Sustainability
At Fairmont Chicago, we are committed to adhering to sustainable practices that drive change and create a better world. Our commitment is driven by our Planet 21 Conservation Efforts. Planet 21 is more than an environmental policy; it represents a significant philosophical shift from sentiment to necessity and from sustainability to holistic corporate social responsibility.
Our People
Our colleagues are what make the Fairmont Chicago so great, so it made perfect sense for us to invest in our most valuable asset.
- Every colleague is trained on job-specific and hotel-wide environmental initiatives
- Every colleague receives training on the WATCH child protection programme
- Every colleague undergoes Health and Wellbeing training
Guest Services & Amenities
- Guests can elect to hang their towels for reuse and sheets are changed every 3 days or by request
- Guestroom amenities are not tested on animals, are 100 percent vegan and do not contain parabens or preservatives
- Paper products meet LEED standards
- Participate in the Plant 21 program
- Offer alternatives to plastic water bottles
- Offer paper straws (by request only)
- All laundry and cleaning chemicals are certified green
- All single use plastic in the process of elimination
- All guest rooms have recycling containers in place
- Adhere to Accor’s ALL Safe and Well program
Community
Our pride in our hometown shines through. We are dedicated to collaborating with local community partners.
- Official Hotel of the Grant Park Music Festival, Music of the Baroque and Chicago Sinfonietta
- Corporate Sponsor of Grant Park
- Conservancy and host of the Accor Chicago annual park cleanup
- Partner with A Little Bit of Heaven homeless shelter to repurpose hard goods and linens, divert leftovers and minibar items near expiration and utilize partially used guestroom amenities
Partners
We hold ourselves to a high standard and require all of our vendors to meet our stringent requirements.
- All vendors are required to adhere to Planet 21 guidelines
- All vendors are re-evaluated on an annual basis to guarantee compliance
- We focus on local products wherever possible to assist in the rebirth of our city’s businesses and creating jobs locally.
Food & Beverage
Recognizing that caring for the environment and providing exceptional quality cuisine go hand in hand.
- Comply with the Health and Sustainable Food Charter
- Ban overfished species and only use cage-free eggs
- Use local suppliers and short supply chains
- Recycle food waste in our on-site digester
- Offer alternative menu options
- Bee Hives and Herb Garden on the Roof in partnership with Wild Blossom Meadery
- Use free-range eggs
- Water bottles are non-plastic and 100% recyclable
- Packaging of to-go items are 100% recyclable and environmentally friendly products
Building
Our engineering team works tirelessly to reduce our carbon footprint.
- Comprehensive hotel wide recycling program
- Comply with LEED water flow standards
- 100 percent of lighting utilizing CFLs or LEDs and low traffic areas have been converted to motion sensitive lighting
- HVAC – state-of-the-art purge units cooling towers – eliminating coolant leaks and reducing energy usage
- Building automation system that puts main HVAC system in unoccupied mode to reduce consumption during inactive periods
- Refrigeration units utilize EPA-approved 404a coolant
- Reclaim Laundry System
- All fixtures in bathrooms are low-flow type
Certificates & Recognitions
Participating in a thorough bi-annual inspection as well as several annual certifications, Fairmont Chicago is proud of our environmental accomplishments:
- Planet 21 Gold
- Green Seal Silver Certification
- Green Key Eco-Rating – 4 Green Key rating
- TripAdvisor Green Leaders Silver
- Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association “Stay Green” Program Member