“Sustainability is no longer about doing less harm it is about doing more good” Jochen Zeitz

Apex Hotels are passionate about caring for others, and that extends beyond the walls of our hotels. We’re committed to be a socially responsible and sustainable business and about caring for and protecting the local communities and environments in the UK cities that we operate in. We’re committed to maintaining the highest standards of sustainability and corporate social responsibility for our guests, our employees, the community and the environment. It can be a collection of small changes made that can give the greatest results.

Pine Trees Sustainability Policy 2024

Our Sustainability & CSR Charter and how we are achieving our goals:

Apex has 10 Pillars of Sustainability to support the business.

1.Biodiversity & Environment: Ensuring healthy ecosystems and life on Earth. This includes assessing the impact of our operations on local ecosystems.

• We established Apex Grove in the Scottish Highlands planting trees with Trees for Life.
• Apex City of Bath undertook a project to make a more sustainable use of its roof space. This was done in collaboration with Bath University.
• Both Bath and Glasgow hotels have further extended this with their own Apiary Suites homed on their roof space.
• We have limited growing space in our properties, we grow our own herbs where space allows.

2. Climate Action: Reducing carbon footprint and mitigating the long-term impacts of climate change across the natural environment, communities, and value chain. This includes assessing climate risks to the business, implementing practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increasing climate change resiliency within our business. – Our Climate Action includes our Energy, Water & Waste Management processes to focus on energy efficiency including measuring and reducing energy consumption in our hotels, mitigating energy-related risks, and focusing on green renewable energy. Conserving water and introducing innovative solutions to lessen our impact in wastage. Reducing Apex Hotels waste and employing a circular economy model across the value chain including measuring with a focus on waste reduction, diverting 100% waste from landfill, increasing recycling, reducing food waste, and working with partners and suppliers and to drive towards resources being reused or recycled. All working alongside our efficiencies within Travel and Transport. Some Examples below

• Paper: We use recycled paper where we need a printed copy. Our invoices are received electronically, and we have a paperless check-in process for our guests. Our housekeeping team have switched from paper to the use of an app for shared room information for arrivals stays and departures. We have also switched our in-room information to QR codes to reduce our use of paper.
• Waste: We have procedures in place for waste items such as used uniform and used bedding. Our backdoor waste is split into four categories, General waste, Mixed recycling, glass, and food waste. We regularly exceed our recycling target of 60% of our total waste recycled at source We have a Year-on-year waste reduction target of 10%+. No products go to landfill, our general waste is collected and turned into RDF (refuse derived fuel). We recycle our Nespresso coffee capsules. Our waste oil is collected and turned into renewable energy. We pledge to eliminate all single use plastics in our rooms by end of 2024. Our room amenities packaging is made from previously ocean bound materials which are intercepted and are recycled. We are transitioning to bulk refillable room amenities and will have completed this in all hotels by October 2024. This will eliminate 890,000 single use items from our supply chain and waste.
• Water: We have partnered with Belu, and we now bottle our own water in bedrooms, restaurant bars and conference. £1 for every 750ml bottle of water we sell is given to Belu who in turn give 100% of their profits to WaterAid. We have self- closing taps in our public area, reducing our water use. We have a reuse towel policy in the bedrooms which aims to reduce water and energy consumption and allows guests to choose the balance of being green and staying clean. We have dual flush toilets in our bedrooms.
• Energy: We are trialling an IOT/Smart building initiative with the introduction of smart room and public area sensors to help us reduce our energy use and move quickly to a more favourable carbon position. Having Energy Saving Key cards in bedrooms means rooms don’t use energy when unoccupied. 85% of our lighting is LED with a target of 100% by end 2025.
• Travel: We participate in the Cycle2work initiative. We encourage use of public transport for employees and customers. Our hotels are situated in city centres close to transport links which makes it very easy for guests to travel by train, bus or tram.
• Going Green: We encourage our employees to think green. We have Green Teams in our hotels who are working towards making our hotels more sustainable and we want to share with our customers all that happens within the Apex Family. We encourage great suggestions for improvements and have a feedback process to embrace new ideas in the customer feedback process. We have introduced an annual Apex Sustainability Award to recognise the efforts of an individual or team who have gone above and beyond. Our internal document ‘Green Times’ and our employee app share all the great achievements of our employees. All eight Apex Hotels currently hold The Green Tourism Silver Award and are currently working toward gold standard.

3. Supplier Engagement & Responsible Sourcing: Working with suppliers who are committed to meeting our high corporate responsibility standards in their own operations, including complying with our Company Ethics, Sustainability, and other relevant policies. Working with suppliers who have carbon reduction targets, are conducting environmental and social assessments, including human rights due diligence. Ensuring health, quality, safety, and sustainability in Apex Hotels approach to food and beverage procurement and products. This includes committing to reducing food related greenhouse gas emissions, offering certified sustainable products, and considering health and nutrition in food and beverage offerings. Supporting local businesses and partnering with suppliers who are building a responsible, ethical, and renewable supply chain with a focus on sourcing our capital items such as plant equipment, furniture, and soft furnishings.

