Hotel Okura Amsterdam: Protecting its People and Place on a Changing Planet
Hotel Okura Amsterdam has been recognized for its impeccable service and quality for more than 50 years. One of the most distinctive hotels in Amsterdam, the hotel seamlessly blends age-old Japanese traditions with modern Western luxury.
Since 2014, Hotel Okura Amsterdam’s commitment to sustainable hospitality has been independently verified by Green Globe. Its seven years of certification and high compliance scores placing it in the elite ranks of Green Globe Gold hotel members.
Hotel Okura’s approach to sustainability promotes continuous development of actions and staying active and alert to priorities. This way of working allowed the hotel to continuously re-focus as the Covid pandemic changed the landscape of the hospitality world.
The most important and unique accomplishment by Hotel Okura during the pandemic was the continuous focus on keeping most of the team employed, while keeping them safe, inspired and motivated.
Hotel Okura Director Rooms Division, Engineering and Projects, Jos Pallandt, says, “During Covid we further intensified our efforts to run our business in a sustainable manner. Not looking at the limitations posed by the situation, but looking at the opportunities it brought. Sustainability is becoming omnipresent and not only linked to the environment. Especially in these unprecedented times, we have taken even more pride in being a safe and reliable employer, among others by keeping the majority of our team on board.”
Hotel Okura’s long-term vision is underpinned by contributing to society and limiting its environmental impact. That means considering the possible social and environmental consequences while running a financially sound business.
Their dynamic sustainable management policy changes and adjusts according to the needs and requirements and is guided by the philosophy of Kaizen, which translates as ‘change for the better’.
This means that while the quality of guest services remains at a high and consistent level, many changes are undertaken to balance out the challenges of the shifting landscape.
Recent changes made across the hotel have been actioned by all departments. In the housekeeping department, traditional detergents have been replaced with the use of Ozon water, which contributes to reduced pollution and is safer for team members, while reducing transportation of bulky cleaning products.
During the low occupancy brought on by Covid the food and beverage department introduced a number of innovations, including the very creative presentation of food portions, leading to less waste while stilling looking lavish. The engineers also worked to optimise the performance of the 180 metre deep thermal-energy storage well, and at the same time, swapping out old boilers with highly efficient modulating boilers that significantly reduce energy use.
And while paperless check-in and check-out replaced manual systems in reception, the hotel management team was introduced to the energy saving and pollution reduction benefits of the company’s new electric-hybrid car.
Contacts:
Jos Pallandt
Director Rooms Division, Engineering and Projects
Hotel Okura Amsterdam
Ferdinand Bolstraat 333
1072 LH Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 20 6787 699
Jos.Pallandt@okura.nl
www.okura.nl
Bradley Cox
Director Communications
Green Globe Certification
1223 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 925
Santa Monica, CA 90403 / U.S.A.
Phone: +1-310-337-3000 ext. 105
Skype Direct +1 760 536 6581
Mobile +61 400 848 746
bcox@greenglobe.com
www.greenglobe.com
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
