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Sustainable Practices
At Carden Park we are
Committed to working in a sustainable way
Doing our bit to save energy, protect the planet and conserve the stunning natural surroundings of our 1,000-acre estate is a key priority for our Cheshire Hotel & Spa. As well as considering our impact on the social community around us.
As official Silver Green Tourism members, we continually work towards our environmental goals in ways you can view below:
- Comply with the requirements of the environmental legislation and approved codes of practice.
- Continuously seek to improve our environmental and social performance, beyond what is expected.
- Reduce pollution, emissions and waste. As well as conserving resources such as water and energy.
- Raise awareness, encourage participation and train employees in sustainable business practices.
- Sourcing suppliers and contractors with similar environmental standards to align with our vision.
- Assist customers in using our products and services in an environmentally sensitive way.
- Liaise with the local community to support social causes.
Embracing the wild side
Nature & wildlife
Large areas on our estate and around our golf course are left undisturbed, meaning we only attend to the land at a very basic level. This encourages many types of grasses and flowers to thrive in a safe location. As a result this has become a perfect habitat for a variety of species and insects. These native grassland areas have seen a huge increase in wildlife such as; Bees, Kingfishers, Brown Hares and many more. The food and shelter is presented in abundance in these areas, with a natural ecosystem flourishing. For example the controlled population of voles and mice, support the Kestrels and owls that call Carden Park home.
Proud Silver Green Tourism & Green Meetings Members
An independent certification recognising Carden Park's commitment to actively becoming a more sustainable hospitality provider.
Our Working Practices
Reducing Paper Usage
We try to work digitally as much as possible to reduce paper waste, this is across all of our internal teams but also in relation to our sales and marketing – where we significantly reduce our printed brochures in favour of QR codes and digital assets. Many of our office staff also work from home to reduce our team’s overall carbon footprint. We now provide stationery to our corporate guests upon request only, to reduce wasted resources.
Conserving Energy
To conserve energy, we use LED lighting extensively across the resort and cover heated pools and hot tubs when not in use. PV solar panels are also used across the roof of the main hotel as well as the roof of our spa to save energy. Certain facilities within the spa, such as outdoor showers, are powered solely via solar panels. For our guests with electric cars, we offer electric charging points on the estate.
Recycling Processes
Wherever possible, we recycle waste across all areas of the hotel. There are extensive recycling programmes for paper, glass, water and food waste. For example, all of our food waste is processed in a local Anaerobic Digester – a facility that transforms this into energy and animal feed to be used by local farmers. In our many meeting spaces, we avoid using paper note pads and have recycled glass water bottles instead of plastic.
Responsible Water Use
Our Spa Garden has a lot of water-based amenities that we need to accommodate. It was important in the design of multi-awarding spa facilities that the water use is done in a responsible way that considers environmental impact. Any water waste from the spa and the hotel is treated on-site and pumped back into our main lake. This is then transported from the lake via the sixth hole on the Nicklaus Golf Course and used in our irrigation systems. This water-recycling process is tested regularly by local authorities.
We are very proud that our golf course uses nothing but recycled water for maintenance purposes. Similarly, this recycled water is also used in our machinery ‘wash-down’ areas and across our gardens.
A thriving 1,000 acre landscape
Trees & Plants
Wherever possible we try and ensure that our tree planting is not only aesthetically pleasing but also of real ecological value by ensuring that we plant as many species as possible that are native to this country. Our Greenkeeping team thin and prune the trees on-site and this is then turned into chip and used to mulch the ornamental beds around the hotel. This reduces weeds from growing, which allows us to decrease the use of chemical herbicides. This process also minimizes the need for watering, as the layer of mulch helps limits the evaporation of water from the soil itself. As the mulch breaks down it returns much needed carbon and nutrients to the soil, increasing soil health and fertility. If we cut a tree down, it our policy to always plant at least one more. In 16 years we have planted approximately 30,000 trees across the estate. Read more about one of large tree projects by clicking here
Carden Park's Sustainability Committee
We have a group of Carden Park employees who meet regularly to push our sustainable initiatives forward by discussing and actioning positive changes.
Our Working Practices
Catering Considerations
We work closely with a procurement partner to ensure that our suppliers are selected for their close proximity to the hotel to reduce emissions associated with travel and for improved freshness. Our kitchen brigade are able to cater for all dietary requirements and keep the ethical sourcing of ingredients at the forefront of their minds. For example, we only use UK-assured meat across our several eateries.
On-Site Vehicles
We currently have a fleet of 62 golf carts that are fully electric. As well as 8 maintenance vehicles for staff members. Our Greenkeeping team are continually investing in new machinery that will have less earth impact, including electric and robotic mowers to maintain our UEFA-accredited football pitch. We also have several, chargeable cordless tools that we use in favour of being more energy efficient.
Employee Involvement
There are several initiatives we have in place to involve the team in environmental and social impact. We have an employee bus that is offered complimentary from our nearest city. We also have the option of live-in accommodation. Additionally, each employee is entitled to 2-paid charity days a year to help support local projects. All of our team have access to counselling and mental health trained professionals.
The Family Wildlife Trail Map
Explore the estate finding the animals that call Carden Park home – Ask for the trail at reception as a fun free activity. Scan the QR code on your map for handy tips from our friends at The Cheshire Wildlife Trust to discover how you can help nature at home too!
Be a part of our
Sustainable Journey
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