Diamond Resorts extends environment commitment

Diamond Resorts Europe has increased the profile of its environmental efforts by highlighting a number of its sustainability projects to increase awareness amongst guests and team members.

With 25 resorts and more than 2,250 accommodations in Europe, Diamond Resorts started a journey towards sustainability five years ago obtaining the ISO14001 certification that clearly marked the beginning of environmental efficiency.

Its resorts have carried out a range of energy-saving initiatives, including led lighting in apartments and common areas, light movement sensors in common areas and offices, double-glazing, UV filters for windows to reduce the temperature within accommodation and thus reduce air conditioning consumption, energy-efficient electrical appliances, pool covers for heat loss reduction, and low energy heating pumps for pools on beach resorts.

Water-saving standards include double flush toilets, water saving shower heads, movement sensors or timed water taps, water tap and shower aerators, replacement of baths for showers in all refurbished apartments, drip irrigation for gardens, bed linen and towel changing choice, replacement of washing/drying machines for category A+, autochthonous plants to avoid unnecessary use of water.

There is also a great awareness towards recycling in resorts where all apartments and common areas have selective recycling bins to help us with a better waste classification aimed to send less tonnage to landfill and increase guests’ awareness. Since 2017, all resorts use recycled toilet and kitchen paper and tissues that do not use bleaching chemicals. The housekeeping departments use new linen bags instead of plastic, and all hazardous waste is recycled through certified companies.

Since 2016, European resorts organise saving campaigns with the main objective of increasing awareness and encouraging guests and team members to engage in best practices for reducing electricity and water consumption or waste production whether travelling the world or relaxing at home.

All resort teams have participated in creating original and unique recycled Christmas decorations, and other initiatives are:

Ten resorts have the Green Leader Award by Trip Advisor

• Each resort has a green garden where guests can pick up fruits, vegetables and herbs
• There is a Sustainability ‘Focus Group’ in charge of establishing and implementing environmental goals and initiatives for all resorts
• Each resort has a ‘Sustainability Ambassador’, to help carry out the environmental initiatives to support the Manager during the yearly ISO14001 audit and to prepare the annual environmental performance files
• Since 2015, resorts replaced newspapers with the online ‘Press Reader’ service, featuring more than 5,000 newspapers in any language.
• In January 2018, the company launched the ‘Green Line’ blog where all team members can share their sustainable ideas and best practices

One of the latest goals set for end 2019 has been to reduce single-use plastic by 50 per cent. Resorts are working closely with the Purchasing department to find sustainable alternatives to articles such as straws, stirrers, plastic cups, plates and cutlery, water bottles. For the latter, the consumption in 2017 was almost four tons, which will be saved from 2019 with the introduction of water filters in all apartments and offices.