Sustainable goals

This goal clearly addresses poverty in places like Africa, Southeast Asia, or regions of South America. However, the task “in ALL its forms and everywhere” clearly indicates that this kind of poverty does not stand alone. Even in wealthy countries like Austria, the two banks of “poor” and “rich” are drifting further apart and faster.

Especially with the Covid-19 crisis and high inflation rates, subsistence is becoming increasingly difficult. This is also true for people working full-time, especially in the hospitality industry. We do not want to simply watch this trend, let alone stand on the side of the drivers. Therefore, we pay wages at Hotel zur Post that are significantly above the collective agreements to enable our employees to live a healthy life. Our average earnings amount to €2,546.55.

Furthermore, our poverty alleviation consists of a few small but constant support services. For several years, we have been supporting a child in an SOS Children’s Village in Africa through a partnership. An annual donation to the Salzburg organisation “Austrian Doctors,” which provides health work in Asia. As well as small monetary amounts for current crisis areas, such as the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Morocco in 2023.

We are a business with 100% organic food and source our groceries, as much as possible, from local producers. The philosophy of supporting small businesses is highly valued in order to find a nature-oriented and sustainable approach. Quality is also a major aspect in nutrition. Since we stand for organic, it is easy to believe that this comes from a certain conviction to consume only high-quality food. After all, you are what you eat.

Food that does not come, quite literally, from our organic neighbourhood is likewise produced and traded exclusively organically and fairly. This made us an official Fair Trade gastronomy partner. Only our organic coffee, which is roasted in the Tennengau near Salzburg, is “Naturland Fair” certified – an organisation that combines organic farming, social responsibility and fair trade, both internationally and regionally. In our garden, “old varieties” from “Arche Noah” are planted to promote a diversity of vegetation. However, this small oasis has more of a symbolic value than a real contribution to enabling genetic diversity and fair agriculture on a large scale. Thanks to this garden, we can offer not only our guests but also numerous animals a place to feed.

Our insect hotel thrives on our plants, which are in turn consumed by birds, hedgehogs, etc. Furthermore, there are 2–4 beehives in our bee garden. These little helpers pollinate the surrounding flowers and plants and enrich us with wonderful organic honey, which is also occasionally found at our organic breakfast buffet. In this way, we contribute to nature-oriented nutrition and agriculture.

Through our support of “Austrian Doctors,” we contribute to improving health in Asia, and with our partnership with a child from an SOS Children’s Village in Africa, we provide a caring foundation for children in Africa. Our house has had a no-smoking policy for over 15 years. The food served in our hotel is of the highest quality and organic for both guests and staff. We also offer a sauna, which has been proven to benefit physical and mental health significantly. Additionally, we rent out two barrier-free rooms to provide a place for individuals who are mobility-impaired due to health or age-related reasons.

Every person has individual strengths and interests in which they enjoy learning and learn quite automatically. We foster these strengths as much as possible, and no opportunity to enjoy education is missed. Learning itself is a lifelong process. In our breakfast room, we have various newspapers so that you don’t have to rely on the word of just one journalist. Our managing director Georg Maier is happy to answer questions about our sustainable business practices, not least to spread the message: “Going GREEN works!”

As an award-winning training company (Prize of the Salzburg Chamber of Commerce), we have been regularly training apprentices since 2012. From 2015 to 2017, we had the first hotel and hospitality assistant who depends on a wheelchair. The employee is still working in our company after completing her training (08.2023). We offer our apprentices training with a Matura to ensure a broad-based education.

Our hotel is run by Silvia Maier and Georg Maier. The couple have been managing the Grünes Hotel zur Post in Salzburg together as equal partners for three decades. At our reception, two employees – a woman and a man – hold the deputy management positions, which underlines gender equality in our business. There are no differences in promotion opportunities or pay. For us, equality goes beyond gender: in our business it is irrelevant what skin colour you have, which religion you follow or which country you come from. As it should have been everywhere long ago!

The spring water in Austria is a treasure of nature that must be approached with respect! We do this in our business with the utmost passion. When it comes to saving water, there are several precautions that can be taken to minimise water consumption. Economical shower heads with water aerators, saving buttons on all toilets, we irrigate the garden with reclaimed water, and the towel laundry is only exchanged at the guest’s request or in case of urgent washing needs.

There is still a lot to be done in Austrian water management, as we live in abundance of water, appreciation is lacking in some areas. Mrs Maier’s father is the chairman of the water association in Tennengau and volunteers at the ÖVGW – Austrian Association of Gas and Water. This has always provided the business with support when it comes to saving water.

We do everything we can to contribute to a green future in how we generate and use energy, too – and to prove that you can run a successful business while staying “green”. All our initiatives are listed in the Grünes Hotel zur Post’s Common Good Balance Sheet; the most important ones are also set out here. Three photovoltaic systems with outputs of 10.25, 17.9 and 3.6 kWp produce roughly half of the electricity we use. Since 2023, we have held several purchase rights in the “Sinnhub” run-of-river hydropower plant 1.5 kilometres away, which will supply us with 225,000 kWh of electricity over 30 years. This is a project of the Ökostrombörse Salzburg, which is working to modernise local electricity production.

