|
|
 |
| Uncommon Sense Graduates - Four Seasons Resort |
|
|
|
|
|
UnCommon Sense Program Graduates 2009
FOUR SEASONS RESORT JACKSON HOLE
Year-Round Mountain Resort, Jackson, Wyoming
REASONS FOR PARTICIPATION
Laura Cuddie, Director of Residences for Four Seasons Resort Jackson
Hole, decided to join the UnCommon Sense program because the year-round
resort was just starting to tackle the issues of sustainability. Being
part of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, an umbrella corporation with
75 hotels in 35 countries, the Jackson Hotel resort is expected to
adhere to the corporate values, which include supporting
sustainability, local communities and cancer research. For Cuddie, the
UnCommon Sense program was a perfect fit for upholding those values.
According to Cuddie, the program provides “a good framework
to
follow. I liked the way it broke the various components into manageable
pieces, and how all those pieces are related and build upon each other.
This program has given us very specific tools that any company can
apply to their unique situation.”
BENEFITS RECEIVED
A direct benefit of participation in the UnCommon Sense program
resulted in several reductions in Four Seasons Jackson Hole’s
waste stream and the costs associated with it. They were one of six
companies included in a pilot project for food composting. The
year-long program, meant to establish the financial feasibility of a
community-wide composting effort, helped Four Seasons divert 25 tons of
pre-consumer food waste from the landfill between March 2008 and
February 2009. As head of the resort’s Green Team, Cuddie has
been invited to present what she’s learned from UnCommon
Sense at
national Four Seasons Resorts Residence Conferences.
Four Seasons Jackson Hole also increased the amount of their
recyclables, while decreasing their solid waste tipping fees between
5-10%. They eliminated 7,000 water bottles a month from their waste
stream and reduced their purchasing costs by not giving bottled water
at turn-downs, offering pitchers of water instead. Based on the success
of this effort, they have recently eliminated bottled water for skiing
guests going through their base camp, and instead offer water coolers
with biodegradable cups.
For Cuddie, though, awareness and education of the staff has been the
biggest change. While Four Seasons Jackson Hole had a Green Committee
before UnCommon Sense, the program helped them to formalize their
efforts. The committee meets once a month, and after each UnCommon
Sense module, Cuddie shared what she had learned with them. The
committee represents all divisions within the resort and all levels of
employment. Each department is responsible for completing a checklist
every month on all facets of sustainability, and the departments are
accountable for reaching goals every year. Department heads are given
financial incentives for meeting those goals. An orientation
presentation on sustainability has been developed at the resort and
sustainability is part of every job description. Cuddie has also
developed a four-hour class on sustainability for managers at the
Jackson Hole resort.
Cuddie is most proud of a new social investment program Four Seasons
Jackson Hole has started as a result of the UnCommon Sense program.
While Four Seasons has always given back to their community, they now
allow all managers one paid day a year to volunteer at an organization
of their choice. The program further strengthens Four
Seasons’
commitment to social investment, while also providing for positive
employee engagement.
BOTTOM LINE RESULTS
- Diverted 25 tons of pre-consumer food waste ina one-year
period
- Reduced solid waste tipping fees by 5-10%
- Eliminated 7,000 plastic bottles a month from the waste
stream
- Increased employee engagement and social investment
|
|
About 
