Sustainability in the luxury hotel industry

«For us, sustainability means responding to the demands of all stakeholders and interests and seeking long-term solutions for social, environmental and economic sustainability that go beyond mere compliance with legal requirements.»

At the same time, it’s clear that our commitment to sustainability and achieving our objectives is a continuous process that requires many changes and a fundamentally different mindset. In other words: it’s a marathon, not a sprint. But for us at the Dolder Grand, it’s one we’re happy to run. For ourselves and for future generations.

For this reason, every employee in every area of the hotel strives to meet the highest sustainability standards and help us continue to improve all the time. And our participation in sustainability programmes and numerous awards from renowned organisations around the world show that we’re succeeding in that effort.

EarthCheck is a global benchmark and certification programme for sustainable travel and sustainable tourism, which aims to provide companies with guidelines for environmental and social sustainability. The Dolder Grand has the EarthCheck Silver certification.

Guests and customers of the Dolder Grand have the opportunity to make an active contribution to the preservation of nature and the environment through a voluntary contribution. As a thank you, the hotel doubles the donated amount and invests it in effective local climate protection measures.

The myclimate impact label “Engaged for Impact” takes into account all relevant direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions generated by corporate activities throughout the year. The amount of CO₂ emissions generated is offset in myclimate projects through other emissions reductions or by removing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it. These projects not only aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also contribute to social, environmental and economic development.

The Dolder Grand supports sustainable tourism as part of the Responsible Hotels of Switzerland. This group of hotels brings together leading companies committed to environmental and social sustainability.

The Dolder Grand – a Sustainability Leader. The Sustainability Leaders collection was created by the “Leading Hotels of the World” to recognise five-star hotels that play an active role in protecting the environment.

As part of the Swisstainable programme of the Swiss Tourism Association, the Dolder Grand reached the highest level of qualification with “Level III – leading”. This level is aimed at companies that have already obtained comprehensive, recognised sustainability certification. This includes certifications that cover all aspects of sustainability and are regularly audited by independent bodies.

The Dolder Grand has a carbon-neutral electricity supply, using 100% hydropower.
Energy consumption is controlled and optimised by a building management system that adapts to requirements. In 2020, an update of the pool water treatment facility was carried out to increase energy efficiency. This saves approximately 25,200 kWh of electricity annually.
In addition, the Dolder Grand is consistently transitioning from halogen to LED lighting, which not only uses roughly 84% less energy, but also has a longer lifespan.

Since 2005, the Dolder Grand has been working successfully in partnership with the Energy Agency of the Swiss Private Sector (EnAW) to reduce CO₂ emissions and energy consumption through targeted measures and projects. This has allowed us to save more than 1,500 MWh of energy annually. At the same time, carbon emissions have been reduced by more than 60%. Based on these efforts, the Dolder Grand received the EnAW efficiency label.