The rest of our electricity comes from Salzburg AG and is 100% green power. Every year, three solar thermal systems feed 25,000 kWh of heat into our micro-grid – a small district heating network of our own that connects six buildings and, powered by a pellet boiler, supplies sustainable energy. We buy our pellets from the regional company SPG-Bio-Pellets, which turns sawdust from a nearby sawmill in the Tennengau into pellets. Our buildings and heating pipes are also optimally insulated. The goal must be for all of Austria to become free of fossil fuels!

Sustainable business practices are an essential part of our philosophy; it is not only about the physical environment – the mental atmosphere is also a fundamental building block of any functioning business. We are committed to treating our employees well and fairly. We employ between 10 and 15 staff, most of them full-time. Their tasks range from housekeeping and breakfast service to reception and occasionally manual jobs such as changing light bulbs or small repairs. Pay is above the usual collective agreements to ensure a decent income.

In addition, there is practically no overtime with us. As an award-winning training company (prize of the Salzburg Chamber of Commerce), we have been training apprentices regularly since 2012. From 2015 to 2017, we had the first hotel and hospitality assistant who uses a wheelchair. She still works with us after completing her apprenticeship (08.2023). We offer our apprentices an apprenticeship combined with the Matura (Austrian school-leaving exam) to ensure a broad education.

For growing productivity, continuous investments in infrastructure and innovation are necessary. Infrastructure is the backbone of a functioning society, from sewage systems and power supply to public transport. This aspect also plays a significant role in our hotel daily operations. After all, we must provide every guest with a functioning all-round infrastructure package.

The wastewater is managed by the city and leaves us little room for manoeuvre. Electricity and energy supply is essential in our industry. We obtain our electricity and energy from 3 photovoltaic systems with outputs of 10.25, 17.9 and 3.6 kWp, which produce approximately half of the electricity we use. Since 2023, we have held several purchase rights in run-of-river power plants operated by “Sinnhub” 1.5 kilometres away, which will supply us with 7,500 kWh of electricity a year for 30 years. This is a project of the Ökostrombörse Salzburg, which is working to modernise local electricity production.

The rest of our electricity comes from Salzburg AG and is 100% green power. Every year, three solar thermal systems feed 25,000 kWh of heat into our micro-grid – a small district heating network of our own that connects six buildings and, powered by a pellet boiler, supplies sustainable energy. We buy our pellets from the regional company SPG-Bio-Pellets, which turns sawdust from a nearby sawmill in the Tennengau into pellets. In this way, we have built our own infrastructure network and are self-sufficient to a certain degree.

Furthermore, transportation is very central, as our guests must also come to our hotel. We rely on public transport, human power in the form of cyclists, and electromobility. We even have an electric car, which we charge mostly when the sun shines to utilise the PV systems and to make all trips with green electricity.

This brings a good transition to our next topic, the GREEN DISCOUNT, which is 10% in the form of a voucher and rewards climate-neutral travel, by using public transport, biking, or electric cars. Additionally, we offer our guests one of 8 charging stations at our hotel for trouble-free onward travel. Innovation will also play a large role in solving the climate crisis and further developing and refining life. We must support this progress. Hence, we acquired an electric car very early on and with our CO2-neutral microgrid, we are pioneers in the hospitality industry. We are always looking for new technologies that bring us one step closer to climate neutrality to be the first to conduct a field study, metaphorically speaking.

Of course, a city hotel in Salzburg cannot solve inequality and cross-border discrepancies. However, it is important that everyone contributes their part to tackle this huge problem. We at the Grünes Hotel zur Post do our part against inequality by living the opposite. There is no discrimination against marginalised groups of people with us. Everyone is treated equally, and that should be the standard.

Furthermore, our efforts to combat inequality consist of small but constant acts of assistance. For many years, we have been supporting a child in an SOS Children’s Village in Africa through a partnership. Each year, we donate to the Salzburg organisation “Austrian Doctors,” which provides health care work in Asia. We also donate small sums of money for current crisis regions, such as the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Morocco in 2023.

Through initiatives such as our GREEN DISCOUNT, we are doing our part to shape the infrastructure for a more sustainable future by rewarding sustainable travel with a 10% discount in the form of a voucher. This means you automatically save when you travel by bike, on foot, using public transport, or with an electric car. We provide 8 electric car charging stations at our hotel to enable hassle-free and uncomplicated travel.

We also offer bus tickets at our hotel to provide guests with a service and make it easier to be green. Additionally, we lend out city bikes on a daily basis, which are completely free for direct bookings. Finding a way to sustainable cities will certainly not be easy; it is a lengthy process that can only be tackled with very forward-thinking and future-oriented projects. Accordingly, we must start promoting sustainable transport now. The faster the transition is advanced, the better it is for the Earth and future generations.

