myclimate has presented the Tschuggen Hotel Group with an award for its role as a pioneer of sustainability in the premium hotel segment. Stephen Neff, CEO of myclimate, explains the decision behind the award: “The Tschuggen Hotel Group has holistically integrated sustainability and climate protection into its business operations. Through myclimate’s «Cause We Care» programme, the company implements measures for raising awareness among employees and guests alike, both of whom are given the opportunity to take action to protect the climate. The company has set itself clear reduction targets and has already implemented specific measures to achieve these goals. In addition, the group is taking responsibility for its remaining carbon footprint by offsetting its these through myclimate projects. With this combination, the Tschuggen Hotel Group occupies a pioneering position in the premium hotel segment, and we want to honour this with the myclimate Award.”
The Swiss Tschuggen Hotel Group began its cooperation with myclimate in 2019 and since then has been completely CO2 neutral. Together with myclimate, numerous measures have already been implemented to reduce CO2 emissions. These are supplemented by the group’s support for carbon offset projects in Switzerland (upland moor renaturalisation in the Tourbières des Ponts-de-Martel nature reserve) and in Rwanda (Virunga mountain gorilla project in Volcanoes National Park), which offset the group’s unavoidable CO2 emissions. Since the 2019 winter season, guests have had the option of offsetting their journeys through myclimate’s «Cause We Care» programme during the booking process.
Prior to this, the Tschuggen Hotel Group had the total CO2 emissions of all its operations calculated for the first time in 2018. This involved an analysis and evaluation of all areas – heating and cooling, energy use, business transport and employee mobility, food & drink, materials and waste. On this basis, numerous measures have already been implemented to drastically reduce annual CO2 emissions. These additional measures were primarily geared towards optimising and modernising heating and energy systems. In addition, heat exchangers were introduced for ventilation and waste water, electricity is now generated by alpine hydropower, and kitchen waste is forwarded to producers of biogas fuels. Alongside the operational measures, the hotel group also feels it is important to raise awareness of climate protection among its guests. Within the scope of myclimate’s «Cause We Care» programme, guests are also given the opportunity to actively participate in climate protection.
The myclimate Awards
The remaining 2020 myclimate Awards were given to travel agent Reisebüro Mittelthurgau, cruise operator Meravando and Edelweiss Air. Due to the cancellation of the ITB travel trade show in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the award ceremony, scheduled for March in Berlin, was unable to take place. In light of this, myclimate is now presenting the awards on an individual basis.