Voyager Beach Resort

Name of the facility	Voyager Beach Resort
Certification Achieved	Silver
Year opened	1996
Tourism region	Coast
County	Mombasa (County)
Address	34117-81000 Mombasa Map It
Telephone/Mobile	04141475114/5
Email	info@heritagehotels.co.ke
Website	heritage-eastafrica.com
Facility Notes	Voyager Beach Resort is located along Nyali Road in Nyali, Mombasa County. The camp is specifically located on Global Positioning System (GPS) Coordinates, Latitude: S 4 02.151 and Longitude E 39 43.018. It was opened in 1996 owned by Silver Holdings Limited and managed by Heritage Hotels. It has 236 guest rooms with a bed capacity of more than 400 guests and a total work force of 288 staff for its operations. Voyager Beach resort is located near important biodiversity conservation areas including Mombasa Marine National Park and Haller Park. Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve is a marine park, and national reserve in Mombasa, Kenya. The park is 10 km² (2,500 acres) while the reserve measures 200 km² (49,400 acres). It was established as a Marine Park in 1986, and encloses part of the lagoon, back reef and reef crest habitats of the Bamburi-Nyali fringing reef. The park is home to a variety of marine life and is a popular snorkelling and diving location. Other spectacular attractions include the sand beach and coral gardens.Haller Park formerly Bamburi Nature Trail is located along the Mombasa /Malindi highway approximately two kilometers from Voyager Beach resort. Haller Park was formed as a result of Bamburi Cement Ltd efforts to convert barren landscape of unused limestone quarries into diverse ecosystem of forest, grasslands and wildlife. Currently, Haller Park plays host to a variety of wildlife including hippos, giraffes, buffalos, and antelopes as well as birdlife such as Weaver birds, Kingfisher, Storks, Herons, Egrets, Owls, Eagles, Kites, Cranes, Ibis, and Sandpipers. The Park consists of a Game Sanctuary, Reptile Park, demonstration Fish Farm area, Palm Garden, Crocodile pens and a giraffe viewing platform. The park is a haven for botanists due to its biodiversity including indigenous tree species such as mangroves and palms. (Ref: www.lafarge.co.ke Sustainable Development).
Energy management	Main source of power for the hotel comes from Kenya Power electricity grid. The power is metered and monitored on a monthly basis. The facility has a back-up generator with a power output capacity of 550 KvA. The facility is fitted with Energy saving bulbs and light emitting diodes - LED for energy conservation. Liquefied Petroleum gas (LPG) is used for guests and staff cooking. ‘Key cards’ are used to operate the air conditioners (AC’s) installed in the guest rooms to control energy use. The resort has an energy committee to spearhead energy conservation within the facility. The facility has conducted an energy audit to comply with section 6 of the Energy (Energy Management) Regulations, 2012. Visitors are briefed upon arrival on the need to conserve energy through switching off unnecessary lights.
Environmental management	Voyager Beach Resort is guided by comprehensive corporate environmental policy outlining commitment to sound environmental management, compliance with relevant regulations, pollution prevention, creating awareness and promoting social responsibility through sharing tourism benefits with local communities. The facility has an Environmental Management System (EMS) with management plans for water, energy and waste. The facility has carried out its annual Environmental Audit to comply with EMCA 1999 - Environmental (Impact assessment and Audit) regulations, of 2003.
Chemical use	Laundry chemicals are supplied by Diversy washing detergents. Material Safety Data Sheet records for the chemicals used within the facility are available. Liquefied Petroleum gas cylinders are well secured and signs fixed for safety purposes
Conservation Criteria
Community Criteria
Solid waste management	The waste is disposal through Kleen Cleaners – NEMA approved waste collector.The hotel uses 18 litres, water dispensers in the main departments such as kitchen and offices. Medical waste is packed in safety boxes and disposed off for incineration at Public health offices in Mombasa.
Water management	The facility’s main source of water is a well. The water is pumped from the well, filtered and then passed through a reverse osmosis system which purifies the water. The water is stored in a reservoir of 70,000 litres and later pumped to the premises .The water is metered at source. Meter readings are done on a daily basis. Visitors are encouraged on towel re-use program through use of card information – a measure aimed at water conservation. Guest rooms are fixed with water efficient equipment to reduce on water consumption such as low filter shower heads and lift taps. The laundry machines water uptake is automated. Laundry is weighed to ensure machines are run at their optimum weight for efficient water use Employees are sensitized on water usage during departmental meetings
Visitor communication & education	Visitors are briefed upon arrival on the facility’s operations and environmental values.The hotel has room information folders, equipped with brochures to sensitize the visitors on its activities and operations.
Pollution	The facility uses low light emitting bulbs to minimize light pollution at night.
Environmental conservation	The facility conducts regular beach cleanups in partnership with the KWS and the local community.The facility partners with dm AFRICA to raise money and awareness on the effects of Rhino poaching. Rhino moneybox is situated at the reception area for guests to donate,10% of money collected from money box goes to Save the Rhino International
Waste water management	Grey water from the kitchen flows through a grease trap then to septic tank. Black water throughout the facility is managed through a system of septic tanks Swimming pools are cleaned via sieving, vacuum cleaning and backwash system. PH levels (i.e. acidity and alkalinity levels) are checked on daily basis. Backwash is conducted for approximately 10 minutes after 3 days. The resort conducts regular water effluent sampling in compliance with Environmental Management and Coordination (Water Quality) Regulations of 2006.
Purchasing and supplies	Vegetables and fruits are packed in reusable crates while meat and dairy products are stored in freezers. Where possible dry goods are bought in bulk to reduce on the packaging.
Employment and remuneration/staff welfare	Employees are provided with health care, uniform, and basic amenities. The facility has established a staff reward scheme for recognizing the staff. The staff is under a staff union that handles staff welfare
Staff education, communication and awareness training	The hotel has a notice board for staff communication. Staff briefings are held at departmental level on daily basis for planning activities.Employees (departmental heads and kitchen staff) are often sent for refresher training at Utalii College
Cultural preservation and promotion/protection of local sites	The hotel contracts a local dance group to perform cultural dance. The facility is decorated with Swahili handicraft and antiquities
Benefits to local community/community empowerment	On a weekly basis, small local traders are allowed to sell curios and artifacts to the guest. The hotel also gives donations of food stuff, stationery, clothing bed sheets to Wema Centre and Nyumba ya Wazee. The hotel also supports Bombolulu Workshop by procuring leather bags. The facility participates in Cancer awareness walk. The hotel provides attachment opportunities to students from Wema Centre. The facility purchases its products including fruits and vegetables, staff meat from local suppliers in Mombasa Town. The facility employs staff primarily from the local area. Approximately 60% of the employees are locals.
Cultural Criteria
Health and safety	Fire fighting equipment, fire exits and fire assembly points have been clearly marked and strategically placed within the facility .Health inspection has been conducted and the hotel issued with a Health Inspection Certificate from the County department of Public Health. The facility has a fire safety policy as well as a fire safety plan in case of a fire occurrence. An adequate team of staff are trained on first aid and fire-fighting skills. Medical check-ups are conducted every six months to food and beverage handlers to comply with Food, Drugs, and Chemical substances Act. Cap 254.The hotel has a healthy and safety team who are trained on occupational health and safety. The team meets on quarterly basis and minutes for the meetings are available for verification. The facility provides protective gear / PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) such as boots, uniform, gloves, apron to the staff. The hotel has conducted a fire safety audit in compliance with the Fire Risk Reduction Rules 2007.Safety precautionary signage has been fitted throughout the premises. The swimming pools are properly marked for safety purposes.
