With over two months to go to the deadline for entries on Thursday, 31 March 2011, the Considerate Hoteliers Association (CHA) has great pleasure in announcing details of a special ‘Best Green Marketing Initiative’ award to be added to the Association’s six prestigious ‘Considerate Hotel of the Year Awards 2010/11’ – launched in November 2010.

Celebrating the best in environmental, sustainable and socially responsible performance, the CHA awards are open to all UK hotels; and small accommodation operations – ranging from B&Bs and Guest-Houses, to pubs/inns/restaurants with rooms.

The ‘Best Green Marketing Initiative Award 2010/11’ will be presented to the hotel/accommodation operator whose award category entry includes the most outstanding green marketing initiative. “Our judges will be trawling (sustainably) through the entries for the CHA hotel/accommodation operator award categories and identifying the hotel/accommodation provider who has thought up and implemented the best green marketing initiative for 2010/11,” explained Considerate Hoteliers Association Director and Secretary John Firrell. “Last year, we honoured the Lancaster London – located alongside Hyde Park – for the innovative nature, quality and effectiveness of its green marketing. This included the introduction in July 2009 of half-a-million honey bees which checked in at the Lancaster London – making it the first central London hotel to install beehives on its roof! This is a great example of the type of outstanding green marketing initiative the 2010/11 CHA award judges will be looking for, whilst scrutinising the following award entry categories: ‘The Considerate Hotel of the Year 2010/11’; ‘The Considerate Small Accommodation Provider of the Year Award 2010/11’; ‘The Considerate Sustainable Food 2010/11 Award’; ‘The Considerate Green Team of the Year 2010/11’; and ‘The Considerate Green Champion of the Year 2010/11’.”

In November 2010, CHA was delighted to announce that new to the 2010/11 categories of its highly acclaimed annual awards were: ‘The Considerate Small Accommodation Provider of the Year Award 2010/11’ for establishments with ten bedrooms or less – such as B&Bs, Guest-Houses and restaurants/pubs/inns offering overnight accommodation; and ‘The Considerate Supplier of the Year Award 2010/11’, sponsored by Beacon Purchasing, which will enable hoteliers and small accommodation providers to nominate the supplier they believe most embodies eco-concerns within their products. The chosen supplier can be international, national, regional or local.

Commenting on the new categories, John Firrell said: "I believe we have made the ‘Considerate Hotel of the Year Awards 2010/11’ even more interesting by adding the ‘Considerate Supplier of the Year’ and the ‘Considerate Small Accommodation Provider of the Year’ categories. Firstly, the ‘Supplier of the Year’ category allows a hotel to enter the awards in ‘partnership’ with a supplier who the hotelier believes ‘has it all’; and is dedicated, ethical, and passionate when it comes to the environment, sustainability and social responsibility.

“Secondly, there is now a specific category for the small accommodation provider who perhaps previously felt swamped by larger fry; and this award has been designed to recognise the very important part these providers play in our strategy. Now there is something for everybody and we look to hoteliers and accommodation operators the length and breadth of the UK, regardless of whether they are CHA members or not, to begin putting their award applications together – they have until close of play on Thursday, 31 March 2011 to submit their entries. The CHA Awards are there for the taking and if the industry response and coverage the 2009/10 Awards received are anything to go by, we can look forward to many more inspirational stories that have ‘made a difference’."

The two new award categories complement four existing ones from 2009/10, which include the CHA’s traditional highest accolade – ‘The Considerate Hotel of the Year,’ again sponsored by Gilchrist & Soames Ltd, for the best all-round responsible performance. Currently, the title is held by Budock Vean Hotel at Mawnan Smith, near Falmouth, Cornwall. The other three categories are: ‘The Considerate Sustainable Food Award’, again supported for 2010/11 by Sustain (the alliance for better food and farming) and presently held by Lasswade Country House and Restaurant at Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys in Wales; ‘The Considerate Green Team of the Year’, currently held by The Dorchester, London; and the ‘The Considerate Green Champion of the Year, presently held by Jessica Black, Group Purchasing Manager, Firmdale Hotels.

The 2010/11 Considerate Hotel of the Year Awards will be presented on Monday, 23 May 2011, at a special Gala Lunch at one of the world’s most renowned hotels – The Savoy, London. The CHA Award categories and criteria include:

• The main award – ‘The Considerate Hotel of the Year 2010/11’: sponsored for a second year in 20010/11 by Gilchrist & Soames Ltd and presented to the hotel or accommodation operation that is considered by the judges to have been the best all-rounder during 2010 re: succeeding in a wide range of environmental initiatives, from energy and water conservation, waste reduction and support for sustainable food, to marketing, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In short, they will need to demonstrate that they run their business ethically, with a conscience and hopefully a strong bottom line to become the ultimate Considerate Hotel for 2010/11.
• New Award: ‘The Considerate Supplier of the Year Award 2010/11’: sponsored by Beacon Purchasing and presented to the supplier, nominated by a hotelier or accommodation provider, who is considered by the judges to have best met the environmental needs and ethos of the nominating accommodation business in 2010. Hoteliers need to nominate the supplier they believe most embodies eco-concerns within their products (taking account of everything from sourcing, ingredients/content, sustainability and social responsibility, to value for money and quality of service) – in short, a supplier that is a great all-rounder in these respects. The nominated supplier can be international, national, regional or local.
• New Award: ‘The Considerate Small Accommodation Provider of the Year Award 2010/11’: presented to the small accommodation operation (10 bedrooms or under such as B&Bs, guest-houses, or restaurants and pubs with rooms) which is considered by the judges to have made the most significant achievements and proved most inspirational in terms of their green journey during 2010, without all the trappings and resources of big business. This will give entrants the opportunity to relate the positive results (anything from energy saving and CSR, to creating innovative environmental initiatives and communicating their green messages to their guests), and lessons learnt during this 12 month period that highlight eco-friendly and socially responsible experiences that could act as an inspirational tale for others. In effect, it is their story.
• ‘The Considerate Sustainable Food 2010/11 Award’: supported for a second year in 20010/11 by Sustain (the alliance for better food and farming) and presented to the hotel or accommodation operation which, in the opinion of the judges, has gone ‘that extra mile’ in 2010 to support its local food producers; to produce and/or purchase ethically, seasonally and sustainably; and then to proudly demonstrate to their guests and restaurant users – through marketing and via the menu, great food and hotel staff – why they are doing so.
• ‘The Considerate Green Team of the Year 2010/11’: presented to the hotel or accommodation operation which, in the opinion of the judges, has – by virtue of the work undertaken by their Green Team – made the most difference in 2010. What’s more, they will have had fun doing so and been innovative and inspiring. Green Teams come in all names, shapes and sizes; and the award could be won by a dedicated green team of just two people or twenty.
• ‘The Considerate Green Champion of the Year 2010/11’: presented to the individual, nominated by fellow hoteliers and accommodation operators, who by sheer dedication has inspired others to raise the green standard to unprecedented heights. The individual may exist in a specific hotel, guest-house or within the hotel industry generally – whoever they may be, CHA wants to know so they can be properly recognised.
• New Bonus Award: ‘Best Green Marketing Initiative for 2010/11’: presented to the hotel or accommodation operation which, in the eyes of the judges, has produced the most outstanding marketing initiative within the above hotel/accommodation operation award category entries – namely ‘The Considerate Hotel of the Year 2010/11’; ‘The Considerate Small Accommodation Provider of the Year Award 2010/11’; ‘The Considerate Sustainable Food 2010/11 Award’; ‘The Considerate Green Team of the Year 2010/11’; and ‘The Considerate Green Champion of the Year 2010/11’.