HEART College of Hospitality Services/Cardiff Hotel and Spa is nestled on ten acres of land overlooking the Caribbean Sea at Cardiff Hall in Runaway St. Ann. The property boasts a picturesque view of the Caribbean Sea beautifully landscaped with a wide variety of plant species. Owned and operated by the HEART NSTA Trust, an agency of the Office of the Prime Minister, it is essentially a training hotel for hospitality industry workers consisting of 52 rooms with a maximum occupancy of 104 guests while the college offers boarding accommodation to trainees.

HEART College of Hospitality Services/Cardiff Hotel and Spa was recently recertified by Green Globe for another successful year. Kenesha Walcott, Environmental Officer at the property details key best practices carried out at the college and changes undertaken during the pandemic.

Some adjustments have been made in our operations from March 2020 to the present day resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. HEART College of Hospitality Services is committed to ensuring these requirements are met and that we continue to operate safely and, at the same time, sustainably. It is our aim to ensure that we provide a safe and healthy environment for all our stakeholders by implementing best practices that meet the required standards of both the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Ministry of Tourism.

By adhering to green principles in its management and operations, the college implements measures that control, reduce or prevent impacts on the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit. Implementation of sound environmental practices also minimize impacts on natural resources and we continue to operate under the three pillars of sustainability – the integration of environment, economic and social dimensions.

Energy consumption has been reduced with the installation of LED lighting and energy efficient equipment. In addition, the property has reinvigorated its irrigation system with the use of recycled water to lower water consumption.

 A farm to table concept has also been implemented with the establishment of an onsite herb and vegetable garden minimizing the need for delivery of fresh produce. Furthermore, a composting program is now in place which provides organic fertilizer for gardens to boost productivity. Composting is part of the waste reduction initiatives incorporated within daily operations at the property

Economic Management Strategy

HEART college prefers to buy local produce to support local businesses and farmers. With budgets greatly challenged over the 2020/2021 period, the college has been devising new strategies to keep costs down. Should the situation arise where surplus is ordered or an unused portion is in good condition, which is only applicable for certain items, goods can be returned and a credit note issued for our next purchase. Also, for items with a short shelf life, deliveries are scheduled to arrive on a ‘just in time’ basis to avoid spoilage and the purchase of unnecessary stock.

All equipment at the property is energy efficient thereby saving energy as well as money. Furthermore, all materials used for interior and exterior purposes are selected based on affordability, durability, low maintenance and low environmental impacts.

Social Initiatives

HEART College has an established Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) body. With this in place and our pride in putting safety first, we believe that in times like these our employees, trainees, clients and all other stakeholders should be cognizant of the property’s path moving forward. HEART College takes the utmost pride in the fact that all trainees and employees are aware of its environmentally friendly ethos and that each team member plays an integral part in maintaining various sustainability practices and programs. During the pandemic, staff have received online training when possible to keep up to date with ongoing changes and virtual learning initiatives were conducted for trainees to maintain timely delivery of course materials.

 HEART College of Hospitality Services endeavours to support outreach projects despite the ongoing pandemic by delivering care packages to people in neighbouring communities and manufacturing masks for those in need. This year to boost morale on the island, HEART College coordinated environmental initiatives for staff, students and the members of the public such as National Tree Planting Day and International Coastal Clean Up activities.

About Green Globe Certification

Green Globe is the worldwide sustainability system based on internationally accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. Operating under a worldwide license, Green Globe is based in California, USA and is represented in over 83 countries.  Green Globe is an Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). For information, please visit www.greenglobe.com

Contact

Kenesha Walcott
Environmental Officer 
HEART College of Hospitality Services/ Cardiff Hotel and Spa
8 Ricketts Drive
Cardiff Hall
Runaway Bay
JAMAICA
T: 876-973-6671
E: Kenesha_Walcott@heart-nta.org
W: hchs.heart-nta.org