While Sunstar Hotels already financed climate protection projects with myclimate between 2008 and 2019, they now employ the myclimate Cause We Care dual approach, achieving double the climate protection together with their guests.
The hotel group aims to steadily reduce its CO2 emissions. By implementing various reduction measures, Sunstar has been successful in doing just that. With the support of myclimate, the potential savings are monitored by means of a carbon footprint. In addition, Sunstar was the first hotel group in Switzerland to take responsibility for its unabatable CO2 emissions and support climate protection projects.
A Role Model for Climate Protection in the Tourism Industry
Not least thanks to funds from the myclimate Cause We Care programme, many sustainability measures have already been implemented directly on site and emission reductions achieved:
- Efficient and Sustainable Energy Use: The hotel group uses district heating in Grindelwald and Lenzerheide, while pellet heating systems have been installed in Klosters and Pontresina. Sunstar is also increasingly focusing on green electricity through photovoltaic systems. One has already been installed in Pontresina. Others are planned for Brissago and Lenzerheide.
- Climate-Friendly Mobility: To promote environmentally friendly mobility, Sunstar has introduced electric buses to transport guests in Arosa, Grindelwald, Lenzerheide and Pontresina.
- Optimising Supply Chains: The hotel group promotes regional products and companies by optimising its supply chains and increasing its support for local suppliers. This strengthens the local economy and reduces transport distances.
- Supporting Local Forests: Sunstar also supports forestry measures in its hotel destinations in collaboration with local foresters. The company conducts independent waste collection campaigns and participates in locally organised events.
- Collaboration with Other Sustainability Partners: The newly concluded partnerships with Bienenschweiz (the “Blühflächen” project) and USZIT beer (support for Swiss forests) are further proof of the hotel group’s commitment to sustainability.
- Economical Use of Materials: Instead of disposable slippers, Sunstar offers its guests high-quality, sustainably produced flip-flops.
Sunstar Hotels is an impressive example of how diverse and effective sustainability measures can be implemented in the hotel industry. For more information on these and other sustainability initiatives, please visit the Sunstar website.
Added Value of the New Digital Cause We Care Platform
As a long-standing Cause We Care partner, Sunstar is already using myclimate’s new digital Cause We Care partner platform. According to those responsible at Sunstar, this provides a better overview and a clear presentation of the sources of emissions. The new tool also helps with brainstorming and concrete planning of operational sustainability measures. Processing and administering the fund has also been greatly simplified by the platform. Users now have an up-to-date overview of the fund’s status, available resources, measures and CO2 emissions.
Looking to the Future
The hotel group is planning additional efficient and effective sustainability measures, including:
- Establishing a Sunstar Green Team to better drive internal sustainability goals and spread work on this important issue evenly across different parts of the company.
- Promoting sustainability issues among trainees to encourage new initiatives and ideas and to raise the profile of sustainability among junior staff.
- Regularly attending webinars, seminars and symposia to keep up to date with the latest developments in sustainability.
- Channelling more financial resources into its own sustainability fund so that they can implement even more measures and launch new projects in the future. They are investigating the possibility of introducing a “green fee” for online booking channels to reach guests who do not book through their website.
- There will be greater communication about these initiatives and measures in the future. It is important that guests and partners know what Sunstar is doing and how the group is getting involved.
- All measures related to the Swisstainable certification will be repeated on a regular basis.
