all levels.
 We also have the guest towel & linen use program implemented over the resort for the
guest to be part of our sustainability commitment. As part of the towel reuse program Accor
plants one tree for every 5 towels reused in deforestation area.
 The Resort has efficient recycling program ( paper / plastic / cardboard/ Oil / glass ) and
generated the saving to environment .

 The energy consumption are monitored daily in regards to the utility services such as water
/ electricity / gas & diesel. This has also helped us to manage our resources and manpower
more efficiently while delivering the required quality and service..

 The Resort saved almost 10000 Cu. Mtrs of water in operation by way of having installed
water savers for its guest rooms & public area taps.

 The 90% of the resort lighting in public areas & guest rooms is been replaced to LED / CFL
Lights since hotel pre-opening period till date. We have replaced almost 5000 energy saving
lamps within the resorts since is opening in July13.

 We saved more kwh of energy in till date by way of technology and replacement of led
lights / water saver installation etc and not to mention the best energy management
practices

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 We have saved more KG CO2 in total by our best energy practices till date.

PURPOSE

 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;
 To develop the business in a sustainable manner considering the environmental, socio-cultural,
quality, and health & safety issues;
 To demonstrate management commitment to comply with the environmental laws and
regulations of the United Arab Emirates;
 To develop a monitoring and audit program to ensure compliance to the Sustainability
Management Plan and relevant environmental legislation and the early detection of any
significant environmental impacts from the activities of the business;
 To outline mitigation measures in order to minimize the impact of the business activities on the
surrounding environment;
 To present mitigation strategies and actions for the control of pollution, waste minimization and
resource conservation by effectively practising Reduce, Reuse and Recycle wherever possible;
 To establish a framework for environmental management to ensure the implementation of the
identified mitigation measures;
 It is not intended to be exhaustive, but is considered the minimum standard acceptable to Sofitel
The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA.

SCOPE

 The Scope of the sustainability management plan covers all activities at the Sofitel The Palm
Hotel & Resort & SPA and its integration with all colleagues, customers, business partners,
owners, other stakeholders and the environment at large.

REFERENCES
Green Globe Certification Standard & Guide to Certification
DEFINITIONS, TERMS & ABBREVIATIONS
SMP Sustainability management Plan
Development that meets the needs of the present without
Sustainable
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
development
needs
Surroundings in which an organization operates, including air,
Environment water, land and natural resources, flora, fauna, humans, and their
interrelation
Environmental Element of an organization`s activities or products or services that
Aspect can interact with the environment
Any change to the environment whether adverse or beneficial,
Environmental
wholly or partially resulting from organizations environmental
Impact
aspects.
P&P Policies and Procedures.
UAE United Arab Emirates

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SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT PLAN

VISION

SOCIETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT: OUR R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y AND


COMMITMENTS

While a global economy offers considerable opportunities for development, it also


gives us special responsibilities. As a global company and major employer,
Accor is firmly committed to setting an example in its relations with host
communities and the natural environment.

Now more than ever, we are faced with the challenge of ensuring that our development respects the
Earth and its inhabitants. Accor is meeting that challenge through
Earth Guest, a program organized around eight priorities, whose purpose is to share the urgent need

For sustainable development with employees and to promote tangible initiatives that respond to that
need.

As managers, it is our duty to share with our teams this culture of responsibility, which is expressed
in the program’s slogan: “As guests of the Earth, we welcome the world.”

Our sustainable development philosophy can be summed up in a single sentence—ensuring


that growth and development always represent an opportunity and never a danger for our
employees, customers, host communities and the environment.

For Accor, responsibility and commitment mean:


Playing an active role in society. Protecting the environment. Developing a spirit of solidarity

PLAYING AN ACTIVE ROLE IN SOCIETY

In Sofitel The Palm, it is our responsibility to launch, promote and federate initiatives designed to
support the economic and social development of our host communities.

In our actions, this means we must:


Promote local development
 By leading the fight against poverty through our business agreements.
One example is to offer fair trade products whenever possible.
 By sharing our commitments with our business partners, notably by asking suppliers to
sign the Sustainable Procurement Charter.
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 By forging partnerships with local communities, with the backing of non-profit organizations.

