ANOTHER GLOBAL AWARD FOR SERENA HOTELS’ COMMITMENT TO GOING AND STAYING GREEN
(Posted 16th November 2020)
The Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge has won the CSR Award 2020 at the ‘CINET Global Best Practices Awards’ that was organized online in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge won the award for its outstanding focus on supporting the community, as well as for applying eco-friendly laundry practices through sustainable and efficient solar power in the Kenyan safari region.
The CINET awards function is a platform to highlight best practices in Professional Textile Care (PTC) and demonstrates the industry’s focus on a high standard of quality, new business models, innovation, and sustainability. The independent International Jury from 20 countries within the PTC industry appreciated Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge for their servicing concept focused on social responsibility.
Abdulkadir Rahim, Group Engineer, Serena Hotels, says, “We are humbled to receive the Global Best Practices Award. This award demonstrates how our journey and efforts to move from fossil-based energy to renewable energy sources and effective energy and wastewater management has evolved over the years. Incorporating historic energy data insights into our business strategy is one of the key drivers that led us to transform our largest property into a fully solar powered lodge in July 2018, which has enhanced our environmental sustainability.”
As part of its day-to-day operations, Serena Hotels focus on innovative programs that respond to the needs of the environment, economy, and communities within which it operates.
Kilaguni Serena, Amboseli Serena and Mara Serena, all built in the 1970s within National Parks/Game Reserves are not only a ‘one-of-a-kind getaways’, but a leading-edge example of how clean, renewable energy independence can be successfully achieved through the installation of offgrid Solar PV systems, even in such challenging safari locations.
Lake Elmenteita and Sweetwaters Serena Camps have grid-tied hybrid solar plants in place whilst four of the Serena properties in East Africa have Solar Water Heating Systems in place.
An enormous amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions has been avoided since installation of the five Serena solar power plants in a phased manner since July 2017. As an indication, without this investment, more than 200,000 trees would have to be planted in the next 10 years as CO2 compensation.
The solar power plants complement the Serena East Africa reafforestation initiative that has taken place for over two decades which particularly aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal 13 Climate Action as set out by the United Nations Development Program.
Kathurima Mburugu, Lodge Manager at Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge said, “The in-house laundry plays an important role in the well-being of the guests and staff, since it resupplies clean and hygienic operational textile and staff uniforms. Our guests are predominantly nature lovers with a great affinity for the environment. My team and I are therefore committed to operating the laundry as well as the rest of the lodge in a sustainable manner.”
Amboseli Serena’s attention to the environment is continuing, always searching for the latest technologies to introduce and achieve even greater environmental benefits. As an example do Serena properties use biodegradable cleaning solutions and detergents for its laundry and other lodge operations.
The Lodge is connected to waste water treatment ponds before the clean water is discharged into the environment via a reed swamp which even further purifies the water. This goes a long way in preserving the natural environment which is part of Serena’s philosophy.
