Taking Practical Steps Toward Sustainability at Sandman Hotel Group

At Sandman Hotel Group, we recognize the impact that hospitality can have on the environment, and we're working to do better. Over the past year, we've taken steps across our hotels to make more sustainable choices, with a focus on practical, measurable change.

 

Small Shifts That Add Up

Across our properties, we're revisiting the everyday details that can make a difference. One of the initiatives currently in progress is the installation of refillable water stations, aimed at reducing our use of single-use plastic bottles in guest rooms. We're also exploring more sustainable in-room amenities - simple changes, that over time, contribute to less waste.

 

Supporting Change Through the Eco-Fee

We've introduced a $2 per night Eco-Fee at participating Sandman locations across Canada, in collaboration with GreenStep. The funds go directly into a Sandman Hotel Group EcoFund, which supports sustainability changes through our hotel group. This helps us invest in changes like energy upgrades and emission reduction efforts, that would otherwise be difficult to fund through regular operation budgets.

 

We're also proud to take part in the British Columbia Hotel Association's 'Go Green' Program, in partnership with GreenStep Solutions and Rethink2gether.

Go Green's focuses include:

  • Energy, waste and water audits
  • Carbon footprint measurement
  • Investment in eco-certified products and services
  • Management of food waste

 

Property-Level Improvements

A number of our hotels have taken on infrastructure upgrades to lower energy consumption. These include LED lighting retrofits in Lethbridge, Penticton, and Victoria; boiler upgrades in Vernon, Regina, and Kelowna; and more efficient HVAC systems in Edmonton. These aren't flashy changes, but they're important steps towards operating more efficiently and reducing our footprint over time.

 

Continuing the Work

Sustainability is an ongoing process, and we know we still have a lot to learn and improve on. The goal is to keep moving forward, making informed decisions, supporting our teams at the property level, and being transparent about what's working and what's still in progress.

 

We're committed to doing the work, listening, adapting, and being part of a more sustainable future—one step at a time.