A Bentley outside the front entrance to Gonville Hotel

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Our Green Policy

Gonville Hotel in Cambridge recognises that our work may have a direct or indirect effect on the local, regional and global environment. We are committed to reducing any harmful effects on the environment and in working with reputable associations, we aim to understand, follow and implement best environmental practices wherever possible. We encourage our employees, suppliers and guests to be environmentally aware through initiatives such as recycling and trying to be energy efficient.

Our goal is to prevent landfill waste and improve recycling by reviewing how supplies and equipment are purchased, packaged, delivered, used and disposed of while complying with all applicable environmental legislation.

Gonville Hotel has a ‘Green Committee’ which is responsible for monitoring, implementing and moving forward with the ongoing action plan to deliver our commitment.

As a guest at Gonville Hotel, we hope that you too will take time to think about the environment during your stay and help us maintain our commitment to our Green Policy. Guests can help us with some simple measures;

  • Turn off lights or electrical items in your bedroom when not in use
  • Consider the usage of your towels during your stay
  • Allow us to recycle any newspapers that may no longer be required
  • Avoid dripping taps
  • Adhering to our No Smoking Policy in the Hotel
  • Use the recycling stations located by the lift on the first and second floor.
A common in Cambridge

What’s new?

Our Gonville Kitchen Garden is growing greener by the day. Supplying our Terrace Restaurant with herbs and veg. Produce doesn’t get more locally sourced than this!

Located in the Gresham House garden, you can take a walk round during your stay.

Gonville Kitchen Garden

Geneva Green

We’ve replaced the toiletries across all Superior Deluxe, Superior, Classic and Accessible rooms with Geneva Green which uses 100% recycled plastic in all it’s dispensers.

We also now have local company Cambridge Juice Company supplying our rooms with complimentary still and sparkling canned water which is, of course, 100% recyclable.

Geneva Green Toiletries

Pact Coffee

As part of our commitment to sustainability, we constantly review our suppliers and look for excellent green credentials across the board.

We are transitioning our in-room coffee to Pact Coffee and all rooms at the hotel will shortly be using their Opal One Pod machines.

As a B Corp, Pact are absolutely committed to sustainability and paying fair prices to coffee farmers. They are the perfect pairing with Gonville Hotel as part of our Green Hospitality drive.

Pact Say:

“The coffee industry is broken, and many farmers live in poverty. Pact is fixing it by going straight to the farmer, scrapping what it deems unnecessary steps and paying truly fair prices for great coffee. In 2021, it paid, on average, 60% more than the Fairtrade base price.

Pact also makes small investments in source countries. It gives things like processing equipment, interest-free loans and even goats and cows to smallholder farmers to give them a head start on creating what it sees as the world’s best coffee.

All of this coffee is speciality grade (the best of the best), and it’s roasted in Surrey just days before it’s delivered. It has more than 100 coffees sourced from across 10 different countries on its menu every year. Delivery is always free.

Every bean that Pact customers buy makes a difference at its source. Over its ten years, the company has seen farmers build accommodation and canteens for their workers, form a women’s association and vastly improve living conditions.

Pact achieved B Corp status in 2022. This means that they’re a company that meets “high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency” by the nonprofit B Lab organisation.”

Expect to see further changes throughout the hotel as we continue to strive for greener alternatives.

Pact Coffee

Bamboo replacing paper

As part of our commitment to sustainability, we constantly review our suppliers and look for excellent green credentials across the board.

At the hotel, we are transitioning from using traditional paper products to more sustainable bamboo products including face tissues, toilet tissue and straws.

The Cheeky Panda are a UK based supplier of bamboo products with excellent green credentials and a solid commitment to sustainability. You can read their story here and expect to see their products in your room during your next stay with us.

 

Cheeky Panda

Macro Areas

Waste Reduction

The Gonville Hotel will endeavour to reduce the amount of waste generated by reusing and recycling including;

  • Recycling organic kitchen waste
  • Recycling all bar glass bottles and broken glass using the glass bin in the car park
  • Recycling all waste paper – providing recycling boxes throughout the hotel
  • Recycling all cardboard and packaging
  • Recycling all printer cartridges
  • Operating a ‘Think before you Print’ campaign in all areas of the business
  • Recycling all spent batteries
  • Recycling all tins, cans and aluminium
  • Recycling all plastics and packaging in designated bins
  • Dog waste eco-treatment in place
  • Educating and training all members of staff in environmental issues and good working practices in order to create an energy efficient and environmentally aware working culture

Purchasing

Gonville Hotel will endeavour to take into account the environmental factors involved in production, use and disposal of products.

  • When purchasing, analyse whether a new product is essential
  • Where possible, source food from local suppliers
  • Avoid purchasing products with unnecessary packaging
  • When possible purchase Fair Trade products in the bedrooms and bar/restaurant
  • Using refillable British produce shampoos and toiletries

Energy and Water Saving

Gonville Hotel will endeavour to consider all resources and aim to reduce energy consumption.

  • AC units turned off when windows are open
  • Use energy efficient light bulbs, lower heating temperatures
  • More than 75% of the building is double glazed
  • Key card controller turn off lights/power in unoccupied rooms
  • Make sure all radiators have adjustable controls
  • Ensure that all PCs are switched off when not in use
  • Follow the guidelines/advice set down by the GTBS and the Carbon Trust
  • Public toilets have sensor taps and sensor urinals

Travel

Gonville Hotel will endeavour to reduce the impact of vehicle emissions by encouraging the application of sustainable principles to travelling and arranging meetings.

  • Where possible, we will promote public transport, cycling or walking as the preferred form of transport for staff and residents
  • Electric vehicle charge points are available for staff and residents
  • Maps available at reception – clearly indicated walking and cycling travel time for sightseeing
  • Gonville Bikes available for residents to use throughout their stay
A customer using a Gonville bike in view of King's College, Cambridge

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