Sustainability in the company

In the efficient use of energy, all Maritim-managed establishments can demonstrate good results. The houses use environmentally friendly natural gas or district heating instead of the scarce raw material oil for heating. Some generate their own electricity and have their own combined heat and power plants. 

A major project implemented across the chain over the past few years involves an innovative illumination concept. Over one million euro was invested to move all hotels over to an increased use of LED technology. Compared with conventional light sources, LED use is expected to make energy savings of 80%. Energy-saving timers are used in all hotels – especially in public areas, from the underground garage to the corridors. The air-conditioning systems are powered by electronically controlled air circulators and are controlled according to demand by means of modern building management systems.

The hotels are heated by means of environmentally friendly natural gas or district heating, rather than scarce crude oil. Some of the hotels generate their own electricity and have their own cogeneration units. In sunny destinations such as Tenerife, solar thermal collectors on the roofs of hotels are used to ensure warm water. Maritim also takes great care to ensure that water is used efficiently. Without impairing the comfort of our guests, several measures are adopted to ensure that this precious resource is not wasted unnecessarily, such as economy buttons in the toilets, and water-saving devices on taps and showers that ensure gentle water flow from the spout without diverging spray.

Even the dining area offers opportunities for environmentally friendly actions. A central purchasing body has been set up, with the aim of organising hotel purchases along sustainable lines. One result of this process has been a major reduction in the numbers of deliveries to the hotels involved. For this purpose, suppliers, structures and weekly delivery days have been organised more economically and logistics partners’ deliveries have been concentrated to a considerable degree, in order to reduce logistics-based CO₂ emissions. Seasonal products are sourced primarily from local or regional producers. To support the fresh food sector (fruits, vegetables, salads and herbs), a key supplier database has been created that offers clear information on producers from the agricultural areas surrounding a given hotel, from whom seasonal products can then be purchased.

Maritim only uses durable and high-quality materials in the entire furnishing area. This quality orientation as a principle is fundamentally and demonstrably firmly anchored in the Maritim philosophy.

We are confident that environmental sustainability, together with excellent training and education for employees, will convince our guests that they have chosen the right hotel for their private and business stays. To ensure that it remains this way, a quality management system, which is constantly enhanced, is in place in all of our hotels. This helps to sharpen environmental awareness on an ongoing basis as well as regularly identifying new areas for optimisation measures.

Strict waste separation is compulsory in all Maritim hotels. Around 4,000 tons of waste, in six material categories, are generated each year in Maritim Hotels. These recyclables are almost completely returned to the economic cycle using state-of-the-art technology, thus creating new energy, fuel or fertiliser from waste. Broken crockery, for example, is re-used in road construction. Working with one of the largest private providers of water and recycling management, our hotels have been awarded a sustainability certificate for their annual waste balance.

Maritim also takes great care to ensure that water is used efficiently. Without impairing the comfort of our guests, several measures are adopted to ensure that this precious resource is not wasted unnecessarily, such as economy buttons in the toilets, and water-saving devices on taps and showers that ensure gentle water flow from the spout without diverging spray.

In July 2010, the Maritim Hotel Bonn, in collaboration with the European Association of Events Centres (EVVC), was awarded "Green Globe" certification for outstanding environmental management, both in the area of meetings and conferences and for the hotel as a whole and was recertified until today. Since 2007, the Maritim Hotel Bonn, along with its sister hotel in Königswinter, has been a member of the regional "Sustainable Bonn" initiative, which promotes sustainability in the ecological, economic and social spheres.

Our highly qualified technical managers provide all Maritim Hotel employees with regular training on any matters relating to environmental protection. Providing facilities for large conferences across Germany, Maritim is particularly prominent in events management. Maritim is Germany’s only hotel company that has therefore trained a sustainability consultant at each hotel. The training course, delivered by the German Convention Bureau eV in conjunction with the DBU (Deutschen Bundesstiftung Umwelt, or German federal environmental foundation) and followed by Maritim sustainability consultants, is entitled “Fit for Green Meetings". As part of the premium partnership with the German Convention Bureau, Maritim has signed the sustainability code of the German event industry. This declaration of support demonstrates the acknowledgment oft the 10 guidelines as a quality standard as well as the will to document progress continuously.