Child labor, abuse and human rights	The hotel has a well-defined Human Resource policy that guides against employment of minors. Minimum employment age is 18years. The hotel also subscribe to child sex tourism charter
Business Practises Criteria
Entry Date	9th March 2018

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Turtle Bay Beach Club

Name of the facility	Turtle Bay Beach Club
Certification Achieved	Gold
Year opened	1972
Tourism region	Coast
County	Kilifi
Address	Watamu Map It
Telephone/Mobile	0721 830604/ 0734 601066
Email	special@turtlebay.co.ke
Website	turtlebay.co.ke
Facility Notes	Turtle Bay Beach Club is located is situated within a protected Marine park – Watamu Marine National park. The camp is specifically located on Global Positioning System (GPS) Coordinates, Latitude -3.36131 and Longitude 40.00326. It has 145 guest tents with a bed capacity of 300 visitors and a total work force of 170 employees. The facility is built on 10 acres (4.04686 ha) of land. Habitats in the Watamu Marine National Reserve include intertidal rock, sand and mud, fringing reefs and coral gardens, coral cliffs, sandy beaches and the Mida Creek mangrove forest. Marine life attractions include fish, turtles, dugongs and crabs. Other important biodiversity conservation areas near the facility include Mida Creek, Gede ruins and Arabuko-Sokoke Forest.
Energy management	Main source of power for the Hotel comes from the Kenya Power electricity grid; however, the hotel has a backup generator with an output capacity of 555 KvA. The generator servicing hours are closely monitored. Turtle Bay has metered its energy consumption at the main grid, per department or accommodation blocks and major consumption areas including the laundry. Data / records obtained are used to monitor consumption and calculate monthly costing. Consumption data and graphs are shared with the respective Heads of Departments on monthly basis. The hotel has an energy policy with emphasis on enhancing energy efficiency, investing on clean energy efficient technology and reducing its environmental impact from energy consumption. It has installed energy saving and Lighting Emitting Diodes (LED) bulbs throughout its premises. Energy efficient appliances such as water heater timers or thermostats and ‘Key cards’- a magnetically encoded plastic card used as a key in a door and to operate other electronic devices are installed in the guest rooms to control energy use. The facility has installed a solar heating boiler for its kitchen. The heater has a water capacity of 300 litres. LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) is used for cooking throughout the facility. Staff and guests are sensitized on energy conservation through departmental meetings, room information folders and visual signage such as “switch me off” signs are available around the premises
Environmental management	Turtle Bay has a comprehensive environmental policy with emphasis on compliance with relevant environmental and government legislations, pollution prevention, improving local peoples’ welfare, sustainable purchasing, and general minimizing of its operational impacts to the environment. The facility has an Eco-Policy Team which spearheads environmental initiatives and implementation of the environmental policy. This team meets once a week, and it constitutes heads of departments. In addition, there is also an Eco-Team made up of junior staff members.
Chemical use	Gas is bought and stored in two (2) tonnes cylinder. The storage area is well secured with precautionary signage put up. Fuel (diesel) for use is stored in twenty (20) liter containers in a well secured storage area and a safety signage is fixed. Turtle Bay uses Odex chemicals in its laundry. Material Safety Data Sheets for the Chemicals are available. Staff is trained on handling the use.
Conservation Criteria
Community Criteria
Solid waste management	Waste separation is conducted at the source, (staff kitchen and guest kitchen) the bins are clearly labelled. There are several waste holding bins in the facility main guests’ accommodation blocks. The bins are labelled. Organic waste is managed through chamber composting. The facility has four (4) chambers. Manure is used in the garden for planting lawns and trees. 18litre water dispensers are placed at the visitor’s accommodation blocks as an initiative to reduce on plastic waste. Waste paper collected from the facility is used for making charcoal briquettes. The briquettes are used within the facility for making barbeques. Tetra packs waste papers are used for seedlings germination. Plastics waste is sorted and donated to Watamu Marine Association. Weekly clean up exercise is carried out at the facility and close monitoring is done to ensure efficiency is attained on waste management.
Water management	The main source of water for the Hotel is from the Malindi Water & Sewerage Co Ltd (Watamu). The water is pumped into two (2) reservoirs; with a total capacity of approximately 100,000 litres. The water is fixed with two meters at the main inlet and outlet. Water monitoring is done at the facility and records analysed on bed capacity. The Hotel encourages its visitors to ‘re-use their towels’ through their room information sheets aimed at water conservation and reduced use of laundry chemicals. Water efficient appliances such as high pressure shower heads fitted with facets (tap flow reducers) have been installed in the guest rooms. The facility has also adjusted its single toilet cisterns reducing water consumed per single toilet flush by approximately 30% (from 15 – 10 litres). The guest washrooms (urinals) at the restaurant and reception areas are fixed with sensor flush appliances to minimize on water usage. Laundry machines are operated at their optimum load to conserve energy and water.
Visitor communication & education	The hotel has elaborate room information folders with information on hotel operations, nature conservation activities within and around Watamu area. Guests are also briefed upon arrival on the existing activities and environmental conservation such as energy and water management. Turtle Bay keeps an updated information notice board of the available activities or unique areas/spots to visit within Watamu / Kilifi region. This include; Watamu Marine Association, Gede Ruins, Mida Creek, Arabuko Sokoke Forest etc.
Pollution	The generator is stored in an acoustic body (sound proof room) and fitted with a muffler (sound reducing devices). The facility Lights are covered or shaded to reduce light pollution. The kitchen is properly ventilated with a kitchen hub and an AC system. Energy saving bulbs are used for lighting throughout the facility.
Environmental conservation	Turtle Bay supports Arocha Kenya through marketing or publicizing its initiatives to the guests. This is done through visitor briefing, and posting brochures or information materials on notice boards. The facility supports turtle conservation through Watamu Turtle Watch. The hotel conducts beach clean-ups through its staff on weekly basis depending on the amount of litter within the area. Turtle Bay Beach Club is a key partner and founding member of Watamu Marine Association, (WMA) a membership organization formed to benefit the local community, protect the environment and promote quality tourism. The hotel supports WMA by marketing its initiatives to the visitors at guests briefing, on notice boards and by creating a resource area for information distribution. Additionally, Turtle Bay donates all its plastic waste to WMA Plastic Recycling Centre. The plastics are shredded at the centre and sold to Mombasa Plastics Recycling Company. Others include membership fees, beach or roadsides clean ups. The hotel supports Mida Creek Conservation Community, by marketing the organizations conservation initiatives and activities. Mida Creek activities include mangrove plantings, beach clean-ups beekeeping, selling mangrove tree seedlings, crab farming and other aquaculture initiatives. The hotel rears and plants indigenous tree seedlings within its premises. The Hotel architectural design blends with the Coastal Swahili architectural designs surrounding
Waste water management	Swimming pool water is cleaned via vacuum cleaning and backwash system. The effluent (backwash) water is collected in an open tank for natural sun de-chlorination. The water is re-used within the pool. Approximately 3,000 litres of water is collected and re-used per week. Turtle Bay has a waste water treatment plant that caters for both Grey and Black effluent. Grey water from the kitchen passes through a grease trap. The grease trap is cleaned regularly to remove excess fats and oils.The effluent joins black and grey effluent from the guests’ area; it’s pumped into the treatment plant. The waste water treatment plant has five (5) main (enclosed) chambers with various stages of filtration, biological and enzymes treatment. Chlorination is done in the last chamber to purify the water. The effluent is used for irrigating the lawns, tree seedlings and aesthetic flowers
Purchasing and supplies	The hotel purchases its food products in sustainable ways to reduce on packaging. Fruits and vegetables are packed in re-usable (Kikapu) baskets and crates. Dry goods such as floor and sugar are bought in bulk. Meat is stored in cold rooms.
Employment and remuneration/staff welfare	Turtle Bay has a staff welfare works committee that represents employees’ issues to the management. The facility holds weekly staff welfare meetings. Staff issues are discussed during the meetings
Staff education, communication and awareness training	The facility has notice boards used for staff communication. Materials on the notice boards include the environmental policy and meetings schedules. Posters and signage are also used for staff communication.
Cultural preservation and promotion/protection of local sites	The hotel supports various entertainment groups within Watamu and Kilifi area. The groups performing at the hotel are paid a rate of Kshs. 20, 000 on monthly basis. Every Friday afternoon, Turtle Bay allows the local people who deal in curios to bring their merchandise and sell directly to the visitors at the hotel premises. All Makuti thatching within the facility are donated to suppliers within the facility. The hotel ensures its food is endowed with local Swahili dishes as way of promoting the local cuisines.