Although we do not officially take a political stance as a hotel, there is regular exchange of opinions about the planned local underground railway in Salzburg, which of course fits perfectly into our vision of a sustainable city. Furthermore, a sustainable city is not just about the environmental question; the safety and stability of the residents are also essential. We contribute by providing affordable staff accommodation and monthly or annual tickets for public transport. During the coronavirus pandemic, we had some cases where staff lived in the hotel’s holiday apartments to ensure their quality of life.

Sustainable consumption means to consume thoughtfully and efficiently. Over the years, we have acquired an extensive stock of products and furniture. Almost exclusively, all resources for repairs, for example, come from our garages, allowing us to save a lot on new purchases. If something still works perfectly and is in an acceptable visual condition, it is repaired and reused.

Which brings me straight to our next topic: our waste policy, in line with Zero Waste Austria. Follow the link to find out more about our approach to waste. Our biggest contribution to this goal, however, is the hotel’s conscious consumption. All our food is 100% organic and, as far as possible, regional and seasonal. In this way, we support sustainable agriculture and the efficient use of resources. We already do almost entirely without plastic.

Our house has made the fight against climate change its main task. This philosophy runs through all areas of our business. As a result, some of our efforts are listed:

There are also many other details, smaller projects and memberships that are not listed here. To find out more about what we do, we invite you to read our Common Good Balance Sheet, where you will find a more detailed account.

In this context, we are proud to present our managing director Georg Maier’s new project: “Hotels for Future”. It is a (not yet) official offshoot of Fridays for Future. Georg Maier launched the project to build a network of sustainable hoteliers. In addition, a tree is planted for every booking in a particular room category. The aim is to tackle global warming directly by storing CO2 naturally. So far, Mr Maier has planted these trees himself in the Salzburger Land, and “Hotels for Future” also works with the external company “Wald4Leben”, which operates in Lower Austria.

First, the pollution of the world’s oceans is mentioned here, which is one of the biggest problems of modern environmental protection. Proper waste disposal and reduced waste production are essential to ensure that our oceans remain unharmed. Through our very limited plastic consumption and our recycling friendliness, we reduce potential pollution. Our detergents and hygiene products are exclusively free of microplastics, and we try to avoid transport routes by ship and plane by sourcing our products regionally.

Furthermore, we have decided not to offer salmon, tuna, or other seafood products. This way, we save on the transport routes of the products and do not participate in fishing.

We contribute to sustainable agriculture through our consumption; all food is 100% organic, and our eggs come, for example, from an environmentally conscious organic farmer in the area. Thus, we are generally looking for people who are moving in a direction to protect forests and diversity. Organic farming plays a very important role in this.

In our garden, there are 2–4 beehives that pollinate the plants and flowers in the area, thereby making their important contribution to our ecosystem. We always pay attention to biodiversity in our home garden, we provide additional habitats for many small animals and insects with our insect hotels, and we practise “green instead of grey” – many of the areas that were paved in recent years are being greened with bushes and trees.

In 2023, Mr Maier also founded an NGO called “Hotels for Future”, which focuses mainly on reforestation: a tree is planted for every booking in a particular room category. Georg Maier has already planted more than 200 larches himself in the Salzburger Land, and a further 100 have been planted in Lower Austria through the external company “Wald4Leben”. Besides reforestation, the project also aims to build a network of sustainable hoteliers, to encourage exchange and to lay the groundwork for further projects in the future.

We at the Grünes Hotel zur Post contribute to combating inequality by living the opposite. There is no disadvantage for marginalised groups among us. Everyone is treated equally, and that should be the standard. Among all employees, there is an open, considerate, and respectful communication culture.

Furthermore, our efforts to combat inequality consist of small, but continuous acts of assistance. For many years, we have supported a child in an SOS Children’s Village in Africa through a partnership. An annual donation goes to the Salzburg organisation “Austrian Doctors”, which provides health work in Asia. We also donate small amounts of money for current crisis areas, such as the earthquakes in Turkey and Morocco in 2023. As an awarded training company (Prize of the Salzburg Chamber of Commerce), we have been training apprentices regularly since 2012. From 2015–2017, we had the first hotel and hospitality assistant who is in a wheelchair. The employee still works in our company after completing the training (08.2023). We offer our apprentices training with Matura to ensure a broad education.

In 2023, our managing director Georg Maier founded an NGO called “Hotels for Future”. Besides reforestation, the project also aims to build a network of sustainable hoteliers, to encourage exchange and to lay the groundwork for further projects in the future.

Furthermore, we are part of the group “Sleep Green Hotels”, which aims to make it as easy as possible for consumers to stay sustainably. It offers a platform for hotels that genuinely make a contribution and aims to counteract greenwashing in the hotel sector.

We are a member of “Zero Waste Austria”, an organisation committed to reducing and separating waste. Further partnerships such as BioParadiesSalzburgerLand, Die BioWirtinnen, VeganWelcome, PrivatCityHotels and UmweltZeichen Hotels help us achieve our business and personal “green goals”. Georg Maier has also drawn up a Common Good Balance Sheet in line with the Economy for the Common Good to make our commitment transparent.