RHWHSEO is committed to the environment and does everything possible to reduce its carbon footprint.
The main UK initiative that we recommend to our holiday, cottage and bed & breakfast customers is the Green Dragon Environmental Initiative.
Green Dragon Environmental Initiative
Green Dragon is a stepped Standard recognising effective environmental management. The Standard offers an environmental management system relevant to the specific needs of companies and organisations and rewards actions taken to achieve environmental improvements.
In order to achieve the next Level, organisations must have achieved all the requirements of the previous Level in addition to the requirements set down in the next Level.
Level One - Commitment to Environmental Management:
- Responsibility and Resources: This involves senior management commiting the organisation to addressing its impacts on the environment, implementing an environmental management system (EMS) and appointing an 'Environmental Champion'.
- Environmental Review: An initial Environmental Review should be carried out to identify those activities, products or services that have or could have an impact on the environment, as well as establishing the scope and boundaries of the EMS.
- Environmental Policy: Taking into account all of the issues highlighted as part of the initial Environmental Review, the organisation should develop an Environmental Policy, which should also act as a guiding document for all future improvements.
- Environmental Monitoring: Following on from the Environmental Policy, the organisation should establish an environmental monitoring procedure to identify, monitor and maintain data on energy and water consumption, waste and water discharge and legal compliance.
- Improvement Plan: The organisation should prepare a plan to improve its environmental management and performance, addressing its impact on the environment, with realistic, appropriate and measurable objectives. It should be reviewed and amended as necessary to reflect progress towards objectives.
Level Two - Understanding Environmental Responsibilities:
- Register of Legal and Other Requirements: The organisation should identify and record within a Register, all environmental legislation and other obligations that are applicable to the environmental aspects of its activities
- Managing Legal Compliance: Organisations should plan, document and demonstrate actions and procedures put in place to ensure legal compliance.
- Emergency Preparedness: Potential environmental consequences of emergency situations should be identified by organisations, with procedures established to avoid or control such situations.
- Communication and Competence: The organisation should ensure that all employees are aware of the organisation's key environmental impacts and understand their roles and responsibilities within the environmental management system (EMS), whilst generally improving the organisation's impact on the environment.
- Environmental Records: The organisation should ensure that adequate records are maintained to maintain the effective functioning of the EMS.
Level Three - Managing Environmental Impacts
- Environmental Aspects Register: The organisation should establish, implement and maintain a documented Environmental Aspects Register identifying those aspects of its activities from which environmental impacts can or do arise.
- Evaluation of Environmental Aspects: The environmental aspects of the organisation should be evaluated using a document methodology to determine the significance of its direct, indirect and associated environmental impacts.
- Control of Environmental Aspects: The organisation should implement and document control measures to manage those aspects that have or could have a significant impact on the environment, measures should also be communicated to all relevant persons.
- Pollution Prevention Plan: Taking account of information contained in the Environmental Aspects Register, the organisation should identify activities and situations that pose a potential risk of environmental pollution.
- Objectives and Targets: Objectives and Targets to improve environmental management and performance should be set for those Significant Environmental Aspects or areas for improvement over which the organisation can exercise control or influence.
- Monitoring Environmental Performance: The organisation should allocate responsibilities and resources for monitoring Environmental Aspects, progress towards achieving Objectives and Targets, operational controls and the effectiveness of pollution prevention measures. Action should be taken to rectify any problems that are highlighted as a result of the monitoring activities.
- Carbon Dioxide Data Collection: The organisation should calculate, record and publish the annual quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) released through energy consumption and transport under the direct control of the organisation.
- Environmental Statement: The Environmental Statement produced by the organisation should detail the nature and scale of the organisation’s activities, its current environmental priorities including its Objectives and Targets, its environmental performance over the past year and details of its emissions of Carbon Dioxide.
- External Communication: The organisation should establish responsibilities and a procedure for receiving and responding to communication from external interested parties on environmental issues, communicating with suppliers and contractors and informing third-parties of its environmental activities. All staff should be informed of the responsibilities and procedures for external environmental communications.
Level Four - Environmental Management Programme:
- Training: Training needs related to identified environmental aspects, environmental management system (EMS) requirements and commitments within the environmental policy should be assessed by the organisation.
- Environmental Manual: An Environmental Manual document should be produced to provide a brief overview of elements within the EMS.
- Control of Documents: The organisation should establish a procedure to ensure that documents and records relating to the EMS are controlled, so that correct information can be accessed by the relevant personnel.
- System Procedures: Documented procedures should be developed to address legal requirements and compliance, environmental impacts, training needs, progress and performance, data and records, elements of the EMS and communication.
- System Monitoring: Methods and indicators should be established by the organisation to measure, track and determine the EMS, allocating responsibilities for identifying, correcting and preventing problems relating to the performance and effectiveness of the EMS.
- Carbon Dioxide Data Collection: The organisation should also monitor and maintain data on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from indirect transport requirements, it should also calculate and report on its total energy and transport CO2 emissions on an annual basis, within the Environmental Statement.
Level Five - Continuing Environmental Improvement:
- Internal Audit Programme: The organisation should establish a method for periodically auditing all elements of the environmental management system (EMS) to ensure it remains effective, is maintained and is compliant.
- Management Review: The Management Review should act as a forum for continual environmental improvement by assessing achievements and progress towards the environmental Objectives and Targets, legal compliance monitoring and ensuring the continuing relevance and effectiveness of the EMS.
- Addressing Sustainability: The organisation should demonstrate a continual commitment to Sustainability by implementing at least one auditable Objective and Target pursuing economic and /or social improvements within the framework of Sustainable Development.
- Supply Chain: The organisation should assess the performance and practices of its contractors, subcontractors and suppliers to identify associated Environmental Aspects and Impacts, taking action to ensure that suppliers, contractors and subcontractors are aware of and comply with its Environmental Policy and relevant procedures.
- Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: In addition to the data collected on Carbon Dioxide the organisation should monitor and maintain data on other Greenhouse Gases (GHG) released as a direct consequence of its operations.
- Environmental Report: The organisation must annually publish a comprehensive report on their environmental activities and performance.