Protect vulnerable and abused children


 By ensuring that as many countries as possible sign and respect the Code of Conduct drafted
by the World Tourism Organization and ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Pornography and
Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes), an international NGO. Accor is a member of the
ECPAT executive committee.
 By training employees to eliminate child abuse by helping them to identify and respond to
situations in which there is a risk of sexual tourism.
 By distributing brochures and showing films in our hotels to raise customer awareness of the
problem.
 By involving our partners and suppliers in our commitment.

Improve health care in the local community


Accor is working to prevent and eliminate major epidemics, in particular AIDS
and malaria:
 By publicly affirming its commitment as a way of encouraging other leading companies
to take action.
 By building awareness and launching preventive measures among employees and customers,
depending on the local situation, through the use of communication resources provided to
managers. One such resource is ACT-HIV, Accor’s in-house AIDS awareness program.

Support and promote balanced nutrition

Accor encourages its customers to adopt a healthy, balanced diet, in particular to reduce the
risk of obesity:
 By developing healthy-eating initiatives, such as the Nutritional Balance program, with affiliated
restaurants.
 By relaying the FOOD Project (Fighting Obesity through Offer and Demand) through actions to
support a healthy, balanced
diet that target employees and restaurant managers.
 By providing customers with clear information and enabling them to eat balanced dishes
in our hotel restaurants and in affiliated establishments.

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

As managers, we support the Group’s commitment to developing our businesses


while respecting the planet. Our extensive global presence provides us with the
opportunity to reduce the negative impact of our operations and lead our industry
toward more environmentally

 Develop and deploy Accor’s environmental improvement initiatives, help meet their objectives,
and track our environmental performance through appropriate indicators.
 Integrate the Group’s environmental priorities into the design of new hotels, products and
services, and leverage those priorities to encourage the search for innovative solutions.
 Help employees to integrate natural resource conservation measures into their day-to-day
responsibilities.
 Raise awareness among customers
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and respond to their growing expectations with regard to environmental protection.
 Use resources developed by the Group, its brands and its businesses designed to ensure an
effective, aligned approach. These include the Hotel Environment Charter, various certification
programs, sustainable building guidelines and the OPEN environmental software.
 Leverage the support of our suppliers, investors, local communities and other partners, to
pool the advantages
that each can provide and advance more quickly.

Limit our energy consumption and our impact on climate change


 By integrating the notion of total cost and
by considering energy savings when deciding on spending projects.
 By rapidly deploying solutions identified
by the Group, its brands and its businesses that effectively reduce energy use.
 By giving priority to renewable energies, in particular solar energy for hot water,
and by helping to identify new ways to limit our energy and climate footprint.

Conserve water resources

 By being aware of local water supplies


and implementing measures to considerably reduce consumption in the event
of scarcity.
 By assessing the availability of collective wastewater treatment systems in the local area
and developing independent systems in Accor establishments if necessary.
 By involving teams in finding ways to conserve water.
 By testing innovative solutions designed to reduce consumption.
 By promoting the use of washing, cleaning and personal hygiene products that are more
respectful of water resources.

Manage waste
 By using local recycling channels more extensively and actively encouraging employees to sort
waste.
 By providing customers with waste sorting solutions.
 By reducing the amount of waste produced when designing new rooms, products
and services and making sure that waste is effectively recycled.
 By ensuring that the hazardous waste we produce is eliminated through channels that are
capable of safely processing toxic materials.

Protect biodiversity
 By raising employee awareness of the importance of biodiversity in the natural world for people
as a source of medication and food and a means of preventing epidemics.
 By taking biodiversity concerns into consideration in our consumption of wood, fish, plant-
based products and other natural resources.
 By promoting garden, lawn and farmland management practices that limit the use of

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chemicals.
 By integrating biodiversity concerns when planning hotels in non-urban hotels.
 By creating partnerships with specialized associations to deploy appropriate actions.

THE PLANET 21 PROGRAM

A pioneering commitment

Accor's commitment to sustainable development dates back many years, with practical initiatives
such as the creation of an environment department 20 years ago, of a Hotel Environment charter in
1998 and the adoption of many solutions aimed at contributing to the development of local
communities, optimizing water and energy consumption and reducing its hotels' environmental
footprint.

PLANET 21: a new stage of conquest and ambition

Today, Accor is implementing a new sustainable development strategy: PLANET 21. It defines 21
commitments and ambitious goals looking to 2015 and includes a program to inform guests and
employees and encourage them to contribute to reinventing hotels, sustainably.

