Walkerhill Hotel & Resort Declares Transition to 'Eco-Friendly Hotel' to Strengthen ESG Management

Goal to Obtain Official Eco-Friendly Hotel Certification by April Next Year
Reduction in Single-Use Plastics and Vinyl in Hotels... "Will Save Energy"

Hyun Mong-joo, General Manager of Walkerhill Hotel & Resort, is presenting a vision for the transition to an eco-friendly hotel.

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] Walkerhill Hotel & Resort has declared its transition to an 'eco-friendly hotel,' strengthening its ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management.

On the 7th, Walkerhill declared at Forest Park, "Based on proactive innovation, we will transform into an eco-friendly hotel leading the domestic hotel industry."

Walkerhill aims to obtain official eco-friendly hotel certification by April next year. The newly opening River Park also aims to receive eco-friendly certification. Accordingly, Walkerhill plans significant changes to reduce the use of disposable plastics and vinyl within the hotel, as well as to save energy.

Since early this year, Walkerhill has replaced plastic cups previously used with glass cups and switched paper coasters to washable, reusable silicone materials. Biodegradable containers made from straw are being introduced and used for takeout and packaging customer services at some food and beverage outlets. The packaging of brand products, including Walkerhill's Home Meal Replacement (HMR) products, has also been converted to 100% eco-friendly materials by introducing paper-based box tape and cushioning materials. Disposable forks, straws, packaging vinyl bags, and ice packs are also made from environmentally friendly materials and adopted for use.

In guest rooms, instead of small amenities that use a lot of plastic, large-capacity dispensers have been introduced, and eco-friendly amenity products that guests can use even after checkout will be provided. Slippers made from biodegradable materials with minimal packaging will replace existing ones, and vinyl packaging materials in rooms, including laundry bags, will be changed to paper or corn starch materials. PET bottles used on the club floor will all be replaced with glass bottles.

To save energy, Walkerhill plans to build a greywater system to recycle water resources. The installation of fuel cells is also under consideration. A mid-to-long-term goal called 'K-EV100,' a Korean-style zero-emission vehicle transition 100, has been set for 2030. Walkerhill already operates solar power facilities producing electricity equivalent to about 1,200 LED lamps per day. They have also steadily replaced outdated lighting and heating/cooling equipment with high-efficiency energy products, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 10% compared to two years ago.

Hyun Mongju, General Manager of Walkerhill Hotel & Resort, said, "Walkerhill aims to establish a sustainable management model that can practically help the environment and local communities," adding, "Starting with reducing disposable items used in hotel supplies and amenities, we will operate the hotel based on sustainability in the long term to solidify our position as an 'eco-friendly hotel' and a 'good hotel coexisting with the local community.'"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.