Sustainability & Environmental Care
Our Sustainability Mission
We are dedicated to environmental operations that foster a sustainable future and lead to improvements in the communities where we live and work.
360 Degree Approach
Hospitality at its core is about being caring, and thoughtful and developing a relationship with those around you. For Concord, we believe that relationship extends to those beyond our doors. To the community, to the planet, future generations. Those core tenets of hospitality align with the tenets of what it means to be sustainable.
At Concord we take a multi-dimensional approach to sustainability, we believe it’s every department’s responsibility to find innovative ways to make a true positive impact in the communities we operate in.
Energy Management
Concord is dedicated to environmental operations that foster a sustainable future and lead to improvements in its communities. Concord partnered with Marriott International to design and develop the first LEED-certified Courtyard by Marriott prototype in 2011, which became the prototype for all future LEED-certified Courtyards. Concord’s focus now is to develop and build GREEN hotels with a focus on energy-efficient systems and operations.
Our Energy Management Sustainability program includes initiatives such as:
- Key card and motioned-controlled electricity for guest
- Double glazed windows
- Energy conversation programs
- Energy-efficient heating, cooling and lighting systems and energy-saving thermostats
- Some hotels have a bicycle rental program and bicycle parking
Water Management & Conservation
At Concord we continually focus on ways to reduce our water consumption. Our linen reuse programs and lower flush systems throughout our hotels make a major impact in this area.
Our Water Conservation Management program includes initiatives such as:
- Water-efficient faucets, toilets and showers
- Towel and Linen reuse programs
- Water bottle filling stations
- Cleaning service opt-out programs
Food & Beverage
We are industry leaders in sustainability and responsible sourcing in the F&B space with thoughtful food waster policies the include food waste prevention, reduction, recycling and sustainable disposal.
Our F&B Sustainability program includes initiatives such as:
- Compost and feed programs
- Sustainable sourcing with responsible purchasing policies, using organic food & beverage and responsibly sourced seafood
- Locally sourcing food & beverage from local suppliers and farmers
- Limiting single-use plastics, straws or styrofoam containers
- Some outlets solely use compostable food containers and cutlery
- Q/R code menus to reduce paper use
Technology
We’ve incorporated green IT practices throughout our organization helping us increase our efficiency as we scale.
Our Technology Sustainability program includes initiatives such as:
- Installing keyless entry and digital check-in helps us save on paper and plastic
- Building a centralized server center that helps us be more efficient on cooling and power usage
- A focus on the utilization of the cloud across many tools and storage demands which give us energy efficiencies
- Using TCO/Energy Star computers
- Implementing proper computer sleep settings
- Using shared printers and energy-efficient power strips
Forward-Thinking Design
In addition to many of the programs mentioned above, which start in the design stage, we also thoughtfully build and design dedicated green spaces across our hotels, such as urban rooftop gardens. Designing bicycle parking and electric car charging stations in our hotels is another increasingly common strategy. It’s also integrated into our design philosophy to ensure water-efficient showers, toilets and faucets, energy-saving insulation, LED lights, Low E Glass Windows and automated systems to help save on energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Adaptive Reuse
We have collaborated on adaptive-reuse projects to breathe new life into existing land and buildings rather than destroying old sites and using all new materials. A great example of this is the West & Main hotel in Pennsylvania which is being partially built in a 146-year-old historic firehouse.
Clean the World
Concord has partnered with Clean the World, a global organization that recycles and reuses complimentary toiletry items like shampoo, conditioner and soap that guests leave behind. These supplies help reduce the spread of deadly diseases like cholera and pneumonia that are preventable with proper hygiene.
We have led the social responsibility charge and we are one of the program’s early adopters. Since joining forces in 2011, we have diverted 135 tons of waste from landfills, created over $1 million worth of bars of soap from that waste and saved an estimated 300,000 lives by promoting access to cleanliness and hygiene.
Green Initiatives
LEED Certification
Concord extends its sustainability mission to its development projects. All new construction projects are designed, constructed, operated and maintained to meet the strict Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines.
Green Power Partnership Program
Several of Concord’s properties are also members of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership, a voluntary program that assists organizations with procuring electricity generated from renewable sources.
Green Hotel Global Program
All Concord hotels are registered with Green Hotels Global, a metric-based system that focuses on collecting information about the environmental footprint of hotels. This information is populated into an interactive software system that allows each property to quantify, reduce and report on its economic impact.