The St. Regis Venice recently became the proud recipient of The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE)’s Green Key certification in recognition of its in-facility practices for sustainability.
In order to merit the certification which means compliance with the highest possible standards for sustainable operations, The St. Regis Venice boosted staff involvement in sustainability efforts, supported by Marriott International’s dedicated platform offering courses on environmental issues.
Since 1999, the Green Key has been considered one of the world’s foremost standards of excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operation within the tourism industry.
Sustainability at the heart of luxury
According to St Regis Venice general manager Audrey Huttert:“Sustainability is woven into every aspect of our operations, from pioneering initiatives such as being the first hotel in Venice to install electric charging stations for the boats, to our community outreach programmes. This recognition reaffirms our commitment to offering guests an unforgettable experience while preserving the beauty of Venice for future generations.”
Guests are encouraged to conserve water by requesting to wash sheets and towels only when necessary, while the annual WWF’s Earth Hour initiative invites them to conserve electricity over a dinner where candles are the only light source.
The property is 100 percent plastic-free and features full LED lighting and electric boat charging.
At the same time, hotel restaurants favour seasonal, zero-kilometre food, as it makes a point to use 90 percent local products.
To further reduce food waste, surplus food is offered at the staff canteen or donated to the Community of St. Egidio, a Catholic association that provides social services.
In other social initiatives, The St. Regis Venice purchases traditional Christmas treats such as panettone and pandoro from the City of Hope Foundation, donating some to the Capuchin friars.
At Easter, the hotel supports the Lega del Filo d’Oro Foundation, which assists, educates and rehabilitates deaf-blind individuals, by purchasing Easter eggs made by the members.
Monitoring and leading these and other efforts is the hotel’s Green Committee, composed of department heads and a member from each operational division.
The committee meets monthly to review, realign and benchmark sustainable practices, ensuring continuous improvement and adherence to environmental goals.
