Hotel Okura Amsterdam: At the Forefront of Sustainable Practices
Hotel Okura Amsterdam was awarded PLATINUM certification in 2023. PLATINUM status marks 10 consecutive years of Green Globe certification and acknowledges the continuous sustainable management and operations of the hotel. Green Globe recently recertified the property for the eleventh year.
General Manager, Michiel Roelfsema said, “As a Platinum Member, Hotel Okura Amsterdam is at the forefront of sustainable practices. This is a path we have been on for years; the key is to join all efforts together. Include your team and your guests and collaborate with suppliers, partners and the municipality. And realize, many small improvements combined can result in a great impact.”
Over the past ten years, Hotel Okura Amsterdam has been steadily refining and improving its sustainability strategies. The hotel uses a combination of measures to generate power from the installation of solar panels and motion sensors to utilization of heat/cold storage and contracts for energy supplied from natural resources. As a result, energy consumption has been reduced by 50% in 4 years.
General Manager, Michiel Roelfsema
Hotel Okura Amsterdam works closely with suppliers to encourage responsible practices and minimize carbon emissions. Local suppliers are preferred whenever possible, fostering a sustainable and resilient regional economy. For instance, the hotel has collaborated with Wine Estate St. Martinus to create Cuvée Okura, a Dutch Sparkling Wine, and with Dutch Brewery Homeland to produce Okura Beer.
The hotel continues to prioritize waste management practices that help minimize the proliferation of waste generation now and into the future. Last year, the hotel’s Green Team conducted a collective analysis of all waste across the property, providing valuable insights into how waste management could be further improved. Currently, Hotel Okura Amsterdam has a range of eco-friendly initiatives in place that promote a circular economy and the elimination of plastic products. Staff members diligently separate and responsibly manage various types of waste including cardboard, paper, glass, small chemical waste, electrical equipment, plastic and more. The hotel collaborates with certified organizations for the collection and processing of this waste. Other green initiatives include key cards made of FSC certified wood that support responsible forestry practices, reusable bamboo laundry bags and other packaging made of reusable, sustainable materials.
Local environmental and community initiatives are also promoted to guests, staff and the public. The hotel works with the Voedselbank food bank to prevent food waste and maintains a primarily plastic-free breakfast buffet featuring local Amsterdam products. Second-hand clothing is collected for reuse, promoting a circular economy and reducing textile waste. And, as a symbol of its relationship with the municipality of Amsterdam, a pair of cranes at Amsterdam city zoo Artis have been adopted by the hotel.
Contact
Pauline van Die
Marketing & Communication Manager
Hotel Okura Amsterdam
Ferdinand Bolstraat 333
1072 LH Amsterdam
The Netherlands
E Pauline.vanDie@okura.nl
M +31 (0)6 295 07 947
www.okura.nl
Helena Chang
Public Relations Manager
Green Globe Certification
1223 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 925
Santa Monica, CA 90403 / U.S.A.
hchang@greenglobe.com
www.greenglobe.com
