Bad Salzuflen. Maritim’s newly launched “ProUmwelt” (pro-environment) initiative has identified protecting the environment and sustainable development as key targets. A review of the areas of energy, waste, water, purchasing and employee mobility has been undertaken in all hotels. In addition to this, Maritime has trained its staff throughout the country as sustainability advisors, with the task of playing a leading role in managing the project. Besides this role, the staff will also be entrusted with advising event partners on all matters relating to sustainability.
The training course that has been followed by Maritim staff since May 2012 is being delivered by the German Convention Bureau (GCB) in conjunction with the DBU (or Deutschen Bundesstiftung Umwelt, German Environmental Foundation). The intensive training, highly practical in orientation, focuses on questions such as “What is an energy-efficient meeting?” or “Is climate-friendly is the same thing as carbon-neutral?”
In July 2010, the Maritim Hotel Bonn was the first German hotel to be awarded the “Green Globe” Sustainability Certificate. “Sustainability is a major issue, which most businesses today are only too keen to trumpet. Nevertheless, it is a field in which a great deal of confusion reigns. Our initiative is designed to promote environmental awareness, but we are also aware that consumers must have access to clear, manageable and standardised certification. The industry has its work cut out,” says Maritim Hotels CEO Gerd Prochaska, with regard to sustainability. “It is an area in which the hotel industry definitely needs to catch up, but when the time comes, we will have already done the groundwork.”
In conjunction with the “ProUmwelt” initiative, on 15th September 2012, Maritim is to launch its new “Maritim Green Meeting” conference package. This sustainable package requires, for example, the use of fair-trade coffee and locally made products, and the provision of FSC-certified notepads, recycled flipchart paper and biodegradable pens. In addition to room rental, technical equipment and conference catering, the Green Meeting package includes a 3-course dinner menu or lunch buffet and costs from € 53 per person per day. As with the existing “Maritim Exclusive” and “Maritim à la carte” conference packages, with rates starting from € 65 and € 42 respectively per person per day, the “Green Meeting” package offers a number of additional services that can be added to your booking.