Benefits to local community/community empowerment	The Hotel purchases its products such as Fish, vegetables, honey, fruits and meat locally. Fruits are bought from Watamu while honey is obtained from the local Arabuko Sokoke Forest. Also, the hotel markets the sale of the honey to its visitors and staff. The Hotel also purchases in-house décor from the local dealers. Curios sold at the hotel are obtained from the local suppliers. Approximately 80% of the permanent employees at the facility are from the local Watamu and North Coast area; all the casuals are employed from the local Watamu town centre. Through its social corporate responsibility; Turtle Bay has invested in education, health care and Community well-being. This includes; • Education: the hotel offers sponsorships to students in primary and secondary school. The sponsorship program has 43 students. Some of the schools include Watamu primary, Kilifi Township, Kokoneni Girls, St, Joseph’s primary, Gede Future academy, Gede Secondary amongst others. Others include donations of learning materials such as text books, pens, and exercise books; offers internship trainings to excelling students from the local area. • Health: Turtle Bay supported establishment of Timboni Community dispensary. Recently, the hotel funded the expansion of the maternity wing for the clinic. A lab technician for the clinic is employed by the hotel on a salary of Ksh. 6000 per month. Additionally, the facility hosts volunteers from People and Places, who work at the clinic and conduct medical camps within the local villages. • Orphanage support: Turtle Bay supports a number of orphanage homes within Watamu area. Support is made through food and bedding donations. Some of the homes that have benefited from such initiatives include; God Our Father, Happy House and (SPK) Munyaka Children’s Home.
Cultural Criteria
Health and safety	The facility has an emergency evacuation plan or procedure pinned in the guest rooms. Medical checkups are conducted every six months to all kitchen staff (food and beverage handlers) in the facility. Turtle Bay has been inspected and issued with a Health Clearance Certificate under the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation. The hotel has an in-house doctor to cater for staff and guest medical health care. First aid kits (boxes) are distributed in the main departments such as laundry and kitchen. Firefighting equipment such as fire hydrants, fire extinguishers, fire blanket, automatic fire suppression appliances are serviced and strategically placed within the facility. The Hotel provides PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) including boots, gloves, and aprons to its staff. Safety and precautionary signage are fixed in strategic areas such as “No Diving” signs at the swimming pool. “No smoking” and “highly flammable” signage at the gas storage area. The swimming pool attendant is regularly sensitized on proper monitoring and maintenance. There is a health and safety committee in place to spearhead health and safety issues at the hotel. Fire Safety Audit, Risk Assessment and Occupational Health and Safety Audit have been conducted at the facility. Health and safety meetings are held regularly to address on risk-assessments and safety within the work place.
Child labor, abuse and human rights	The facility does not employ any person below the legal working age of 18 years.
Business Practises Criteria
Entry Date	13th March 2018

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Tortilis Camp

Name of the facility	Tortilis Camp
Certification Achieved	Gold
Year opened	1995
Tourism region	Tsavo/Amboseli
County	Kajiado
Address	Kitirua Conservancy Map It
Telephone/Mobile	+254 730 127 000
Email	reservations@elewana.com
Website	elewanacollection.com
Facility Notes	Tortilis Camp is located within the Amboseli ecosystem in Kitirua Conservancy on global positioning system (GPS) Latitude 37M 0297973 and Longitude UTM 9703310. The camp was established in 1995 managed by Elewana Limited. It has eighteen guest tents with a total bed capacity of forty guests. The facility has a total work force of 70 employees for its operations. Kitirua Conservancy covers about 30,000 acres within the Amboseli ecosystem where it provides a critical wildlife dispersal corridor between Tanzania & Kenya. The conservancy is a partnership between Cheli and Peacock, and Kenya Wildlife Trust on one hand and the local Maasai land owners on the other hand to ensure professional management of the natural land resources, including wildlife for the benefit of land owners. This is achieved through activities such as ecological monitoring, security for wildlife and people, training and salaries for community rangers, habitat restoration in certain areas, facilitation of low-impact grazing program, and the implementation of the a Lion Guardians program.
Energy management	Tortilis Camp runs primarily on solar power. The power is channelled through a photovoltaic solar panels systems. The facility has a total of 110 solar panels. The system is also fitted with inverters and batteries for power storage. The solar power system is very closely monitored through a digitized system. The output of the system can even calculate the amount of Carbon (IV) Oxide emissions avoided. See section of solar power house below
Environmental management	Tortilis Camp has an environmental policy that forms an integral part of their business. The policy shows the camp’s commitment to best management of the environment as well as health and safety. The camp is guided by the Elewana baseline sustainability management plan. The plan also encompasses a working environmental management system for all the camps. The environmental management system (EMS) for the camp has clear action plans for solid waste management, water and energy conservation. The EMS includes monitoring actions for continued improvement. The camp undertakes its annual self-Environmental Audit (EA) as required by EMCA 1999 (Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act.)Ref No. NEMA/EA/5/2/3252
Chemical use	The camp uses biodegradable bathroom amenities from Cinabar Green in the guest tents. Biodegradable laundry detergents are also used at the camp, supplied by Odex Chemicals. Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the chemicals used within the facility are available. Swimming pool chemicals consumption records are properly kept to monitor chemical use. LPG is bought in bulk in a two tone tank. Diesel is stored in an underground tank with a capacity of 6,000 litres
Conservation Criteria
Community Criteria
Solid waste management	Sorting of waste is done at the waste holding area. Organic waste is composed at the compost pit. The pit is well secured to prevent any scavenging by wildlife. This is later reused as soil fertilizer in the kitchen garden. Other wastes such as plastics, metal, glass are transported to offsite for recycling or disposal. As a waste reduction measure, the facility provides guests with water from refillable glass bottles in the restaurant and guest rooms. As a waste reduction measure, the camp gives the guests souvenir aluminum bottles which can be refilled at the dispenser during their stay and even be used on the game drive. The camp keeps an inventory (weight) of waste (types and quantity) generated for efforts aimed at waste monitoring at source and to create waste reduction targets.
Water management	Main source of water for Tortilis Camp is a borehole. The water is pumped to the facility and stored in reservoirs with the capacity of 60,000 litres. The facility has installed a water meter at the borehole to monitor the abstraction of water. The camp has also sub-metered the water at the main consumption areas such as the guest area, garden and the staff quarters. To minimize water consumption, the garden is strictly watered in the evening hours. The facility has a filtration system which is able to purify water to a portable state. Guest rooms are fitted with dual flush toilet cisterns which reduce on the amount of water consumed per flush. The guests are also sensitized on minimum water use using signage and “towel talks” in the rooms to promote reuse of towels and linen.
Visitor communication & education	Visitors are briefed upon arrival on the facility’s operations and environmental values. The guest tents are equipped with room information folders to brief the visitors on environmental conservation and operations of Land and Life Foundation. In the evenings, each guest receives a welcome card with educational information. The card gives a brief overview of the Amboseli National park, the ecosystem and biodiversity, Eco-rating certification of the camp as well the activities that a guest can engage in during their stay. There is a strategically placed placard at the camp that subtly informs the guests some of the activities carried out by Land and life foundation in the area.
Pollution	The camp covers the lanterns at night to minimize light pollution.
Environmental conservation	The facility has put efforts to reclaim degraded areas within and around the camp. This had been achieved through planting Amboseli grass, indigenous species of succulents and aloes as well as over 450 Acacia Tortilis tress. There is currently a proposal to expand this restoration initiative in partnership with David Western. The aim of this expansion will be to restore biodiversity and serve as a visitor nature trail area. The camp is also starting out a bee project. This project is aimed at increasing the indigenous bees population in the area and enhance pollination and consequently increase biodiversity species variety in the area. The camp engages the staff in a monthly environmental clean-up activity within and around the camp’s premises. The camp contributes directly to conservation through the payment of conservancy management fees as well as bed night fees to the local land owners of Kitirua Conservancy. This has enabled the successful management of 30,000 acres of land as a conservation area.
Waste water management	The facility swimming pool is cleaned via sieving, backwash and vacuum cleaning. Records are kept on a daily basis. Grey water from the kitchen is passed through a grease trap for effective removal of oils and fats. The grease trap is cleaned on a daily basis. Grey and black water throughout the facility is managed through system of septic tanks and soak pits.EM1 is added to the septic tanks for effective sludge digestion
Purchasing and supplies	Vegetables and fruits are packed in reusable crates while meat and dairy products are stored in freezers. Where possible dry goods are bought in bulk to reduce on the packaging.
