BENCHMARKING ASSESSMENT

REPORT
ACCOMMODATION - BUSINESS HOTEL BENCHMARKING
RADISSON HOTEL SHANGHAI HONGQUAN
SHANGHAI, CHINA

REPORT DATE: 25 July 2013

Benchmarking Data Collection Period: 1 January 2012 – 31 December 2012

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OVERVIEW
This annual assessment of Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan was undertaken against
EarthCheck benchmarking indicators and checklists developed for EarthCheck and listed below.
1
They have been carefully selected to track performance in key areas of environmental and
social performance impact. EarthCheck benchmarking provides an organisation a vehicle for
sustainability reporting and is based on the premise of continual improvement. By undertaking
a Benchmarking Assessment an organisation meets the requirements of annual benchmarking
which includes the collection and submission of benchmarking data to EarthCheck for review
and completion of the Benchmarking Assessment Report.2

Indicator Measure (Benchmark)

1 Policy Policy is produced and in place

Energy Consumption (MJ / Guest Night)

Green Power (%)3
2 Energy
Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Scope 1 and Scope 2) (kg CO2-e / Guest Night)
Indirect Emissions (Scope 3) (kg CO2-e / Guest Night)

Potable Water Consumption (L / Guest Night)

3 Water Recycled / Captured Water (%)3
Water Savings Rating (Points)

Waste Sent to Landfill (L / Guest Night)

4 Waste Recycled / Reused / Composted Waste (%)3
Waste Recycling Rating (Points)

Community Commitment (%)

5 Community
Community Contributions Rating (Points)

6 Paper Paper Products Rating (Points)

7 Cleaning Cleaning Products Rating (Points)

8 Pesticides Pesticide Products Rating (Points)

1
Refer to the EarthCheck Sector Benchmarking Indicator (SBI) document for more information. For frequently asked
questions (FAQs) about benchmarking or specific help, please log on to ‘My EarthCheck’ and visit your EarthCheck
Benchmarking software.

2
To meet the requirements stipulated in the EarthCheck Company Standard organisations are required to collect and
submit Benchmarking data against each of the Core Benchmarking Indicators by way of annual Benchmarking
Assessment, and have in place a repeatable system for accurately recording Benchmarking data including a
methodology for calculating the organisation’s Activity Measure for each consecutive year.

As a standard policy, all EarthCheck indicators are continuously reviewed, along with the performance levels which
operators have to achieve in order to meet the requirements of the Company Standard. This review takes into account
“business-as-usual” changes in practices and equipment, and is used to update where appropriate Baseline and Best
Practice levels.

3
These indicators are for guidance only and do not affect the overall benchmarking evaluation.
EarthCheck® is a registered trademark of Earthcheck Pty Ltd.

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ACCOMMODATION - BUSINESS HOTEL PERFORMANCE

BENCHMARKS
Current performance: Below Baseline  At or above Baseline  At or above Best Practice 

1. Policy 
2. Energy

Energy Consumption (MJ / Guest Night) 

Energy Consumption (MJ / Guest Night) for

the year 2012 (1 January 2012 – 31
December 2012) was 491.6 MJ / Guest Night,
which was 31.1% below the Baseline level.

Green Power (%)

Green Power (%) for the year 2012 (1

January 2012 – 31 December 2012) was 0%.

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Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Scope 1 and Scope 2) (kg CO2-e / Guest Night) 

Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Scope 1 and

Scope 2) (kg CO2-e / Guest Night) for the
year 2012 (1 January 2012 – 31 December
2012) was 48.8 kg CO2-e / Guest Night, which
was 7.2% better than the Baseline level.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Breakdown by Scope (kg CO2-e / Guest Night)

Direct Emissions (Scope 1) (kg CO2-e / Guest

Night) for the year 2012 (1 January 2012 – 31
December 2012) was 18.5 kg CO2-e / Guest
Night.

Indirect Emissions (Scope 2) (kg CO2-e /

Guest Night) for the year 2012 (1 January
2012 – 31 December 2012) was 30.2 kg CO2-
e / Guest Night.

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Indirect Emissions (Scope 3) (kg CO2-e / Guest Night)

Indirect Emissions (Scope 3) (kg CO2-e /

Guest Night) for the year 2012 (1 January
2012 – 31 December 2012) was 0.0 kg CO2-e
/ Guest Night.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Scope 3 Breakdown (kg CO2-e / Guest Night)

Transport Indirect Emissions (Scope 3) (kg

CO2-e / Guest Night) for the year 2012 (1
January 2012 – 31 December 2012) not
measured as no data entered.

Waste Indirect Emissions (Scope 3) (kg CO2-e

/ Guest Night) for the year 2012 (1 January
2012 – 31 December 2012) was 0.0 kg CO2-e
/ Guest Night.

