case study questions

the NATURAL STEP

the NATURAL STEP

II u I ility f r ea er Transformative ppr ch to

Sustainability Thinking, gy and Results (Levell

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the NATURAL STEP

Paradise Mountain Resort 2009 Report

Background

"Paradise, the comforts of home in the Mountains"

Paradise Mountain Resort is owned and operated by Destination Hotels, a national chain. Destination Hotels opened their first hotel in Alberta and has slowly spread to other picturesque destination locations across the country. During the past twenty years Destination Hotels have grown in popularity as guests disposable income continued to grow, and as destination weddings became increasingly popular. Recently Destination has had to close a few underperforming remote resorts because of economic downturn as well as a drop in foreign travelers.

The leadership of Destination Hotels has recognized a need to stand outln-amarket that is crowded with many choices for vacation stay. Destination's leaders also recognize the potentia!£o~~~~_yir:!9s and i~nov~_~_~~ that the Hilton, Doubletree and others are seeing from their sustainability efforts. As a result Destination has decided to make a commitment to sustainability and has asked Paradise Mountain Resort to act as a leader, creating and implementing a plan to help Destination make all of its hotels more sustainable by:

1. Clarifying what the ideal sustainable hotel/resort would look like

2. Suggesting short-term, mid-term and long-term goals to get to this ideal, and

3. Providing strategic advice to the senior management of Destination Hotels about how to weave

sustainability into the fabric of the entire organization.

For its part, Paradise's leadership is excited about this opportunity. They've achieved recognition for the quality of their customer experience, local and sustainable food choices and proximity to natural beauty and the great outdoors.

Paradise was built in 1997 it has 250 rooms and around 150 employees depending on the season. Many of the summer staff are either from the nearby college or are visiting workers from other countries hoping to have a fun summer in America, meet new people and practice their English.

In the town of Nearheaven there are a handful of options for tourists to choose from when looking for a place to stay. There are 3 budget motels, two bed and breakfasts, one Hilton Grand whose rooms run 30% higher than Paradise on average. There are also camping and hostelling options to choose from.

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The following organizational background comes from initial research into the organization as well as a survey to all Paradise employees, used to gather insight on their perceptions.

• New managers go through two days of orientation on the resort's vision and goals, motivating employees, and general management training.

• A new environmental policy states "Paradise Mountain Resort strives to minimize its footprint by reducing our energy, waste and water use and continuing to provide our guests with a luxury guest experience."

• The heads of various departments meet monthly to discuss financial reports, address any pressing issues, and plan for upcoming events.

• The employee survey showed that 90% of employees weren't clear about the organizational vision

or strategic goals.

• 75% of employees felt that they worked for an organization that cared about the environment.

• The CEO of the organization is interested in sustainability as a differentiator, but is looking for more buy-in within the entire organization.

• Electricity generation of a mixture of:

o Coal - 5,893 MW (48.8%) o Natural gas - 4,635 MW (38.4%) o Hydro - 869 MW (7.1%) o Wind - 497 MW (4.1%) o Biomass - 178 MW (1.5%)

• Baseline measurements for the last five years show;

o Energy use up + 3% o Water use down - 10% o Waste down - 25% o Water use has decreased due to shower head and faucet adjustments in all rooms. o Waste to landfill has decreased 25% because of municipal recycling which was instituted in

2007.

• lighting is primarily fluorescent bulbs in hallways and common spaces. When guest room lights burn out they are replaced with CFLs.

• The building has not had any major efficiency upgrades in the past 10 years, and discussions about extensive remodel will begin soon.

• A few of the housekeeping staff with the same shift are known to carpool from a near-by town. Most drive to work, while about 10% take the bus which runs with limited availability to near-by towns. Service ends at 5:30pm Mon.-Fri. and doesn't run on the weekends.

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Event Planning • There are facilities available for business functions and private parties. With access to nature, the

site is popular for weddings and meetings all year round. The events staff frequently gets requests for low impact products and has subsequently substituted Styrofoam with cardboard, uses cloth reusable napkins whenever possible, and is always open to working to meet client's requests for greener options.

Restaurant • Focus is on local meat, dairy and seafood which is relatively easy to do and is standard offering in

this part of Oregon. Organic fruits and vegetables are offered seasonally.

• Beyond food and beverages the largest purchases are for foil, plastic wrap, togo boxes (waxed

cardboard), plastic ramekins for sauces, paper towels, general purpose soap and cleaning supplies.

• The largest expenses in the restaurant are for food, wine and alcohol.

• The largest resource use is water, electricity and disposables.

Golf Course/Grounds • The golf course relies on less water than the national average because of the consistent moisture in

the air year round.

• The golf course uses 33% less fertilizer than standard, and the average amount of pest killer

(pesticides, insecticides, etc.)

• Major pests and nuisances include moles, turf worms, Canadian geese, and nutria (water-rats).

• The course advertises that it uses the EnviroLogic Integrated Pest Management system.

Other services include:

• The Spa offers massage, facials, and salon services. • The outdoor fitness options include tennis courts, a pool, and a fitness center.

• The local community supports the various tourist establishments through recommendations for

friends and family, and by attracting tourists with their own local businesses (many craft, art and

specialty food shops).

• Recent guest surveys have seen a rise in the number of questions regarding climate change and the

environment and what the hotel is doing about it.

• Paradise Mountain Resort is a major player in town and has good relations with the local

municipalities, who are also looking at considering sustainability in their planning.

• 65% of employees are from the local community, the rest are seasonal workers, college students, or

live in other small communities nearby.

• The golf course, restaurant and spa are also used by local residents; 85% of patrons are guests.

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• There has been success in engaging suppliers on greener product offerings for the restaurant, spa, and grounds.

• Training for new staff consists of a one day orientation and team building, which happens once a year during spring when there is an influx of new staff. New staff that start mid-summer, fall or

winter receive training through one-on-one meetings with the Human Resources Director, their own supervisor and receive an employee manual.

• Vacation and sick pay - All employees receive one week of paid vacation, which must be pre­ approved two weeks in advance. Salaried employees receive five sick days, hourly employees receive zero.

• 75% of employees surveyed said they were interested in engaging with the company about sustainability. 25% said they were very interested.

• Recently the Guest Services Manager has invited employees to participate in a book club during lunch time. There are two successful groups running, one which happens in the middle of the night to accommodate the night shifts.

• Paradise has received recognition for the quality of their customer experience, local and sustainable food choices and proximity to the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

• Locally, they are known for their excellent restaurant services, and often cater for events in nearby

towns.

• In a recent "green hotels" rating Destination ranked 15th out of 30 in terms of companies, while Paradise ranked 38th out of 100 for hotels.

• A recent Hotels of the Northwest magazine issue noted Paradise for its spectacular views which make it stand out from other lodging options in the town of Nearheaven.

• The CEO of Destination has asked to sit on a panel at an upcoming business conference in a few months on the topic of "Sustainability in the Hotel Industry", and has asked your team about what he should say.

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