Employment and remuneration/staff welfare	Basic Staff benefits at the camp include food, uniform, entertainment, transport and accommodation. The staff members also have a welfare committee, health and safety committee as well as a works committee that help to deal with staff matters. The camp has a staff reward scheme for recognizing outstanding efforts and achievement by the staff. To this effect, the camp has a star notice board where they display the employee of the month who is awarded a double salary for their efforts. Recently the camp had engaged in a team building activity. The staff shared meals and participated in some team building activities at the nearby observation hill. This is an effort to foster team spirit and staff motivation.
Staff education, communication and awareness training	Staff have been trained on basic first Aid, fire fighting skills and use of firefighting equipment.The employees have regular briefing meetings.Notice boards are used to facilitate communication to the staff. The staff have scheduled in house per department training for skills enhancement. The facility also outsources training for sommeliers. This has been achieved through Wine Ambassador of the Year training provided by company known as Under the Influence hosted at Lewa Safari Camp. The guides undergo training at Joy’s Camp twice a year. This is facilitated by the Elewana properties guides training program. As part of the Elewana Group, Tortilis participates in the Guide apprenticeship program. In this program, the applicants are trained in all the Elewana camps in all departments; this is then followed through by a guide traineeship period. The trainees are awarded with an internationally recognized guiding certificate
Cultural preservation and promotion/protection of local sites	Tortilis Camp promotes local culture actively in various ways.  Some pieces of décor have blended contemporary designs with the local culture such as candle holders.  Each guest receives a handcrafted beaded bracelet on the night before the departure made by a local women’s group from Ole Nkao  The camp facilitates village visits by the guests to see the traditional Masai way of life.  A group of local dancers are also hired by the camp to entertain the guests and display the traditional dances of the people.  The camp facilitates traditional Masai cultural weddings for the guests upon request.  Staff from the local community are encouraged to actively interact with guests and chat about their culture.
Benefits to local community/community empowerment	The facility employs staff from the local area. Approximately 85% of the employees are locals. All casual work is also given to the locals. The camp makes some local purchases to support local enterprise. This includes some vegetables, staff meat and beadwork. The local community land owners of Olgulului Ololarashi Group Ranch on which Kitirua Conservancy sits on also benefit from payment of lease fees. Tortilis Camp supports the local community in various aspects through the Land and Life Foundation. The foundation works in different focus areas such as education, conservation and medical support. The ongoing projects include;  The Wildlife Warrior Program. Through this initiative the foundation has worked to increase the overall awareness on biodiversity conservation through environmental education  Provision of bursaries and full scholarships to the most promising students under the wildlife warrior Program. The scholarships run all through Secondary education. In Amboseli, the foundation works closely with Eseteti Primary School. Currently there are 60 students in the region under this program.  The Foundation has in January built two classrooms and a dormitory in the nearby Primary School. Land and life foundation has over the years raised a total of USD 13,500 for the refurbishment of the school.  To date, the Land and Life foundation has been able to set up volley ball and football pitches, purchase over 900 textbooks and 150 Kilos of stationery for the school.
Cultural Criteria
Health and safety	The staff undergo regular basic first Aid training. The staff members have been trained on Fire Safety. The Camp has also trained the staff on Occupational Safety and Health. Fire fighting equipment has been inspected and duly serviced by Trojan Fire Security. Food handlers have undergone medical tests in compliance with Food, Drugs, and Chemical substances Act. Cap 25.The facility has an emergency procedure and emergency contacts in place included in the room information folder within the guest rooms.The guest rooms are equipped with rechargeable torches that can be used during emergencies.Fire exits and assembly points are properly marked and displayed within the facility. The facility has conducted a health and safety audit and a Fire safety audit
Child labor, abuse and human rights	The management of Tortilis Camp strictly adheres to the minimum legal working age of 18 years.
Business Practises Criteria
Entry Date	13th March 2018

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The Sands at Nomad

Name of the facility	The Sands at Nomad
Certification Achieved	Silver
Year opened	2015
Tourism region	Coast
County	Kwale
Address	P.O. Box 5066 – 80401 diani Map It
Telephone/Mobile	+254733373888
Email	info@thesandsatnomad.com
Website	thesandsatnomad.com
Facility Notes	The Sands at Nomad is located within in the South Coast of Kenya, Off Diani road. The boutique hotel is set in a unique environment that offers a beach to bush experience. The hotel is situated with a forested area that forms part of the fragmented and Eastern Africa Coastal Forests. These Forests is a fragment of the coastal forest that extended from South of Somalia to Mozambique. Presently only a few remnant fragments of the forest are in existence. These areas have been recognized as biodiversity hotspots and have a high number of endemic species. Some of the fauna found in this area include; duikers, flying foxes, shrews and a variety of birds and insect species.
Energy management	The Sands at Nomad is connected to the National Power grid. The records are kept aptly. The facility also uses solar water heaters for heating water for the guest rooms. About 80% of the guest rooms are fitted with solar water heaters. A generator with an output of 45 KvA is used as back up for the facility. There are up to date records of the generator fuel consumption.
Environmental management	The Sands at Nomad is guided by its environmental policy that emphasizes on dedication to the practice of sound environmental stewardship, promotion of health and safety of guests and employees as well as integration of all sustainability concerns in their business operations. The facility undertakes its annual self-Environmental Audit (EA) as required by EMCA 1999 (Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act.)
Chemical use	The facility uses biodegradable bathroom amenities from Cinnabar Green in the guest rooms. The facility is already at a second phase of testing a natural cleaning product produced by a company called grounded. The products will be used for laundry and general cleaning within the facility.
Conservation Criteria
Community Criteria
Solid waste management	The facility has designated separated bins made from gunny bags, throughout the premises to encourage waste separation by guests. As a waste reduction measure, the facility provides guests with water from refillable glass bottles in the room. The resort has also completely eliminated the use of plastic water bottles. Guests are provided with refillable glass water bottles from the bar, sources from a company called Nature’s cool. In addition, the guest rooms all have water dispensers which are fitted with refillable 18 litre water bottles, as well as a glass bottle in the bathroom. The Sands at Nomad has a no plastic straws policy. This policy has gone a great way in reducing plastic waste from the resort. The facility also creatively reuses wine bottles in the facility for décor and as building material. The Sands at Nomad has also engaged in waste recycling on behalf of some facilities within Diani. Currently, the facility is collecting plastic water bottles that will be repurposed to form building material for a green house, which will then be used in the permaculture farm.
Water management	Main source of water for the resort is a nearby well. The water is pumped to the facility and stored in a 30,000 litre reservoir
Visitor communication & education	Visitors are briefed upon arrival on the facility’s operations and environmental values. The guests are provided with room information sheets upon arrival that clearly state the operations of the hotel. The Sands at Nomad has innovatively invested in a mobile application, The Nomad App- that has detailed information on the resort’s activities. This is aimed at engaging the guests on a digital platform. The resort has a resource centre for the guests that is furnished with a variety of literature that is especially targeted for recreational reading. The Sands at Nomad has a unique approach for guest interaction through a variety of plaques and notices that are placed at strategic points within the facility. The facility also uses social media to update its visitors and the general public the achievements, progress and activities within the resort. In this regard the Sands at Nomad has a social media campaign on facebook called “Thinking Green”.
Pollution	The facility uses low light emitting bulbs to minimize light pollution at night.