Intrinsically linked to sustainable development, the name PLANET 21 refers to Agenda 21, the
action plan adopted by 173 Heads of State at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It also
echoes the urgent need to focus efforts in the 21st century to change our production and
consumption patterns with the goal of protecting our planet, its people and their environment.

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Our Sustainability Management Plan encompasses 4 key areas:

I. Environmental – to be actively involved in conserving resources, reducing pollution,


conserving biodiversity, ecosystems and landscapes.

Green Globe Certified - Green Globe Membres commit to managing and operating their business
and organisations to the highest level of sustainability.

Green Globe members are committed to benchmarking and managing the use of energy and water
with the aim of reducing the use of these resources as well as promoting reuse and recycling of
materials.

ISO 14001:2004 Certified - was developed to provide a management system to help organizations
reduce their environmental impact.

The standard provides the framework for organizations to demonstrate their commitment to the
environmental by: Reducing harmful effects on the environment.

Blue Flag Certification for the Beach and Marine Water Quality - The Blue Flag is a certification by
the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that a beach or marina meets its stringent
standards.

Beaches are awarded the Blue Flag based on compliance of 33 criteria's covering the below main
points:

1) Environmental Education and Information

2) Water Quality

3) Environmental Management

4) Safety and Services

II. Socio-cultural – to be involved in corporate 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 do 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

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surrounding community through local ownership, employment, buying local products,
etc. A sustainable business should benefit its colleagues, customers, business partners,
owners, other stakeholders.

 ISO 9001:2008 Certified

IV. Health & Safety – Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA complies with all established
health and safety regulations, and ensures that both guest and staff protection
instruments are in place. Certificates are approved as per Dubai Municipality, Civil
Defence and Trakhees.

 Operational Fitness Certificate issued by Dubai Municipality


 Shisha License
 Fire Safety Approval Certificate
 HACCP Certified

A. SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT

A1. Implement a Sustainable Management Plan:


Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA shall establish and maintain the SMP complying with
requirements included in this section. There are a number of elements that make up the SMP. These
elements are shown in figure1.

Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA shall formulate Policies and Procedures that:

 are appropriate to the nature and scale of the organisation’s activities;


 are aligned with the four key SMP areas i.e. environmental, socio-cultural, quality and health &
safety issues;
 include a commitment to continual improvement of the SMP;
 include a commitment to comply as a minimum with the current applicable legislations,
regulations and other requirement to which the organisation subscribes;
 provide a framework for setting and reviewing SMP objectives and targets;
 are documented, implemented, maintained and communicated to all employees;
 are available to all interested and affected parties; and
 are reviewed periodically to remain relevant and appropriate to the organisations SMP.

A2. Legal Compliance:

The hotel is licensed according to UAE law and in compliance with all relevant international or local
legislation and regulations, including health, safety, labor, and environmental aspects, and insurance
policies and other guest and staff protection instruments are up to date and in order.
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A3. Employee Training:

Employee hiring, training, annual appraisal and performance review, at Sofitel The Palm Hotel &
Resort & SPA; is in line with the corporate competencies and competency models.

Competencies and competency models are designed to define the skills, knowledge and attributes
that make organizations and individuals successful. Once competencies are identified, people with
these competencies can be recruited and where necessary trained and developed. This builds an
organization of successful colleagues who are capable of delivering business goals and execute
strategy.

While competencies may enable people to achieve success, they alone do not ensure success. We
see people who are competent but do not deliver business results or vice a versa. In other words,
only assessing people against competencies is not enough. We must also measure their
achievements against the desired business goals within their roles.

At the same time, competencies provide the link between organizational vision, behaviors, outputs
and results and are the foundation for recruitment, selection, performance management,
development and succession planning.

A.4 Customer Satisfaction

At Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA customer satisfaction is supported by the Quality
department. Quality Department helps Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA to operate in a way
that focuses on continuous improvement and long term sustainability. It works with all departments
and areas of the business to ensure that our guest are always our first priority by having a system in
place that allow us to measure how well we are doing, and to respond quickly when we are not
getting the desired results.

