Sustainability at Hotel Mutterhaus Düsseldorf

Our aim is to act sustainably and to constantly improve.

Sustainability strategy

We fulfil our corporate responsibility, in accordance with the three pillars of sustainability, for ecologically, socially and economically sustainable development. We make our contribution to the Paris Agreement on climate change and observe human due diligence along the value chain.

Our GreenSign certification in December 2024 is proof of our sustainable hotel management and thus the fulfilment of the most important criteria in harmony with environmental standards, social commitment and economic success. The certification programme is based on seven core areas for sustainable management, which include the following: management and communication, environment (energy, water and waste), procurement, regionality, and quality management, as well as sustainable development, social responsibility and economic responsibility. The gradation takes the form of a degree of conformity from 50% to 100%.

Within the pillars of sustainability, fields of action define the corresponding measures that are implemented by responsible teams. We are working on changing numerous processes and are ambitious to keep developing further.

Measures/what exactly are we doing?
We are guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A colorful chart representing the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), each depicted with an icon and a label. The goals focus on global priorities like poverty reduction, gender equality, clean energy, climate action, and more. This image highlights sustainability initiatives aligned with these goals, as embraced by Hotel Mutterhaus Düsseldorf.

ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE

SDG 6 – Clean water and sanitation

Water consumption is measured monthly. Consumption will be reduced through use of economy buttons in toilets, flow restrictors in showers and washbasins from spring 2025, and cleaning with new water vapour machines. Room cleaning and towel changes for stays of several days are only carried out at the guest’s request. The purchase of new restaurant tables reduces the amount of washing required for table linen.

SDG 7 – Affordable and clean energy

All rooms have energy-saving functions (power cut-off switch). We do not have air conditioning or minibars (every guest has the option of getting drinks from the reception/lobby). The hotel has motion detectors in indoor and outdoor areas (ground floor excluded). Further resource efficiency through:
Installation of digital heating thermostats compatible with the hotel property management system in 2025/2026, gradual switch to LED lamps in 2025/2026, installation of e-charging stations for our guests in spring 2025, purchase of window films in some areas.

SDG 12 – Sustainable consumption and production

In the hotel rooms we offer care products from ADA’s Eco Green series. Toiletries are provided in dispensers. The proportion of regional, seasonal and organic products is gradually being increased. We will continue to drive forward the shift towards a plant-based menu in 2025. The range already includes numerous organic, Fairtrade, vegetarian and vegan products, such as organic milk/yoghurt/gouda/turkey breast/jam/eggs/bread mix/flour/apple juice, soya/oat/almond milk, vegan spreads, Fairtrade coffee, tea, honey and chocolate. Plans are underway to sell Kaiserswerther Schwesternschaft jam. We also offer home-baked bread. We use environmentally friendly cleaning agents (Ecolabel) where possible.

SDG 13 – Climate action

We use sustainable paper (FSC® certified, EU Ecolabel) and reduce paper consumption through digital communication where possible (digital check-in/out, guest folder, correspondence). We are increasingly focusing on online marketing measures. There is a bee hotel behind the hotel, and the purchase of beehives including our own honey is planned for 2025. Waste is separated and disposed of in all areas (glass, paper, plastic, organic/fats); appropriate waste bins have been purchased for the hotel rooms and conference rooms. We use refillable cleaning agent bottles. We avoid the use of disposable plastic. Awareness-raising among employees takes place in team meetings and, from 2025, in training courses.

SDG 11 – Sustainable cities and communities

The hotel takes part in the RhineClean campaign organised by the Kaiserswerth discussion group. We work together with a local bike hire company and, as a bett+bike hotel, we are also bike-friendly and offer a bike garage. We recommend that our guests travel by public transport, e.g. with the Deutsche Bahn event ticket. Employees receive a discount on the Deutschland Ticket through the company, offers for a JobRad bicycle lease and discounts for e-scooters/e-bikes.

SDG 15 – Life on land

The hotel is surrounded by parkland. There are plans for a flowering meadow at the hotel for spring 2025, and we are using native species to design the green spaces around and inside the hotel.

SOCIALLY SUSTAINABLE

SDG 3 – Good health and well-being

The hotel implements the necessary occupational health and safety measures. There is the possibility of a health check via the KWD company doctor and options for vaccination (flu), precautionary screening (bowel cancer), and eye tests. KWD offers employees courses on exercise, stress and nutrition; in-house yoga, health in the workplace from 2025.

SDG 4 – Quality education

From 2025, the interactive communication platform “theo” introduced by KWD in November 2024 will enable us to reach employees on various topics, such as the provision of training documents. Employees are encouraged to contribute ideas and suggestions, be it in team meetings, office-hours sessions or suggestion boxes. There is an internal training programme on the topics of hygiene, first aid, data protection and, from 2025, sustainability. We train young people. We endeavour to promote and retain young talent in addition to our long-standing employees.

SDG 5 – Gender equality

Gender plays no role in the recruitment, promotion or training of employees. The majority of managers are female.

SDG 8 – Decent work and economic growth

Employees are paid according to the DEHOGA wage agreements. When using external contractors, we pay attention to compliance with minimum social standards in the context of service contracts. We also practice harmonious coexistence of cultures, genders, faiths, limitations and sexual orientations. A survey on employee satisfaction was conducted for the first time in 2024; feedback was analysed and initial measures derived to increase employee satisfaction, always with an eye on economically viable action, efficiency and cost optimisation.

SDG 10 – Reduced inequalities

Our workforce is extremely diverse: We have employees from many nations, of all religions, with disabilities, of diverse sexual orientations and of all ages. The managers and our Discrimination and Equal Opportunities Officer or the Inclusion Officer are always available. We employ staff from the Werkstatt für angepasste Arbeit GmbH (WfaA), which places disabled people in jobs.

ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE

SDG 9 – Industry, innovation and infrastructure

We check the potential for improvement through customer feedback, e.g. with hotel inspections, satisfaction surveys, and by recording customer satisfaction using evaluation tools. We are open to the use of new technologies, but we face challenges in implementing them due to our personnel structure.

SDG 17 – Partnerships for the goals

The hotel actively participates as an exhibitor at the Kaiserswerther Diakonie annual festival. The Christmas wish tree campaign for guests and employees provided support in the form of donations for the Kaiserswerther Diakonie hospice. We are part of the following networks: Düsseldorf Convention Partners, Düsseldorf Future of Tourism, Düsseldorf TravelInDUStryForum, Gesprächskreis Kaiserswerth. The hotel is a member of DEHOGA and HSMA. We organise information events with guided tours of the hotel, and the hotel is part of the tours run by the Kaiserswerther Kulturstiftung. We support Düsseldorf artists by offering them the chance to exhibit their works in the hotel.