Environmental conservation	The resort is directly involved in forest conservation. The facility owns about 50 acres of forested land, which forms a part of the remaining Coastal forests of Eastern Africa. Within the forested area, the facility conducts alien species removal. Through this, the facility aims at eliminating the invasive neem tree species while encouraging other indigenous species to thrive. The Sands at Nomad has created an artificial pond which also serves as a water point and bird bath within the premises. This initiative makes use of water overflow from a tank from another property. This also serves as a diversification of ecosystems within the forested area which promotes species variety in the area. The facility has a proactive approaches for building support and involving guests in conservation of biodiversity. For example the resort is participating in the #PLASTICREVOLUTION flipflopi dhow initiative. In this project guests are encouraged to buy miniature gifts crated from recycled flip flops where the proceeds are dedicated raising awareness on marine pollution and beach cleanup activities which will be culminated by a rubber dhow expedition in sailing from Lamu to South Africa. http://www.theflipflopi.com/the-flipflopi-dhow/ The facility has a weekly environmental clean-up day, dabbed Takataka Tuesday. On this day, the facility conducts a beach clean-up both North and South of the Hotel’s location. Over 1000kgs of trash has been removed from the beach since April 2017. The facility also participates in other clean up initiatives in partnership with other stakeholders in the area. In September 2017, the facility participated in the International Coast Clean up Day, in which 1,200 Kgs of trash were collected between Tiwi and Galu. The resort in involved in turtle conservation partnership with Diani Turtle Watch. The facility has a hatchery known as the Nomad Hatchery which serves as a turtle nest relocation site.
Waste water management	The facility swimming pool is cleaned via sieving, backwash and vacuum cleaning. Records are kept on a daily basis. The facility conducts effluent tests on a quarterly basis and has a valid effluent discharge license. Grey water from the kitchen, laundry and bathrooms is managed through soak pits. Black water throughout the facility is managed through a system of septic tanks and soak pits
Purchasing and supplies	Vegetables and fruits are packed in reusable crates while meat and dairy products are stored in freezers. Where possible dry goods are bought in bulk to reduce on the packaging.
Employment and remuneration/staff welfare	Basic Staff benefits at the hotel include food and uniform. The staffs at the Sands at Nomad are under a staff union that handles staff welfare.
Staff education, communication and awareness training	Staffs have been trained on firefighting skills and use of fire-fighting equipment. Notice boards are used to facilitate communication to the staff. The employees are regularly trained per department for skills enhancement.
Cultural preservation and promotion/protection of local sites	The Sands at Nomad promotes the local culture actively in various ways. • The architecture of the facility depicts the local Mijikenda traditional huts with thatched roofs. • Various pieces of décor have blended contemporary designs with the local culture e.g. cushions, old dhow for holding towels etc. • Some staff member such as porters dress in traditional clothes to promote the local culture. • The hotel offers cultural visits to Kaya Kinondo for the guests to experience the local culture.
Benefits to local community/community empowerment	The facility employs staff primarily from the local area. Approximately 80% of the employees are locals. The Sands at Nomad supports the local community in various aspects related to conservation and enterprise and. They include; • Nomad Permaculture farm and community education centre. This project has just been started at the resort and is aimed at producing fresh herbs for the restaurant while educating the community to make their land more productive. This will help in providing an alternative source of income for the local people. • The facility has a weekly Maasai Market within their premises to allow local entrepreneurs to sell curios and artifacts directly to the guests. • The facility also supports a group of young local acrobats to entertain the guests at the beach front Nomad Restaurant. The hotel also gives donations of Chipped crockery, cups and reusable cooking oil, to a local children’s home called the Born Again Children’s Home.
Cultural Criteria
Health and safety	Firefighting equipment has been inspected and duly serviced by Kensil Limited. A number of employees have been trained on fire-fighting skills. Food handlers have undergone medical tests in August 2017 in compliance with Food, Drugs, and Chemical substances Act. Cap 25 The facility has an emergency procedure and emergency contacts in place included in the room information folder within the guest rooms. Fire exits and assembly points are properly marked and displayed within the facility.
Child labor, abuse and human rights	The management of The Sands at Nomad strictly adheres to the minimum legal working age of 18 years.
Business Practises Criteria
Entry Date	12th March 2018

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Tawi Lodge

Name of the facility	Tawi Lodge
Certification Achieved	Gold
Year opened	2010
Tourism region	Tsavo/Amboseli
County	Kajiado
Address	Head Office - Nairobi Map It
Telephone/Mobile	+254 20 2081747
Email	info@tawilodge.com
Website	tawilodge.com
Facility Notes	Tawi Lodge is located in Tawi-Kilotome Conservancy, approximately ten kilometers from Kimana Gate - the eastern entrance to Amboseli National Park. The facility sits on 6,000 acres of land which forms the Conservancy on a renewable lease period of 35 years. It is specifically located on GPS coordinates S02.43.531 and E037.24.855. The lodge has 13 cottages with a bed capacity of 24 guests, is open all year round and has 25 employees for its operations. Tawi-Kilitome Conservancy is the result of a joint partnership between the local community –100 individual land owners, African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and Tawi Lodge. The initiative was established to ensure land and wildlife habitat conservation, retain the migratory corridor between Amboseli National Park and Tsavo West National Park, reduce land fragmentation and provide income to the local land owners. Bed night fees and conservancy fees are collected from every guest to support the Conservancy and which also directly supports the community. The conservancy borders the Amboseli National Park to the eastern side, and forms a critical wildlife dispersal area. Amboseli National Park is about 392 km2 in size located in the 8,000 km2 Amboseli ecosystem that straddles across the Kenya-Tanzania border. It was gazetted as a National Park in 1974 in order to protect the core of the ecosystem. Amboseli is home to a variety of wildlife and famous for elephant watching. Other common wildlife includes: Cape buffalo, impala, lion, cheetah, hyena, giraffe, zebra, and wildebeest. It is also a haven for birdlife with over 400 species recorded. Other attractions include opportunities to interact with the local Maasai community and spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa.
Energy management	The main energy source of the lodge is solar which used in the running of the electronic appliances in the facility. Six (6) solar coils are used for heating the pool water and are contained using a metallic cage to secure it from wildlife interference. Solar power is also used for water heating in guest rooms, in compliance with the Solar Water Heating Regulations. The lodge has 17 solar water heaters with 250 litres reservoir capacity. Energy saving bulbs are installed in the guest tents to save on energy. Saw dust is also used as an insulator in order to reduce energy lost through radiation in an energy efficient cook stove. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is used for cooking for guests. Guests are briefed on energy conservation upon arrival. Staffs on the other hand are also educated on energy conservation and efficiency through regular briefings. To cut down on energy consumption, the facility intends on hoisting its water tank so that supply to the main consumption areas is gravity enabled.
Environmental management	Tawi Lodge has an environmental policy which is committed to ensuring social and environmentally sustainable business practices, environmental protection, community involvement and compliance with all applicable environmental regulations. The lodge has a sustainability policy in place with management plans which guides on proper environmental conduct in the consumption of natural resources, waste management and health and safety practices.
Chemical use	The camp uses Teepol products in its laundry, the kitchen and cleaning public areas which are biodegradable. Material Safety Data Sheets for the chemicals are available; staff are equipped with knowledge on handling and proper use of these chemicals. Biodegradable bathing soaps and shampoos are used within the guest tents. Gas is bought in bulk in a five (5) tone cylinder, the storage area is caged, away from human dwellings and precautionary signage well fixed.
Conservation Criteria
Community Criteria
Solid waste management	Organic waste - food waste - is sorted at the source and stored at the waste management center. The organic waste is then composted in a wire mesh caged pit Waste is separated at source and the bins are colour coded instead of labling to aid in the process of separation.
Water management	The main source of water for the camp is a borehole which uses solar pump to supply the water round the facility. A water meter has been installed at source to monitor usage. Daily meter readings and recording is done. Visitors are sensitized on sustainable water consumption on arrival and towel talk well placed in every room. Proper communication on water conservation is placed in all key water consumption point. The facility maintains a watering hole which is filled daily for the wild animals of the conservancy to take water from when the need arises.
Visitor communication & education	Visitors are briefed upon arrival on the lodge’s operations and environmental values. The guest tents are equipped with information on notice boards on environmental conservation and operations of Lodge. The lodge conducts nature talks and game drives for the guest in the effort to enlighten them on major conservation issues.
Pollution	The pathways are lit using low wattage bulbs at night to reduce on light pollution. The facility makes use of camels and donkeys for transport around the facility to cut down on emissions.
