The Dolder Grand in Focus for Earth Day
Earth Day on 22 April 2025 highlights the global importance of using our planet’s natural resources sustainably. The day draws attention to the impact of human activity on the environment and encourages concrete actions that each individual can take in everyday life to help protect it. But how can sustainability be integrated into a sector like luxury hospitality without compromising on excellence and comfort?
At The Dolder Grand – a proud member of Responsible Hotels of Switzerland – various departments offer insights into how they incorporate sustainability into their daily operations. They also share their personal thoughts on what Earth Day means to them and how they contribute to environmental protection through their work.
Garden and Landscape Management
To me, Earth Day means this: treating the environment with care and respect – for both today’s and future generations – is everyone’s responsibility!
In garden and landscape maintenance at The Dolder Grand, we rely on sustainable methods. These include using organic products, saving water through nighttime irrigation, controlling weeds mechanically, and employing beneficial insects such as ladybird larvae. All of these measures help reduce pests and diseases and significantly decrease the need for chemical pesticides. We also use effective microorganisms and plant species suited to the local environment to strengthen plant health and resilience.
Wherever possible, we source locally to minimise transport distances. Sustainable innovations such as sheep’s wool pellets as fertiliser and composting Nespresso capsules also contribute to a circular economy.
Our in-house cultivation of vegetables, herbs and fruit for our restaurants rounds off our efforts and fosters a stronger awareness of environmental and climate protection – both among ourselves and our guests.
HR Development
Earth Day reminds us how essential sustainability is in all its facets. It concerns not only the environment but also the people working within our organisation.
In my role as HR Development Coordinator, sustainability means not only adopting environmentally friendly practices, but also actively supporting the wellbeing of our employees. We address sustainability, for instance, in a dedicated module during onboarding for new employees. Furthermore, I support our staff in their professional development and advocate for their physical and mental health. The workplace health promotion measures we have implemented and continue to enhance are another important part of this work.
Culinary Director
Earth Day reminds us that high-end cuisine and sustainability are not mutually exclusive – on the contrary, they complement each other perfectly.
Using local and regional ingredients in the kitchen reflects our commitment to ecological responsibility while delivering culinary excellence. This starts with the development of our vegetarian and vegan dishes. Our in-house vegetable and herb garden at the blooms restaurant plays a key role here, as the produce is not only fresh but also requires no transport. It also allows us to reintroduce forgotten Swiss vegetable varieties. This approach enables us to blend tradition with innovation while keeping our ecological responsibility front and centre.
Personally, I find it incredibly valuable that the vegetables, fruit and herbs grow right on my doorstep. It gives me an extra creative boost – and simply brings joy.
Director of Engineering
As Director of Engineering, Earth Day is a valuable opportunity to reflect on and continue advancing our sustainability work.
In our field, sustainability means continually optimising processes and infrastructure while developing forward-looking solutions. One example is our ongoing switch to LED lighting, which reduces electricity consumption without compromising light quality. We also continually improve our heat recovery from wastewater, allowing us to reclaim thermal energy more efficiently. In addition, our photovoltaic system helps increase our share of self-generated electricity and promotes the use of renewable energy.
Implementing such measures is only possible thanks to our dedicated team, which consistently brings in new ideas and pushes improvements alongside daily operations. Part of the investment comes from our “Cause We Care” programme. With a voluntary contribution, our guests actively support climate and environmental protection. The Dolder Grand doubles this amount and invests in carefully selected projects at both local and global levels.
Quality & Sustainability Coordinator
Earth Day highlights the focus of my daily work: helping more people take an interest in a more sustainable future and make environmentally conscious choices. My goal is not only to implement sustainability standards but also to raise awareness – among colleagues and guests alike.
As Quality & Sustainability Coordinator, I’m responsible for our sustainability processes. I lead the D-Impact Team, whose members serve as Sustainability Ambassadors and play a key role in promoting awareness and implementing new initiatives across departments. I develop and optimise processes to reduce waste, promote circular systems and implement digital solutions to cut down on paper consumption. At the moment, I’m working on introducing accessibility information to make travel planning easier for people with mobility limitations.
In the world of luxury hospitality, I see sustainability not as a passing trend, but as both a responsibility and an opportunity – one we can address together with our staff and guests to make a greater impact.