Besides customer satisfaction we also review and monitor internal quality performance. Some of
the tools used for monitoring and reviewing the same are:

VOCIE of Guest trip advisors, Leading Quality Assurance (LQA) audits, LRA Emotional Engagement
Audits, guest comment cards and other 3rd party online platforms such as trip advisor, booking.com
and all social media channels.

A.5 Accuracy of Promotional Materials

All communication regarding promotional material at Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA goes
through the Sales and Marketing team and is in line with Hotel Brand Group guiding principles, local
regulations and cultural norms. Any dissatisfaction from our guests is tracked through the guest
feedback forms.

A.6 Local Zoning, Design and Construction

DESIGN AND STRUCTURE

The Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA Sustainable Designs:

SOLAR PANELS FOR HOT WATER SYSTEM

The resort has 50% of its hot water generated through 232 no’s solar panels installed on the roof
covering areas of 530SqMtr. Are which generates 2200 kw of heat output / day.
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FACADE LIGHTING

All external façade lighting is controlled by the photocell ensuring efficient lighting operation

WEATHER STATION

1). Cup Anemometer – Measures the speed of the wind.


2).Rain Gauge – Measures the amount of Rainfall .
3).Solar Radiation sensor – Measures the weather ET Value, air temperature and Relative Humidity

CAPE REED STRUCTURE

The Resort also has all its building roofing installed with cape reed structures which is comes from
sustainable African forests. This is a unique thatching material only grows on small strip of land in
southern cape region of south Africa. The cape reed plant provided one of the most durable natural
fibers on earth making it ideal for thatching with life expectancy of 20- 50 years . It allows trapped
water and heat to escape making it waterproof and UV-Proof. Which is ideal for local climates.

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FCU CONTROLLED SENSORS

All the guest rooms balconies doors are installed with double glaze glass panels and with FCU
controlled sensors

GRMS SYSTEM

Resort Guest Rooms are equipped with the GRMS system (Guest Rooms Management System) to
save the energy

DUAL FLUSH SYSTEM

All WC units in guest rooms & public areas are equipped with dual flush system saving 25% of water
usage

VFD’s

The resort HVAC system fully equipped with 69 no’s of VFD’s for saving the energy.

ERU WITH HEAT RECOVERY WHEELS

The resort has 15 no’s of fresh air handling system units installed with an energy recovery units
which saves almost 230kw of reheat energy saving/ daily from the energy recovered from the
bathroom exhaust system

FCU CDP DRAIN PIPE LINES

The FCU units AC condensate drains are connected to the irrigation tank which is recycled to be used
for resort 27000 Sq.Mtr landscaping areas.

OCCUPANCY SENSORS

All back of the house corridors lighting 24 X 7 is controlled by the occupancy sensors saving almost
25% of energy

BASEMENT PARKINGS CO SENSORS

Basement parking's ventilation system is controlled by the CO sensors for efficient operation

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A.7 Interpretation

We inform our guests about the local environment, local culture and cultural heritage through
various means; may it be electronic or something as simple as bookmarks. As UAE is predominantly a
Muslim country guests are made aware of the local culture and mainly during the holy month of
Ramadan.

Various expedition packages are available with local tour organizers to visit places of historical
interests, museums, heritage village, etc. or to embrace a moment of serenity within the vast desert.
Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA works closely with the local market, and as such is beneficial
to the company and the local community.

Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA, in line with Hotel Brand Group’s brand endeavors to deliver
imaginative and exhilarating experience in culturally connected environments offering thoughtful
and generous service.

A.8 Communications Strategy

We communicate with our guests and visitors to the hotels and the website in a comprehensive
manner. 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, example; we have placed room green cards in all the rooms in order
to give our guests an option whether or not they want the bed linen or towels to be replaced for the
day, hence, providing them with an opportunity to play a direct role in water and energy
conservation. Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA is also a member of Emirates Environmental
Group which are local organizations that strive towards the protection of the environment,
sustainable management and social responsibility.

A.9 Health and Safety

We follow strict 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 signage and other form of
communication. 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
have an experienced team of engineers and technicians who maintain the facilities etc., so that we
have constant check on them being in good working condition. All necessary and mandatory safety
requirements for the same are in order, such as Method Statement, Risk Assessment, and Personal
Protective Equipment.