Environmental conservation	Through Africa Wildlife Foundation (AWF), Tawi lodge partnered with 100 local land owners and established Tawi-Kilitome conservancy of 6,000 acres dedicated to conservation. The facility plays a major role in the conservation of elephants through the Amboseli Trust for Elephants which carries out ecological monitoring of the ecosystem, for the benefit of the largest land mammals Tawi Lodge carries out a reforestation project through seed-balls; the project ensures propagation of indigenous tree species by disposing off seeds wrapped in clay and compost. The seeds are dispersed during game drives and are allowed to germinate at their own time when all conditions are favorable. The lodge is part of a community owned conservancy called the Tawi Conservancy. The conservancy is a migratory corridor of wildlife from Chyulu to Tsavo hence making it an area of biological importance.
Waste water management	Effluent from the guest kitchen flows through a portable grease trap to filter out oils and grease before draining into a soak pit. The grease trap is cleaned daily for efficiency. Grey waste water from the laundry, guest rooms and staff quarters flows into a closed drainage system which comprises of septic tanks and soak pits. Black water within the facility, guest area, public areas and staff quarters is managed through a three chamber septic tank; which comprises of a sewer line, manholes, and septic tanks and soaks pits. It has three (3) septic tanks. Bio-enzymes are added to enhance in sludge digestion. The swimming pool is cleaned via scrubbing, brushing and the backwash system. PH (alkalinity and acidity) is checked twice a day. The pool water is cleaned through sand filtration and eco-salts added and the surplus water flows to a wetland with aquatic plants and fish.
Purchasing and supplies	Meat is bought and packed in cool boxes. Fruits and vegetables are packed in re-usable crates. The facility also obtains its vegetables from the local community.
Employment and remuneration/staff welfare	Employees are provided with, food, medical cover, uniform, entertainment center, transport and accommodation facilities. Staff accommodation is well maintained i.e. clean and well kept The staffs are paid in line with the minimum wage, are given letters of appointment, code of conduct and job descriptions upon employment.
Staff education, communication and awareness training	Notice boards are used to facilitate communication to the staff.
Cultural preservation and promotion/protection of local sites	The facility informs clients on the cultural information within the area using literature material.
Benefits to local community/community empowerment	The conservancy is 6,000 acres big with 100 land owners who have gained economically from the lease fees and bed occupancy fees paid by the lodge. 50% of employees at the lodge are from the community and obtains its milk, tomatoes, maize and melons from local vendors. The facility sponsors intelligent students from humble background to undertake their high school education. This program was started in 2016 and has since benefitted 2 children. The facility takes guests to Maasai villages where they pay 20USD. 12USD goes to Lemong’o cultural boma while 8USD goes to the conservancy. The lodge supplied the locals with 10 water filtering buckets. The buckets were supplied by Sandra Vaugan of Grant Circle Foundation from Tanzania. This was done in the effort to cut down on child mortality from consumption of dirty water. Maasai dancers come to the facility to entertain guests and are thereafter paid for the service rendered. The sandals utilized in the rooms are donated to the locals for their use instead of disposing off them. The facility has been supporting bee farming, community owned project since 2013.
Cultural Criteria
Health and safety	Fire-fighting equipment including fire extinguishers, fire hose rails, automatic fire extinguishers, and fire blanket in the kitchen are strategically placed and duly serviced. Servicing is conducted by KK Security company every six months. The facility has an elaborate fire-fighting system consisting of fire stations per tent complete with two portable extinguishers (foam and carbon dioxide), fire alarm and a hose reel. Fire drills are regularly conducted to enhance for emergency. The fire assembly point is stationed at an accessible point and well labeled. The facility provides protective gear / PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) such as boots, uniform, gloves, apron to the staff. A health and safety audit has been conducted in accordance with section 11 of Occupational Safety and Health Act 2007. The facility has conducted a fire safety audit to comply with Factories and other places of work (Fire Risk Reduction) Rules 2007.
Child labor, abuse and human rights	The camp has well defined Human Resource policy that guides against employment of minors. Minimum employment age is 18years.
Business Practises Criteria
Entry Date	10th November 2017

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Sweetwaters Serena Camp

Name of the facility	Sweetwaters Serena Camp
Certification Achieved	Gold
Year opened	1990
Tourism region	Laikipia/Samburu
County	Laikipia
Address	Ol Pejeta Conservancy Map It
Telephone/Mobile	+254 734699852
Email	sweetwaters@serena.co.ke
Website	serena.co.ke
Facility Notes	Sweetwaters Serena Camp is located at Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The camp is specifically located on Global Positioning System (GPS) Coordinates, Latitude 036 56 40.8 and Longitude 000 002 21.0011 N. The camp is located on 50 acres of land leased within the conservancy. It has 56 guest tents with a bed capacity of 120 visitors and a total work force of 110 employees. Ol Pejeta conservancy is managed as a wildlife Sanctuary, including the endangered black and white rhinos, leopard, elephant, buffalo and lion. Other wildlife includes Grevy’s zebra, Jackson’s hartebeest, cheetah and chimpanzee. The Conservancy works to conserve wildlife and provide a sanctuary for Chimpanzees. It aims to generate income through wildlife and tourism enterprises which is invested in conservation and community development. The camp promotes environmental conservation through remittance of bed night fees, lease fees and conservancy fees to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, who collects funding necessary for wildlife conservation and enhances community development through providing financial assistance to projects on education, health, water, roads, agriculture, livestock Extension and Community-Based Tourism.
Energy management	Main source of power for the Camp is from the Kenya power national grid. However, the facility has two (2) backup diesel generators with an output capacity of 135KvA and 250KvA respectively. The generator servicing hours and fuel consumption are closely monitored. The facility has metered its energy consumption at the main source, and major consumption areas including the laundry and kitchen. It has installed energy saving and Lighting Emitting Diodes (LED) bulbs throughout its premises. Water heating for the guest rooms is done using solar water heaters. The heaters are boosted by a backup heat calorifier and generator powered electrical heaters and the facility has a solar powered electric fence. LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) is used for cooking throughout the facility. Staff and guests are sensitized on energy conservation through departmental meetings (switch off unnecessary lights and electrical appliances) and room information folders in the guest tents
Environmental management	Sweetwaters is guided by the Serena Hotels corporate environmental statement which is committed to protecting the environment, monitoring the interests of the local population, practicing a responsible attitude towards resource use and conservation of protected areas. The camp has an Environmental Management System (EMS) with management plans for water, energy and waste.
Chemical use	The facility purchases its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in bulk and stored in two (2) cylinders; weighing (2) two tones with a PSI of 375. Sweetwaters uses bio-degradable chemicals such as Diversy chemicals in its laundry and Eco-boutique shower amenities within the guest rooms. Material Safety Data Sheets for the Chemicals are available. Staff is trained on handling. Henkel chemicals including chlorine and algaecide are used for pool treatments. MSDS for chemicals is available. Fuel (diesel) is stored in two tanks of approximately 9,000 litres.
Conservation Criteria
Community Criteria
Solid waste management	Waste separation is conducted at the source, (guest kitchen) the bins are clearly labelled. Organic waste is given to a local pig farmer contracted by the camp. Plastics, Metallic (tins), Glass waste is stored at the waste management centre waiting disposal through Nairobi Serena Central stores. Water suppliers i.e. Keringet collects its plastic waste after supply. The camp uses 18litres, drinking water dispensers in its staff quarters area, and offices aimed at reducing plastic waste.
