The Maids Head Sustainability Pledge
All Hotel Bedrooms have access to our inhouse iPad
The Maids Head Sustainability Pledge
The Maids Head is committed to becoming more sustainable.
In 2021 the team established a Sustainability Committee who meet quarterly and this now forms part of the Agenda for both our monthly Head of Departments Meeting and our Quarterly Employee Council Meeting.
The Maids Head family are fully engaged and are encouraged to recognise and make suggestions as to how the hotel can grow to become more environmentally aware.
Initiatives to date include the following:
- Becoming a Net Zero Waste Norfolk Champion
- Reducing single use plastic by installing pump action toiletries in the bathrooms, still using the much loved White Stuff products.
- Installing iPads in all bedrooms to make up to date Hotel information readily available to all guests, replacing the heavily paper based Hotel directories.
- Paper waste has also been reduced through new systems being introduced. HR now use Docusign and ApprovalMax is used for all POs.
- Paper recycling bins in all Offices
- Alert 65 Management System is used by the Kitchen for all Food Hygiene records, eliminating the use of paper.
- All staff induction and training is now online using MAPAL, again eliminating the use of paper
- 4 EV charging points have been installed in the car park.
- The kitchen food waste is sent for anaerobic digestion and oil and fat collected fortnightly
- All glass and plastic is recycled.
- Cardboard compactor has been purchased to reduce bulk waste.
- Water cooler installed and staff bring own water bottles thereby reducing use of plastic and glass.
- Hotel uses ABC taxi company who use all electric cars
- Wooden Key cards are now used, no longer plastic and bamboo toiletries available for guests
- Restaurant lighting has all been replaced with LED dimmable bulbs, LED bulbs being used across the whole hotel
- Gas ovens in the kitchen are being replaced with Rational combi ovens which are more energy efficient
- Food and beverage suppliers are sourced locally from local producers. Read our Blog on the Maids Head Bar here https://www.maidsheadhotel.co.uk/greene-king-cellar-management-course/
- Reception manually switch off the air conditioning units which have been left on after the guest has departed.
The initiatives above were all in place in 2023, but since then we have been responding to the Government’s 2025 sustainability targets for hospitality.
Government’s 2025 sustainability targets for hospitality
In the summer of 2024 we installed five waste collection bins. Departments now sort waste into food, cardboard, glass, plastic/tins, and general waste. Dual-compartment bins are now in guest bedrooms, one side designated for general waste and the other for recyclable materials. The recyclable waste is sorted into the appropriate collection bins by the housekeeping team at the end of their shifts. This initiative has been highly successful, with enthusiastic participation from all staff members.
Local producers are championed. We have a wealth of food and drink suppliers on our doorstep and we are proud to support them.
From housekeeping to kitchen, maintenance to admin offices, reception to food and beverage service, all teams have contributed to these initiatives and are fully engaged in reducing, reusing and recycling when and wherever possible.
We will continue to strive to develop this pledge. Future projects include investing in solar panels which will heat the hot water system. Along with new walk-in fridge and freezers for greater energy efficiency.
Contact our Operations Manager if you would like to discover more about our commitment to sustainability operations2@maidsheadhotel.co.uk
Updated September 2023