Local Law enforcement agencies frequently visit the premises to ensure all emergency systems are in
order, besides, there are audits conducted to ensure that the hotel clinic is up to the standards,
HACCP audits are conducted to ensure compliance to the Food Safety Management System. New
kitchen staff is trained on safety and procedures, and must undergo a mandatory basic food hygiene
course in food handling.

Highlights:

 Guests are instructed verbally and by posted signs to take care of wet floor.
 Swimming pool depth is clearly marked, a life guards trained in rescue and basic first aid are
physically present at the pool.

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 If any events are to be held within the property by external organizers, a clear method
statement risk assessment, floor plans, insurance policies, are requested form the organizers,
such that a clear gap analysis is conducted, and appropriate preventative measures form our end
are also taken.
 All paint is environmentally friendly and lead free.
 All external contractors need to provide safety permit and equipment for their staff
 Use of auto dosing system has been introduced for housekeeping chemicals

SOCIAL/ECONOMIC
B.1 Community Development

This section is supported by the Hotel Brand Group community investment policy; the policy states
that the Company recognizes its roles and responsibilities in contributing to the sustainable
development of the communities in which it operates. This Policy aims at maximizing the return on
Community Investments and their impact on the Local Community.

Through our Community Investment Program, we have identified unique areas of involvement
where we can actively support our Local Communities and engage in a mutually rewarding way with
our Stakeholders.

 Healthcare: Supporting initiatives aimed at enhancing the health and well-being of Local
Communities.

 Education: Supporting initiatives focused on vocational training and skills development that
improve employability in the tourism and hospitality sector.

 Cultural Preservation: Supporting initiatives aimed at preserving local culture and heritage and
promoting cultural diversity.

 Economic Development: Supporting initiatives aimed at enhancing the ability of small and
medium enterprises (“SMEs”) that are strategically linked to business needs to perform more
effectively in order to create economic growth.

 Environmental Protection: Supporting initiatives that help protect the integrity of the
environment. We also want to support initiatives that use innovative products and services to
help solve environmental problems.

CSR ACTIVITIES FOR December 16, 2018

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Special Needs Students VisitDec 2018

Clean UP the World November 2018.

Food Distribution on Accor Solidarity program October


2018.

Free Medical Checkup November 2018

Blood Donation

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Global Earth Day and Enable Fair

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B.2 Local Employment

Supporting a robust companywide National Development program, Sofitel The Palm Hotel
proactively supports the recruitment and development of UAE nationals within the UAE at various
managerial level positions across its operational and support function, with a view that such UAE
nationals may, will be supported, mentored and guided to grow and move into leadership positions
across the company. The element of local employment is supported by:
 Equal employment opportunity policy
 Business conducts and ethics policy
 Recruit and select colleagues policy

B.3 Fair Trade

Fair trade within Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA is driven by the “Procure Goods & Services”
Process in UAE, wherein Purchasing ensures the use of right methods to select suppliers and procure
goods and service at the right quality, price, time, source and delivery while protecting the company.
Procuring of goods should not include Styrofoam items and cardboard should be wax free.

B.4 Local entrepreneurs

Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA is established as a business hotel where in our aim is to let
business clients experience the luxury hospitality we have to offer to them in the midst of their
business environment. Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA does not engage with local
entrepreneurs dealing with historical artifacts moreover it is not permitted by law.

It is worthwhile to state that, at Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA we do engage in organizing
events and activities that portray the local culture, especially during Ramadan, Eid, and UAE National
Day.

We have our local Henna Shop and Gift shop located in Ground floor.

B.5 Respect local population

As stated earlier UAE is predominantly a Muslim country and as such


guests and colleagues are made aware of the local culture. Information of
the same is provided through multimedia or through books and
magazines.

B.6 Exploitation

Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA is in strict compliance to the UAE Federal Law no 8, for 1980
on the Regulation of Labor relations. Hence, appropriate policies are in place against the
employment of children, sexual harassment, and exploitation. The element of exploitation is
supported by:
 Equal employment opportunity policy
 Business conducts and ethics policy
 Recruit and select colleagues policy
 UAE Federal Law no 8, for 1980

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B.7 Equitable hiring

Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA promotes diversity and equality on all levels of the business,
and no employees or applicants are discriminated against in any way. All positions are filled on the
basis of competence. Our hotel adheres to all local laws and regulations concerning labor laws, and
offer conditions and wages superior to the minimum requirements.

Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA employs people of many nationalities – currently we have no
less than 50 different nationalities in the group. Women candidates are encouraged to apply across
all levels of the business.

B.8 Employee protection

Salaries and benefits exceed 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 UAE labor 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.

B.9 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 reflect positive influence in the community.

C: CULTURAL HERITAGE

The ambassadors at Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA is trained to guide guests towards the
cultural sights and events and/or entertainment/restaurants that the guests are most interested in.
Local UAE culture and idiosyncrasies can be explained and discussed with guests, but mainly in a
nice-to-know form, as the culture is significantly different from anywhere else in the
western/developed part of the world, from where we have a substantial amount of guests coming
from. Guest can read through the basic do’s and don’ts in their complementary tourist guide
‘Discover Dubai’.

Historical and archeological artifacts are not sold, traded, or displayed. Business complies with laws,
standards and regulations concerning the protection of historical sites and cultural heritage.

Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA 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. We take great pride in our vast network, and spend a lot of
time and energy explaining our collaboration with local suppliers and businesses to interested
parties.

D: ENVIRONMENTAL

In line with the Sofitel the Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA Sustainable Development, the use of
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) helps Hotel Brand "buy green," and in doing so, uses
the buying power to stimulate market demand for green products and services. However, this
statement should not be key deciding factor in making a commercial buying decision.

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Highlights:

Black and gray waste water is managed by the city in a non-polluting way, and does not affect public
health. This is mandatory and unavoidable by UAE law. Very strong preference given to fair trade
and eco-certified suppliers – we will often choose to not have a service, rather than compromising
our integrity.

We minimize our output of printed matter, and prefer to communicate through our website (which
is CO² neutral). Our suppliers often bring their products in crates and cases, which are reused and
taken back. Every attempt is made to increase the awareness of the suppliers to avoid using crates
and cases where ever possible.

Refrigerator and freezer temperatures are measured and monitored on a constant basis by the
culinary staff of Food. Energy usage is specified and recorded. Motion sensors are established in
some of the areas, feasibility to cover more areas is considered. All rooms need room key in order to
turn on lights – whereby all electric appliances are turned off when guest is not in room. Only low-
energy light bulbs are used throughout the property, and outdoor lighting is controlled by a timer.

Energy efficient equipment is purchased wherever available, and only used when needed. Bed linen,
duvets and towels that are too used for hotel use but still usable, are donated to charity. No
disposable cutlery or other eating utensils are used in the Hotel.

Active system in place to detect and repair leaking toilets, faucets and showerheads in guest rooms,
and is run in co-ordination with housekeeping department and engineering department. Active
system in place to detect and repair all machinery and equipment on a regular monthly basis, and is
run by engineering department.

Native plants or low water plants used in landscaping are used to minimize water in the outdoor
garden.

Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA recycles above and beyond the national requirements. We
have asked for specific glass, cardboard and paper recycle bins, and encourage guests to help us with
our recycling. We attempt to produce as little waste as possible, and nothing is thrown out, that can
be used again. A food-saving program will be established wherein we will come up with strategies to
reduce food wastage. Since such a program might interfere with the operation of the culinary
department, the establishment of the same will be done in consultation with the F & B department.
Other initiatives could be to compost food waste by installing food waste composting machine and
using the product as manure for the trees within the property.

All employee laundry is washed in-house with environmentally friendly detergents. All back-office
computer and electronic equipment is shut down when work-day is over. Meeting room’s lights and
equipment is shut down when not in use. Water usage is monitored and specified; goal is 1% annual
reduction. All appliances are set at the most efficient level, to save energy, money and appliances.
This concludes the Sustainability Management Plan for Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA 2015.
Our concrete aim is to reduce our use of water, electricity and waste by a minimum of 10% in the
course of the next year, some of the targets and initiatives to achieve the same are:

 To raise awareness of the environment within the guest rooms by way of environmental
information on the room television and room information brochures.
 In partnership with the Enviro Serve, collect Hazardous IT waste to ensure that zero waste goes
to Dubai landfill site.

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ENERGY CONSERVATION

In Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA we always try to work towards a greener Dubai and we
strive to implement innovated technologies whatever is the best for our guest, the environment and
also for all Accor Hotels working towards greener Dubai.