Water management	The main source of water for the Camp is from a borehole under Ol Pejeta Conservancy Management. The water is pumped into two (2) reservoirs; with a total capacity of approximately 90,000 litres. The water is metered at the source (in-let). The tanks are fixed with float switches to switch off the pump and avoid spillage. Rain water harvesting is conducted in two (2) tanks of 5000 litres at the staff quarters. Meter readings are conducted twice (2) daily. The records assist the facility to monitor its consumption and possible leakages. The Camp encourages its visitors to re-use their towels through their room information sheets aimed at water conservation and reduced use of laundry chemicals. Also, visual signage is mounted in different water use points around the camp. Water efficient appliances such as shower heads fitted with faucets (tap flow reducers) have been installed in the guest rooms. The facility has also embraced dual cistern toilets for its guest tents. Press taps and push taps are fixed in areas such as the guest kitchen. Automatic utensil washer is fitted in the kitchen to enhance efficiency and reduce on water use. Laundry machines are operated at their optimum load to conserve energy and water
Visitor communication & education	The camp has elaborate room information folders with information on camp operations, environmental policies, and information on Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Guests are briefed upon arrival on the existing activities at the camp and conservancy and the camp’s environmental conservation initiatives
Pollution	The generator is stored in an acoustic body (sound proof room) and fitted with a muffler (sound reducing devices). The facility lights are covered or shaded to reduce light pollution. The kitchen is fitted with a hub for ventilation
Environmental conservation	Sweetwaters has an environmental day set for the 8th of every month. The day involves sensitization talks on waste, energy and water management and conservation activities such as tree planting whereby willing guests and staff are involved in these activities. The camp has a tree planting program aimed at rehabilitating its environs and it involves nearby schools. Tree planting activities are conducted together with the local community and guests. Additionally, the facility also donates seedlings to the local community. The facility Naturalist organizes and offers environmental sensitization lectures every evening to guests. Talks include information on Ol Pejeta Conservancy and its conservation efforts. The camp has a tree nursery where it nurtures indigenous seedlings, which are the later planted within the premises. The facility’s architectural design blends with the natural surroundings. Sweetwaters Serena promotes conservation within Ol pejeta through awareness creation on the unique attributes of the conservancy such as the Northern white rhino sanctuary and the Chimpanzee sanctuary. In addition, the camp guides are involved in rhino and lion tracking and monitoring within the conservancy. Low impact activities offered by the camp include nature and bird walks, camel rides. The nature walks are guided by an armed ranger guide.
Waste water management	Swimming pool water is cleaned via vacuum cleaning and backwash system. Backwash is conducted twice a week. Grey water from the kitchen passes through a grease trap before joining the sewer system. Sweetwaters Serena has a waste water treatment plant that caters for both Grey and Black effluent. The waste water treatment plant has three main (enclosed) chambers with various stages of filtration, biological and enzymes treatment. Bio-enzymes are added to facilitate sludge breakdown. The effluent end up in soak pits
Purchasing and supplies	Sweetwaters Serena purchases its food products in sustainable ways to reduce on packaging. Fruits and vegetables are packed in re-usable crates. Dry goods such as floor and sugar are bought in bulk 50kg bags. Meat is purchased in cooler boxes.
Employment and remuneration/staff welfare	Sweetwaters Serena has a staff welfare committee that represents employees’ issues to the management. Daily departmental meetings are held for staff briefing on activities and planning issues
Staff education, communication and awareness training	The facility has notice boards used for staff communication. Materials on the notice boards include the environmental policy, mission statement, safety policy and other relevant information.
Cultural preservation and promotion/protection of local sites	The camp supports various entertainment community cultural groups within the area. Management has established contract with five groups to entertain guests through performances on specific days (Kikuyu, Samburu and Turkana). The hotel pays the performers’ at KSh. 4000 and provides transport to and fro. The facility purchases and sources curios from the local community groups for sale at the curio shop.
Benefits to local community/community empowerment	Approximately 30% of the permanent employees are from the local area (within Nanyuki); however, all the casuals are employed from the local villages around the conservancy. The facility offers internship opportunities to students from the local colleges and universities. At least 3 slots are reserved for the local people. The camp has a CSR committee spearheaded by the manager, nurse and heads of departments. An annual plan is formulated followed by specific quarterly activities for the year. Sweetwaters obtains purchases such as fruits and vegetables locally. Local suppliers are given first priority. The facility remits bed night fees, lease fees and conservancy fees to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The funding is necessary for wildlife conservation and enhances community development through providing financial assistance to different projects on education, health, water, roads, agriculture, livestock Extension and Community-Based Tourism. To complement the Conservancy activities or projects, Sweetwaters Serena has its own corporate social responsibility; the facility invests in education, health, purchasing local products, and Community well-being
Cultural Criteria
Health and safety	Sweetwaters Serena has a health and safety policy committed to meeting all statutory requirements and complying with occupational health and safety legal requirements. The camp has a health and safety committee spearheaded by the heads of departments (HODS). Quarterly meeting are held. The committee organizes self-audits on health and safety and risk assessments audits. Fire drills are conducted at least twice in a year to enhance the emergency and evacuation plan of the camp. Additionally, staff is sensitized on fire fighting. The facility has an emergency evacuation plan or procedure placed in the guest tents. Medical check-ups are conducted every six months to all kitchen staff (food and beverage handlers) in the facility. Sweetwaters has received its Health Clearance Certificate from the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation. The camp has an in-house 24hrs clinic and clinical Officer to cater for staff and guest medical health care. Referrals are made to Nanyuki Cottage Hospital. First aid kits (boxes) are strategically distributed in the main departments such as laundry and kitchen. Firefighting equipment such as fire hydrants, fire extinguishers, kitchen fire blanket, automatic fire suppression appliances are serviced and strategically placed within the facility. Sand buckets are also available to complement the firefighting equipment. The Camp provides PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) or working gear including boots, gloves, and aprons to its repairs and maintenance (R&M). Safety and precautionary signage are fixed in strategic areas within the facility. Smoke detectors and fire alarms are fixed at the guest tents.
Child labor, abuse and human rights	The facility does not employ any person below the legal working age of 18 years.
Business Practises Criteria
Entry Date	13th March 2018

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Solio Lodge

Name of the facility	Solio Lodge
Certification Achieved	Gold
Year opened	2010
Tourism region	Laikipia/Samburu
County	Laikipia
Address	Solio Ranch in Laikipia County Map It
Telephone/Mobile	+254 725 675 830
Email	soliolodge@thesafaricollection.com
Website	thesafaricollection.com.
Facility Notes	Solio lodge is located within Solio Ranch - a privately owned wildlife conservancy situated in Laikipia County, 22 kilometers North of Nyeri Town. The lodge is specifically located on Global Positioning System (GPS) Coordinates, Latitude: 000.15’4.512 S and Longitude: 360.52’43.776 E. It has 6 guest tents with a bed capacity of 12 visitors and a total work force of 30 employees. Solio Ranch is located on approximately 17,500 acres parcel of land and it is a protected area geared towards rhino conservation. The Ranch plays a major role in the protection and breeding black rhinos in Kenya. Its conservation and breeding program has been successful and provides stock for translocation to other sanctuaries, such as Nakuru, Tsavo and the Aberdares National Parks. The Ranch is also home to other wildlife, including buffalo, zebra, giraffe and plains game such as eland, oryx, impala, waterbuck, Thompson's gazelle and warthog. It is a haven for birdlife including grey-crowned cranes.
Energy management	Solio lodge’s main source of power is Kenya Power electricity grid. However, the facility has a backup generator with power output capacity of 38 KvA. Water heating for the facility is conducted through the use of six (6) energy efficient kuni boilers (Dead wood is supplied by the Ranch or obtained from Loldia Farm in Navaisha). Further the facility is trying out the use of solar water heating (capacity of 600 litres has been installed) and once effective it will be implemented throughout the premises. Energy consumption is metered at source and monitoring done. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) and energy saving bulbs are installed throughout for energy conservation. Liquefied Petroleum gas (LPG) is used for guests cooking whereas fuel-wood in is used at the staff quarters. The facility has two (2) laundry machines which are operated at their optimum weight to enhance their efficiency and conserve on energy. Staff is sensitized on energy conservation through departmental briefings and sensitization signage
Environmental management	Solio lodge is steered by the Corporate Company’s- The Safari Collection - environmental policy. The document puts emphasis on continued improvement on sound and sustainable management practices, social responsibility, commitment to environmental protection and conservation of resources such as water energy, and waste management, and compliance to relevant government regulations and legislations. The lodge has undertaken its annual self-Environmental Audit (EA) as required by EMCA 1999 (Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act). The facility has an environmental management system (EMS) to spearhead its operations. The EMS includes set objectives, and monitoring plans for resources such as water, energy, and waste management.
Chemical use	Solio lodge uses high quality biodegradable washing detergents for its laundry. The chemicals are accompanied by a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). Biodegradable bathing soaps and solutions are used within the lodge. Fuel i.e. petrol and diesel are stored in 20 litres containers in a properly secured store. Liquefied Petroleum gas is stored in 50 kg cylinders. The cylinders are well secured - outside - for safety purposes.
