green initiatives

nurture – our commitment

Part of our commitment sees us offer our guests the ability to offset their accommodation stays and meetings using the measurement approach. We're working actively to reduce the carbon footprint of our business activities and to continually improve and innovate on current practices. We have integrated various methods of greener living into our daily lives and encourage our guests and associates to do the same. Some of these methods include:

• Establishing and reporting on key environmental performance indicators
• Developing a carbon emissions off setting program
• Conserving natural resources
• Minimizing waste and pollution throughout all aspects of our business operation
• Raising environmental awareness among our associates, guests and communities

At the heart of the goal to become industry leaders for reducing and managing our carbon footprint, is our belief that economic growth and the well-being of society are inextricably tied to the health of the environment. By blending an upscale, luxury hotel experience with low impact living practices, we offer our guests the peace of mind they are doing business with an organization that has the environment in mind.

reduce – the process

The hotel recognised the need to develop a carbon management strategy for its operations and partnered with Climate Friendly™, ranked the number one offset provider in Australia by Carbon Offset Watch.

After setting both short and long term goals, The Westin Melbourne commenced its carbon management journey by establishing the hotel's carbon position. A baseline footprint for the financial year 2006/07 was established and key objectives set:

• Learn about what carbon foot printing means for business
• Be a credible leader within the hospitality and tourism industry
• Create awareness and education internally

The journey also involved implementing a carbon management strategy that clearly measured and reduced the hotel's carbon footprint. These strategies include:

• An energy awareness project that focuses on gas, electricity and water use at the hotel, with the goal to reduce hotel energy consumption by 2% or greater year on year.
• Appointing an external company that successfully turns liquid food wastes into a quality organic agricultural fertiliser
• Upgrading the dosing system for the cooling towers - an automated system that takes water readings continuously and doses biocides to kill bacteria
• Devising a water conservation program to demonstrate the hotel's commitment to conserving water in all areas of our business
• Implementing a number of environmentally friendly work practices and procedures as well as educating associates

As a direct result of the aforementioned changes, the hotel has seen its carbon footprint reduce by in excess of 285 tonnes from the 2006/07 baseline measurement year. This is the equivalent of reducing the release 5,708,000 black balloons of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere (1 balloon = 50g).

recover - benefits to our guests

The Westin Melbourne offers carbon neutral visits through a process of measuring the carbon emissions generated through an accommodation stay or meeting event and then compensating for, or "offsetting", those emissions by investing in projects that reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emitted globally into the atmosphere.

Climate Friendly™ source the highest quality carbon credits available in the world today. By buying carbon credits from clean renewable energy sources, The Westin Melbourne are accelerating the transition to a clean energy future and investing in technologies that provide long term solutions to global warming.

We are in the midst of great change and look to our customers, associates, and partners to help us navigate through this change and support us in our efforts. We are dedicated to the process and promise to promote a lifestyle that ensures our environmental impact on the world around us is minimal.

Carbon Offset Frequently Asked Questions