SOFITEL THE PALM HOTEL & RESORT & SPA ENERGY SAVING INITIATIVES BEST PRACTICES:

 Grey Water for Irrigation (TSE)


At Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA we use treated sewage effluent (Grey) water from
Dubai Municipality for irrigation. Using TSE water helps us conserve increasingly scarce water
resources efficiently, responsibly and intelligently.

 ERU Units With Heat Recovery Wheels


The resort has 15 no’s of fresh air handling system units installed with an energy recovery units
which saves almost 230kw of reheat energy saving/ daily from the energy recovered from the
bathroom exhaust system

 Guest Room Management System (GRMS)


Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA has installed guest room management systems for all
rooms, RMS helps us to monitor, manage and control our energy in the rooms. RMS also helps
control unnecessary lighting, cooling for hours while guests are away which help us towards
energy savings.

 Variable Frequency Drives


Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA has installed VFD (Variable Frequency Drives) for the
entire Air handling unit & Return Air Fans in the Sofitel The Palm Hotel & Resort & SPA thus huge
saving on electricity energy from the actual power consumption of the motors. This change gives
a large power reduction compared to fixed-speed operation for a relatively small reduction in
motor speed.

 Lamps Replacement To LED


In Sofitel The Palm we have replaced a lot of lamps to LED, like Building Focus lights, LED lights in
the new renovated rooms, Back office and car park tube lights will be replaced by the end of this
year. We constantly investigate and replace to LED where required.

2018 ENERGY EFFICIENCIES PROJECTS

1) The MGK Endocube consists of a food simulant contained in a double-skinned enclosure.


Once the MGK Endocube is placed on the refrigerator‘s thermostat sensor, it will use food
temperature as the signal to control its refrigeration cycle rather than fluctuating air
temperature. The effect is a more efficient refrigeration cycle, where the individual cycle
lasts longer but the frequency is reduced by up to 80% which additionally increases the life
span of your refrigeration units.
2) The winnow system provides both real-time and regular reporting on transparent and
measurable data, so that you can easily identify areas for reducing your food waste.
3) Glass Collection – 43,793 kg of glass collected for the period of January – Dec, 2018 for
recycling process.
4) Replaced all the tennis court metal halide light fittings with LED Lights
5) New LED lamps replaced for the swimming pools for better illumination.
6) Beach suite 1 & 2 Led lights replacement project
7) Apt Blocks 1/2/3 LED LAMPS replacement project
8) Palm trees LED net lights installed

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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 along with other supporting documents:

 Health, Safety and Environmental Policy.


 Environmental Management Plan
 Waste management Plan
 Purchasing policy
 Recruitment policy
 L&D training policy
 Business conduct and ethics

ENERGY & CARBON REDUCTION GOALS - YEAR 2014 - 2019

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Health & Safety

It is the policy of Sofitel The Palm, Dubai to establish and maintain a safe working environment in
compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety act of Federal Law No. (8) Of 1980 as
amended, Ministerial Decision No. 32 of 1982, concerning preventive methods to protect
employees, ministerial Decision No. 37/2 of1982 concerning standards of medical care provided
for employees, ministerial Decision No. (4/1) of 1981 concerning hazardous works, using hazard
identification and risk management strategies to prevent personal injury, ill health or property
damage, and to safeguard the environment.

The Occupational Health and Safety policy is directed towards achieving the following objectives:

 Taking full account of health, safety and environmental considerations in all planning,
decision making and execution of processes.

 Support research and development on Occupational Safety, Health and Environmental


issues, encourage worker participation in the management and performance of business and
our approach in solving challenges facing our organization.

 Ensure the safe use, handling, storage, disposal and transportation of equipment,
substances and waste generated through company activities.

 Provide the necessary information, instruction, training and supervision in order to enable all
employees to identify hazards and contribute positively towards occupational health, safety
and environmental risk management at work.

 Ensure that appropriate safety instructions, advice and guidance are given to contractors and
visitors to the premises.

 We should all strive to maintain a safe and healthy workplace. Every employee is responsible
for carrying out his work in a safe and healthy manner for himself and for his fellow workers.

Copies of this policy shall be made available to all employees and displayed at all main locations.

It shall be brought to the attention of all Ambassadors, contractors, and visitors and be made
available to any other interested party.

The internal evacuation drill as part of health and safety (April 30, 2018.)

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