Sustainable service providers - Part 1
Ljubljana is following an ambitious vision to become the most creative urban destination of sustainable living in the world – a city where the quality of life for its residents comes first, and where visitors become part of the story of a responsible attitude toward the environment and the community.
Everyone involved in tourism contributes to realizing this vision, and many have confirmed their commitment to sustainable practices with international sustainability certificates such as the Green Key. This time, we present how Restaurant Grič, the InterContinental Ljubljana and One66 hotels, and Ljubljana Castle are inspiring others and paving the way to an even greener and more responsible future.
Restaurant Grič received the prestigious international sustainability certificate Green Key in 2021, which represents the leading standard of excellence in environmental responsibility and sustainable operation in the tourism industry. However, sustainability and home-grown food have long been a way of life in the hillside village of Šentjošt nad Horjul, where chef Luka Košir works.
Working in the large garden has always been part of daily life for the extended Košir family, and over the years, it has expanded to include a greenhouse, a wild garden, a mushroom and asparagus garden, and even a wasabi garden.
The InterContinental Ljubljana hotel is also a recipient of the Green Key certificate, which further strengthens their sustainability efforts, as encouraged by their parent chain, IHG.
“We are aware that we are a large hotel for Ljubljana and Slovenia, and that we therefore also take a lot from the environment, so we want to give something back,” said Alja Šavorn, the hotel’s sales manager.
They are very careful with waste management: to reduce waste volume, they purchased a trash compactor, eliminated all single-use plastics, offer bottled water to guests, encourage tap water consumption, use returnable packaging, and serve takeaway meals in cardboard containers.
“We’ve taken an additional step to eliminate all single-use packaging. Ice cream to-go is served in edible bowls with cocoa or cinnamon-flavored edible spoons,” Alja Šavorn explained, adding that the same edible packaging is used for sustainable coffee breaks for conference guests.
All sustainability efforts are team projects. They know how important it is for all employees to understand the reasons behind new green practices so they can explain them to guests. As a result, guests who may initially question why they need to pre-select their lunch or dinner menu are usually very understanding once it's explained that this helps reduce food waste.
At the One66 hotel in Šiška, many sustainable practices were already envisioned during the hotel’s construction between 2019 and 2021. Cutting-edge sustainable technologies were incorporated into the hotel’s design.
They are committed to using recycled materials – all the bricks inside the hotel are recycled and sourced from Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia, which helps reduce their carbon footprint.
“We encourage guests to behave in an environmentally friendly way with clear instructions in the rooms. Towels and bed linen are changed only upon request, guests can separate waste themselves, and we promote drinking tap water. We use LED bulbs and light sensors throughout the hotel, significantly reducing electricity consumption. We’ve also installed solar collectors for heating sanitary water, which further reduces our energy consumption and is a key step toward even more sustainable operation,” explained Lejla Bučan, head of marketing and sales and environmental manager at Hotel One66.
They also promote public transportation and offer guests free hotel bike rentals. The hotel is family-friendly, where many children are introduced to sustainable practices for the first time, contributing significantly to their awareness and education.
“We also recognize that younger generations, our future guests, are even more aware of sustainability. We believe that in the future, people will increasingly choose sustainably oriented destinations and accommodations that not only provide comfort but also help preserve nature and the environment for future generations,” Lejla Bučan added.
At the Ljubljana Castle Public Institute, they are fully aware that they manage a cultural monument of significant importance and a strategic landmark, which is why they pay particular attention to all aspects of preserving the cultural heritage entrusted to them. Employees, visitors, and business partners are involved in sustainable activities.
“The castle is situated on Castle Hill, a green oasis above the city, which is why we regularly organize clean-up actions. We also focus on maintaining green areas, managing a vineyard where we produce our own wine, controlling and reducing waste, and using drinking water responsibly with installed water fountains,” said Simona Kokalj, head of the marketing department.