Conservation Criteria
Community Criteria
Solid waste management	The lodge has a waste management policy. Waste separation is conducted at source. The bins are clearly labeled. (Plastics, organic and tins etc). In waste reduction attempts the facility; • Has a no plastic bottle use policy • Uses 18 litre drinking water dispensers in its staff departments aimed at plastic waste reduction. • Has decorated i.e. beaded wine bottles used to serve water at the guest rooms – an initiative to reduce on plastic waste. Organic waste is donated to a local pig farmer – it is collected on daily basis. Plastics, metallic waste (tins), glass (wine bottles are put in bags awaiting disposal via Nairobi Safari Collection Central Stores Offices. Paper waste is burned in the facility incinerator. The lodge keeps an inventory of waste (types and quantity) generated for efforts aimed at waste monitoring at source. A waste disposal tracking form’ has been established to ensure the waste (from the lodge) is delivered to the intended destination
Water management	Main source of water for the lodge is obtained from a borehole. Water is also obtained from the river for irrigation purposes and by harvesting rain water. The borehole water is pumped and collected in reservoirs of 15,000 litres for supply through gravitational force to the entire premises. The reservoir is fixed with a float switch to avoid overflow spillage. A water meter is fixed at source (borehole and river water) to monitor consumption. Solio lodge has a routine reporting procedure to monitor water leakages. The efforts are spearheaded by the housekeeping and Repairs & Maintenance (R&M) sections. The guestrooms have fixed dual flush water efficient toilets. Water efficient technology such as lift taps and mixture taps are fixed in the guest cottages and guest kitchen. The facility lawns are irrigated in the early mornings. Staff is sensitized on water conservation through departmental briefings. Further sensitization signage is strategically placed within the facility main user points. The lodge also encourages its visitors to re-use their towels through sensitization signage and their room information folders aimed at water conservation and reduced use of laundry chemicals. In an effort to save water, the facility has ‘save a bucket initiative’ whereby guest are sensitized to put a bucket and collect running water from showers before it gets hot. The water is later used for irrigating lawns within the premises.
Visitor communication & education	Solio lodge guest cottages are equipped with elaborate room information folders and nature magazines. Room information folders contain available activities and operations within Solio Ranch. Further it illustrates the uniqueness of the Ranch with detailed information on Rhino protection. Checklist on birds, mammals, marsh life etc. is also available. Further, guests are briefed upon arrival on the existing activities of the lodge and environmental conservation such as on water. Once in a while lecture and slide shows are shown on wildlife conservation to the clients.
Pollution	Paraffin lanterns are used for lighting the pathways at night and to reduce on light emission. The generator is stored in a sound proof room fitted with a muffler system (sound reducing device).
Environmental conservation	The lodge is artistically designed with glass windows and doors for natural lighting and landscape views. The walls are made of stone and painted brown to blend in the surrounding. The roofing is made from grass thatch that blends in with the natural surroundings. Path ways within the lodge are aligned with sand and gravel to demarcate the way. The facility offers low environmental impact activities such as horse riding, cycling, bird watching and nature walks conducted within the ranch. The activities are aimed at sensitizing the visitors on the surrounding environment. Through Solio lodge, visitors are expected to pay conservancy fees (80 USD for non-resident and 40 USD for resident per night) directly to Solio Ranch. The money collected is fully paid to the ranch management for conservation activities. The lodge management and safari guides, assist in wildlife monitoring through reporting incidences such as injured wildlife to the Ranch officials. The guides assist in tracking of individual rhinos, as well as monitoring the stocking density of rhinos in the ranch through participating in data with the Ranch management. The facility runs a ‘Lions Kid Camp’ – a week long initiative through which kids are sensitized on wildlife conservation. The initiative born from Saasab Samburu through Ewaso Lions has been used to create awareness to school going children within the area
Waste water management	The kitchen effluent system has grease traps to filter out oils and grease. All grey water from the kitchen, guest rooms and staff quarters is managed via soak pits. Water effluent sample tests are conducted at the facility in compliance with Environmental Management and Coordination (Water Quality) Regulations 2006. Black water within the facility is managed through septic tanks. The facility has five (5) septic tanks and has an effluent discharge license
Purchasing and supplies	The lodge purchases its products in bulk to reduce on packaging. Fruits and vegetables are packed in re-usable crates whereas meat is packaged in cool boxes
Employment and remuneration/staff welfare	The lodge has a staff welfare committee which handles and addresses staff issues. It meets on monthly basis.
Staff education, communication and awareness training	The facility has notice board for staff communication. Staff briefings are held at departmental level on daily basis for planning activities
Cultural preservation and promotion/protection of local sites	The lodge is located in a cosmopolitan area hence no elaborate culture is available however willing visitors are provided with local delicacies and taken to the local open air market to interact with the local people.
Benefits to local community/community empowerment	Solio Lodge purchases its products including fruits and vegetables, staff meat from local suppliers in Mweiga, Nyeri and Narumoru area. At least 40% of the employees are hired from the local area (inclusive casuals). The lodge has a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Plan. It engages its guests through various initiatives; this includes education, health and conservation initiatives. • Education; the lodge supports Honi primary school through text books donations and is upgrading six (6) classrooms from mabati to permanent stone buildings. At Laburria School – Solio lodge rebuilt (refurbishment) a block of classrooms at value of approximately $10,000 and donated textbooks. Other donations such as sports equipment and text books have been done at Lachuta primary school. • Health – In 2015 and May 2016, Solio lodge with support of MEAK (Medical and Educational Aid to Kenya) Foundation hosted an eye clinic (ophthalmic services) for the local community at the local Mary Immaculate Hospital. Over 2,000 people have benefited from the annual event which runs 7 days in a week. Approximately $10,000 was used in 2015. Further, a dental clinic was also held Mary Immaculate Hospital in 2015 (Approximately $6,000 was used) • In conservation, the lodge involves Mwihogo Secondary school on ad hoc basis through wildlife talks and donation of sports equipment. • In mentorship, Solio Lodge engages Laburra Secondary school through ‘TEAM talks’ aimed at creating awareness and sensitizing the pupils on self-esteem, and sexual health. The initiative was conducted in year 2013 and 2014. The lodge is a member of “Pack for a Purpose”, an online system where visitors are encouraged to pack items needed by the communities in areas where they travel. Donations made include learning materials and stationery. Occasionally, the lodge makes donations such as clothes, and food to local Mary Immaculate Orphanage which has 30 children. Staff is provided with health care, uniform, food, accommodation facilities and basic amenities such as soaps.
Cultural Criteria
Health and safety	The facility has conducted the annual health & safety and fire audit in compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2007 and Factories and other places of work (Fire Risk Reduction) Rules 2007 respectively. The lodge has a Health Clearance Certificate from the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation. It is also registered as a workplace and provided with a license under the OSH 2007 requirements. The facility has (2) two staff trained on advanced first aid whereas six (6) are trained on general first aid. In addition, it has a doctor on call. Medical emergencies for guests are referred to Nanyuki Cottage Hospital whereas staff are refereed to Mary Immaculate Hospital (Staff medical care is insured under Britam hence can attend any other hospital). The lodge has an optimal core team of (5) members trained on Occupational Health and Safety. Emergency contacts are well displayed within the facility notice boards. Verified medical checkups are conducted every six months for all kitchen staff (food and beverage handlers) in the lodge to ascertain their health fitness, and in compliance with the Food, Drugs, and Chemical substances Act. Cap 254. Firefighting equipment including fire extinguishers, fire electric alarm, fire blanket in the kitchen, are serviced and are strategically placed within the facility. Sand buckets are fixed to compliment the fire extinguishers. Safety and precautionary signage such as no smoking, highly flammable are fixed in strategic areas including the generator room. The facility provides protective gear / PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) such as boots, uniform, gloves and aprons to the staff. Fire assembly points and fire exits and alarm are clearly and conspicuously marked within the lodge. The lodge has well equipped first aid kit located in the main office.
Child labor, abuse and human rights	The facility does not employ any person below the legal working age of 18 years.
Business Practises Criteria
Entry Date	13th March 2018

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