Our Environmental Impact

Gold Level Award

Shannon Estuary Way Retreat has achieved a Gold Level Award.

Apart from achieving all their energy, waste and water goals, they have now incorporated sustainability into their HR, Purchasing and Marketing operations! They have taken the time to look at their suppliers and form a green purchasing policy. They have incorporated their green ethos & goals into their recruitment & induction processes as well as auditing their business' social sustainability by interviewing their staff. Finally they have a Green page on their website where they share all their genuine efforts and achievements with their customers.

Shannon Estuary Way Retreat Environmental Policy

Shannon Estuary Way Retreat recognises that it has a responsibility to the environment beyond legal and regulatory requirements. We are committed to reducing our environmental impact and continually improving our environmental performance as an integral part of our business strategy and operating methods. We will encourage customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders to do the same.

Responsibility

Rosie McMahon, Owner, Director, is responsible for ensuring that this environmental policy is implemented, however, all employees have a responsibility in their area to ensure that the aims and objectives of this policy are met.

POLICY aims

We endeavour to:

Comply with all relevant regulatory requirements.
Continually improve and monitor environmental performance.
Continually improve and reduce environmental impacts.
Incorporate environmental factors into business decisions.
Increase employee awareness and training.

paper

We will:

Minimise the use of paper in the office.
Reduce packaging as much as possible.
Seek to buy recycled and recyclable paper products.
Reuse and recycle all paper where possible.
Write on end of emails sent out asking to please consider the environment before printing

ENERGY & water

We will seek to:

Reduce the amount of energy used as much as possible.
Switch off lights and electrical equipment when not in use.
Adjust heating with energy consumption in mind.
Take energy consumption and efficiency of new products into account when purchasing them.
Tanks to reduce the rainwater for usage instead of tap water

water & water measures

Waste and Water measures/actions to be included: water flow rate check – are they below good practice standard? Waste measures: proper waste segregation will take place, right bins in the right place.
We will measure all our water systems to make sure they are
running efficiently and within sustainable best practice standards, following this we will make any necessary adjustments if needed.
we will ensure proper waste segregation takes place, where the necessary bins are in each location of our business”
Reduce plastic by bringing shopping baskets to the grocery store and removing any unnecessary packaging
But local and ask for reduced packaging
Become a no paper business reducing over a year and giving ourselves that time to reduce

office supplies

We will:

Evaluate if the need can be met in another way.
Evaluate the environmental impact of any new products we intend to purchase.
Favour more environmentally friendly and efficient products wherever possible.
Reuse and recycle everything we can.

transportation

We will

Reduce the need to travel, restricting to necessity trips only.
Promote the use of travel alternatives such as e-mail or video/phone conferencing.
Make additional efforts to accommodate the needs of those using public transport or bicycles.
Favour 'green' vehicles and maintain them rigorously to ensure ongoing efficiency.

maintenance & cleaning

We will:

Use cleaning materials that are as environmentally friendly as possible.
Use materials in any office refurbishment that are as environmentally friendly as possible.
Only use licensed and appropriate organisations to dispose of waste.

monitoring & improvement

We will

Comply with all relevant regulatory requirements.
Continually improve and monitor environmental performance.
Continually improve and reduce environmental impacts.
Incorporate environmental factors into business decisions.
Increase employee awareness through training.
Review this policy and any related business issues at monthly management meetings.

Culture

We will:

Update this policy at least once annually in consultation with staff and other stakeholders where necessary.
Involve staff in the implementation of this policy, for greater commitment and improved performance.
Provide staff with relevant environmental training.
Work with suppliers, contractors, and subcontractors to improve their environmental performance.
Use local labour and materials where available to reduce CO2 and help the community.

we will:

Measure our current social sustainability from managers and employees’ views by conducting interviews, we will be taking actions in response to the outcomes.
Promote local shops and producers to our visitors
Promote sustainable transport by offering information through our welcome email and website examples include picking up clients from airport, public transport, and the ferry at talburn to reduce our carbon footprint
Become members of sustainable travel Ireland
Members of business that promote wildlife gardening for the bee pollination
Set our baseline year data using the data portal for energy, waste and water usage and share this information transparently with stakeholders on our Environmental Policy.
Aim to have switch on and off times for lighting and equipment to ensure that we practice energy efficiency