Green Policy
Horwood House is keenly aware of its duties and responsibilities to the environment, its employees and to the community. We are committed to the following practices and principles to enable us to meet and exceed legislation and expectations.
Running an efficient and successful hotel operation supporting the local economy by being a key employer in the area
Carrying out our business via the most environmentally and socially aware practices possible
Constant monitoring and updating of practices and training of staff to deliver the benefits.
Initiatives Currently Undertaken
Sustainable Operations & Green Innovations
Our sustainability strategy is practical and far-reaching:
Energy Conservation: LED lighting, motion sensors in low-use areas, reduced spotlight usage, and carefully monitored heating, lighting and air conditioning help us reduce energy waste.
Smart Resource Use: We minimise packaging through bulk purchasing, limit single-use plastics and supplying reusable glass bottles in bedrooms and meeting spaces.
Waste Management: Cooking oil is recycled, all waste is sorted for recycling and stationery is reused.
Eco-Friendly Choices: From bamboo door keys and hangers to cruelty-free toiletries and energy-efficient equipment - sustainability is in mind for every purchase. We have also installed electric vehicle charging points on site.
Guest Engagement: Guests are pro-actively offered the opportunity to assist in minimising energy and chemical consumptions by deciding on less frequent replacement of fresh linen and towels. For every night a room skips a service, we donate a hot meal to Crisis - the national homelessness charity.
Garden Growing: We’ve been restoring the estate’s orchard, planting thousands of bulbs and investing in drought loving plants to conserve water and attract a diverse range of insects and pollinators with blooming flowers.
Wildlife Enhancing: In partnership with Urban Bee-lievers, we are proud to host two active beehives on our estate, home to over 25,000 bees, contributing to local biodiversity and supporting important pollination efforts.
Sourcing Local & Supporting the Community
We’re passionate about working with local suppliers - from beetroot to gin - ensuring freshness and reducing impact from transportation. Our staff’s local knowledge enriches guest experiences’ while lowering environmental footprints.
We actively participate in and support our community through:
Sponsoring Mursley United Football Club with full kits and hosting family events.
Collaborating with Urban Bee-lievers to introduce beehives and offer work experience opportunities to young people facing educational challenges.
We actively take part in the local community by volunteering, supporting events and donating prizes.
Each member of our team receives two paid charity days a year, allowing them to support local causes and give back to the community.
Hosting charity days, including refurbishing spaces for The Medical Detection Dogs centre.
Our hotel features furniture from ROUGHSTUFF OAK, supporting ex-offenders’ rehabilitation.
General:
The Company encourages the personal development of staff; NVQ and apprenticeships are available
Our printed literature is carried out by a considerate print company who are taking on-going initiatives to support the environment, including vegetable-based inks, elemental chlorine free paper and recycled paper.
