Family-run Glen Mhor Hotel in Inverness hotel has won a Climate Change Action award at the Highlands and Islands Thistle Awards and will now progress to the finals in November.
The 4-Star hotel picked up the accolade after its £8m on-site Sustainability Centre, Climate Action Plan and Fair Work policies secured a global award at the inaugural World Sustainable Travel and Hospitality Awards in Belize.
The recognition comes as a result of the co-owners decision to embed climate- friendly policies across its business model and the construction of a ground-breaking Energy Centre in 2021 – the first of its kind in Scotland. The Centre uses water from the River Ness for heating and energy, removing 250 tonnes of carbon annually, and reducing the reliance on fossil fuels across the 126-room site.
The innovation, supplemented by Solar PV systems, also powers the production of single highland malt whisky and craft beer at its Uile-heist Distillery and Brewery, incorporated on the site at the Glen Mhor.
The hotel also plans to be fully gas-free by the end of 2024 and all of its 146 employees now hold individual Green job titles.
“It was very humbling to hear people in the industry acknowledging what we’ve done,” said Glen Mhor Co-Owner and Sustainability Director, Victoria Erasmus.
“When we set out to future-proof our business, with sustainability at the very heart of that, it was tough times. We were building an Energy Centre that hadn’t been built before, in a historic conservation area, as well as a Distillery and Brewery.
“The hospitality world was coping with rising costs, rising energy bills and taxes.
“There were so, so many reasons not to do it but we managed to see it through.
“It was lovely to receive the award and the acknowledgement from our peers within the industry.”
The award ceremony was also a memorable and emotional occasion for Mrs Erasmus, on a personal level, as she landed the Highland Ambassador award for her advocacy for the region on both the domestic and international stage.
“It was a total surprise and it means so much to me,” she said. “I feel very honoured and proud for our teams.”
Picture: Glen Mhor Hotel’s Victoria Erasmus with the Climate Action Award and Highland Ambassador Award at the Highlands and Islands Thistle Awards.