Environmental Policy Statement

…The Devonshire Group is committed to enhancing our environment and we strive continuously to reduce our impact on it.

…We go beyond basic legal and regulatory requirements in order to fulfil our environmental agenda.

At Devonshire Hotels & Restaurants we are committed to providing excellence in customer service and superior comfort at all our properties whilst upholding our dedication to help preserve and protect our natural environment and our planet…

We have an Environmental/Green Policy which outlines how we aim to minimise our carbon footprint as much as possible. We currently:

Use paper made from sustainable sources;
Buy pens made from recycled CD cases;
Use energy saving lightbulbs throughout the hotel wherever possible;
Recycle all glass, paper and plastic;
Offer chauffeur driven vehicles to drive staff to and from work eliminating the need for many cars;
Utilise the internet and email as a means to distribute information such as newsletters, brochures and letters;
Use eco friendly powders and green chemicals to wash all towels in The Devonshire Health Spa;
Make use of our very own Fruit and Vegetable garden and local food suppliers are used wherever possible reducing food miles
Send as much Kitchen waste such as waste fats for environmentally friendly re-cycling;
Encourage guests to forget all about their car whilst staying with us and enjoy the natural breathtaking beauty of the 30,000 acre Bolton Abbey estate and 35,000 acre Chatsworth Estate.

Wider than our Hotels & Restaurants segment; The Devonshire Group as a whole has an Environmental/Green Policy. With the “reduce, reuse, recycle” philosophy at the heart of our activity we are focusing on the following areas:

Energy consumption
Waste reduction
Sustainable land management
Employee awareness
Renewable energy generation
Sustainable procurement

The following will underpin these objectives:

Consistent monitoring of our energy consumption to highlight potential and achieved reductions in energy consumed.
To reduce the amount of waste we produce and that we send to landfill
To reduce the amount of packaging that we handle each year and increase the percentage of packaging that is recyclable.
To promote the environmental agenda to employees, visitors and guests and ensure that all new staff are given an environmental induction on our aims and objectives.
Preserve and enhance the biodiversity, natural heritage and long term sustainability of the landed estates.
Continue to invest in renewable energy projects to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.
Continue to source produce for our shops, restaurants, and hotels from the local estates and communities wherever possible.
Continue to source products and services from suppliers who share and demonstrate our environmental ambitions.
To achieve external recognition of our environmental credentials.

This policy statement will be reviewed annually and updated whenever necessary.

Devonshire Hotels & Restaurants are proud to support the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust as our chosen charity for 2012-13:

The Duke of Devonshire is an ardent supporter of this move to cultivate environmentally responsibly. He said: “Further to simply operating as a ‘green’ business, we believe that it is important to increase awareness and support projects that maintain and preserve our environment; as such we were keen to select a charity that shares our passion. We are proud to have the opportunity to contribute to the fantastic work that they do.”

The GWCT has an amazing track record in conservation work and has spent over 75 years conducting extensive scientific research to develop techniques for improving biodiversity through game and wildlife management. The charity now spends a large portion of its time providing training and advice to farmers, gamekeepers and land managers on these skills.

For more information about the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, please visit www.gwct.org.uk