• Apex Hotels expects its suppliers to comply with all applicable environmental laws and to actively and continually take steps to reduce their environmental impact and carbon footprint. We have an Ethical Trading Pledge for our suppliers to complete and only work with like-minded suppliers with a focus on sustainability and ethical working.
• In sourcing our goods and services the procurement team maintain sustainable and socially responsible procurement that considers the implications of CSR & Sustainability in all tender evaluations. Some key considerations include:
  • Sourcing local goods and from local suppliers where possible
  • Avoiding environmental damage and sourcing products and produce that do not affect biodiversity in their production.
  • Selecting goods with low environmental impact
  • Using suppliers and contractors who adhere to strict environmentally friendly practices.
  • Purchasing Fairtrade or similar products where possible
  • Consolidating purchases to reduce delivery frequency and carbon footprint.

4. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Creating a culture of belonging and opportunities for all within the Apex culture of ‘Being Yourself Here’. This includes attracting, developing, and retaining employees, and focusing on diversity, equity (including pay equity) and inclusion across all levels.

5.Employment, Development & Wellbeing: Attracting, developing, and retaining talent, including providing employees opportunities for professional growth and development. Protecting and promoting the mental health of employees and providing benefits that support their personal wellbeing.

The Apex Family values of Trust, Friendliness, Passion, and Teamwork are at the heart of everything we do. We participate in Peakon Surveys regularly that allow our employees to feedback.

By being completely anonymous employees can feel safe in the knowledge that they can speak the truth and that they are helping the future growth and development of our business.

We have introduced an employee scheme ‘Treat Yourself Here’ a benefits platform to help to make money stretch further with discounts on shopping, restaurants, travel and health & wellbeing.

6.Community Engagement: Working with our local community and wider hospitality sector to positively impact the area we work and the people we work with.

• Our employees have voted for the nominated charities for 2024/25. They are ‘Maggie’s’ and ‘Hospitality Action’. Hotels also individually support more local charities with donations, team events and initiatives throughout the year. We’ve got a companywide fundraising commitment and each year we get behind our chosen charities, and our staff up and down the UK take on incredible fundraising challenges to raise money for worthy causes.
• We have two days paid volunteering time per employee. We’re dedicated to making a positive contribution to the communities in which our hotels operate and to creating a better future.
• We support the social and economic development of local communities through providing employment and training opportunities, including youth and trainee programmes.
• We work with local businesses through sourcing and consolidating deliveries on environmentally friendly and high-quality local products, by doing this we avoid unnecessary transport emissions, and we also ensure our suppliers adopt positive environmental practises.
• Social engagement is also critical, we support a variety of community projects and events, whether they are big or small.

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7. Employee and Guest Health and Safety & Security: Focusing on the health, safety and security of employees and guests. This includes increasing health and hygiene through Apex Assured, ensuring safe working conditions for all our employees, training employees on health, safety, and security procedures, and tracking and mitigating illness and safety incidents.

• We have a variety of health and safety policies and training programs to ensure we have a safe and positive working environment for our team members, these are continuously monitored and updated.
• We have independent auditors to review our practices and processes to help develop them and ensure we are taking care of our teams.
• We have a robust reporting process embedded within the company for us to action and investigate any areas required.

8. Human Rights: Embedding respect for human rights and conducting due diligence throughout Apex Hotels and our supply chain to identify and address human rights risks, including risks of modern slavery and human trafficking. Focusing on the Human rights of our employees at all times with a view to improving their work life by working hand in hand with our employee development and wellbeing and health, safety, security processes and promises.
9. Ethical Business Practices and Regulatory Compliance: Conducting business with a commitment to ethical practices and the highest standards of governance. This includes compliance with all legal requirements. Implementing policies, practices and trainings that establish our expectations, meet all stakeholder needs, and help ensure that employees live Apex Hotels Values of Friendliness, Passion, Teamwork and Trust. To ensure we are vigilant in identifying concerns and are confident about speaking up.

• We ensure compliance with all relevant legislation in the ‘Race to Net Zero’ This is a long-term goal and a company focus. We have a project team in place, our ESG Steering Group, to understand & safeguard the behaviors & investment needed in the next 5,10 & 15 years ensuring the plans & actions required are being executed to preserve the needs of our future generations.
• We have a twice-yearly review and audit of our policy and react to any legislative changes, however we also review changes to legislation out with this time.
• We horizon scan best practice and new solutions with a focus on the full area within ESG with equal importance.

10. Business Continuity and Resilience: We are growing on and embed further practices to maintain our ability to sustain critical operations during periods of unexpected disruption, which was further highlighted by the recent pandemic. With a view to demonstrating our ability to adapt to a constantly changing environment. These practices include:

• A robust risk management process including assessments and reporting, communication and registering.
• An understanding of front-line crisis and timelines to support from a central point with the allocation on responsibility.
• A 24-hour support availability
• Live exercise training 4 times per year
• A use of ACT and Scan
• A robust Cyber Security Assessment and control
• Understanding people and safety come first with a Board level focus.

Update May 2024