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Direct Emissions (Scope 1)

Stationary Fuel Combustion
Type Quantity Unit Energy CO2 Emission CH4 Emission N2O Emission Total Emission
Consumption Estimate Estimate Estimate Estimate
(MJ) (t CO2-e) (t CO2-e) (t CO2-e) (t CO2-e)
Town Gas 1146962 cubic metres (m3) 41387527.3 2321.8 4.3 1.3 2327.4
subtotal 41387527.3 2321.8 4.3 1.3 2327.4
Mobile Fuel Combustion (road)
Motor gasoline 16767 litres (L) 546164.7 37.8 0.3 1.4 39.5
subtotal 546164.7 37.8 0.3 1.4 39.5
TOTAL 41933692.1 2359.6 4.6 2.7 2366.9
Indirect Emissions (Scope 2)
Purchased Electricity
Quantity Unit % Green Provider Energy CO2 Emission CH4 Emission N2O Emission Total Emission
Power Consumption Estimate Estimate Estimate Estimate
(MJ) (t CO2-e) (t CO2-e) (t CO2-e) (t CO2-e)
5775006 Kilowatt hour (kWh) 0 China, East China Grid 20790021.6 3824.2 1.8 33.0 3858.9
subtotal 20790021.6 3824.2 1.8 33.0 3858.9
TOTAL 20790021.6 3824.2 1.8 33.0 3858.9
Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Scope 1 and Scope 2)
GRAND TOTAL 62723713.7 6183.8 6.4 35.7 6225.8
Indirect Emissions (Scope 3)
Waste Sent to Landfill
Quantity Unit Type of Landfill Type of Type of Source CO2 Emission CH4 Emission N2O Emission Total Emission
Waste Operation Estimate Estimate Estimate Estimate
(t CO2-e) (t CO2-e) (t CO2-e) (t CO2-e)
300000 litres Covered and/or managed Other inert Motels, hotels International - - - -
waste treatment facility and lodgings
subtotal - - - -
TOTAL - - - -

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3. Water

Potable Water Consumption (L / Guest Night) 

Potable Water Consumption (L / Guest Night)

for the year 2012 (1 January 2012 – 31
December 2012) was 1245.1 L / Guest Night,
which was 28.0% below the Baseline level.

Quantity Unit Potable Water Consumption (kL)

158877 cubic metres 158877.0 kL
Totals: 158877.0 kL

Recycled / Captured Water (%)

Recycled / Captured Water (%) for the year

2012 (1 January 2012 – 31 December 2012)
was 0%.

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Water Savings Rating (Points) 

Water Savings Rating (Points) for the year

2012 (1 January 2012 – 31 December 2012)
was 52.1 Points, which was 2.1 Points better
than the Baseline level.

Water Savings Measures Frequency / Percentage Water Savings Rating

Rating (Points)
Check for leaks Every week 100.0 Points
Low/dual flush toilets 20-39% 58.8 Points
Low flow tap fittings 0% 0.0 Points
Low flow shower fittings 0% 0.0 Points
*Water sprinklers used after dark 100% 100.0 Points
Minimal irrigation landscaping 1-19% 54.0 Points
Use of recycle/grey/rain water Not Relevant / Not Available -
Overall Rating: 52.1 Points

*This measure has been assessed based on the information provided by the Radisson Hotel
Shanghai HongQuan that the watering of the gardens was conducted manually during night
time. (Please refer to appendix for further details.)

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4. Waste

Waste Sent to Landfill (L / Guest Night) 

Waste Sent to Landfill (L / Guest Night) for

the year 2012 (1 January 2012 – 31
December 2012) was 2.4 L / Guest Night,
which was 29.4% better than the Baseline
level.

Quantity Unit Type of Landfill Type of Type of Waste Sent to

Waste Operation Landfill (m3)
300000 litres Covered and/or managed Other inert Motels, hotels 300.0 m3
waste treatment facility and lodgings
Totals: 300.0 m3

Recycled / Reused / Composted Waste (%)

Recycled / Reused / Composted Waste (%) for

the year 2012 (1 January 2012 – 31
December 2012) was 40.0%.

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Waste Recycling Rating (Points) 

Waste Recycling Rating (Points) for the year

2012 (1 January 2012 – 31 December 2012)
was 81.4 Points, which was 1.4 Points better
than the Best Practice level.

Waste Recycling Measures Frequency / Percentage Waste Recycling Rating

Rating (Points)
Glass 20-39% 58.8 Points
Paper/card 80-99% 88.9 Points
Iron & steel (ferrous metals) Not Relevant / Not Available -
Other metals (non-ferrous) Not Relevant / Not Available -
Plastics 80-99% 88.9 Points
Rubber Not Relevant / Not Available -
Green waste 80-99% 88.9 Points
Overall Rating: 81.4 Points

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5. Community

Community Commitment (%) 

Community Commitment (%) for the year

2012 (1 January 2012 – 31 December 2012)
was 100%, which was at the Best Practice
level.

Community Contributions Rating (Points) 

Community Contributions Rating (Points) for

the year 2012 (1 January 2012 – 31
December 2012) was 77.6 Points, which was
27.6 Points better than the Baseline level.

Community Contributions Frequency / Percentage Community Contributions

Measures Rating Rating (Points)
Net income spent on 2.0% - 3.9% 58.8 Points
sustainability programs
Perishable purchased goods that 80-99% 88.9 Points
are of local origin
Service contracts given to local 60-79% 73.9 Points
contractors
Staff received training on 80-99% 88.9 Points
sustainability issues
Overall Rating: 77.6 Points

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6. Paper

Paper Products Rating (Points) 

Paper Products Rating (Points) for the year

2012 (1 January 2012 – 31 December 2012)
was 73.9 Points, which was 23.9 Points better
than the Baseline level.

Paper Products Measures Frequency / Percentage Paper Products Rating

Rating (Points)
Office paper 60-79% 73.9 Points
Serviettes 60-79% 73.9 Points
Tissues 60-79% 73.9 Points
Toilet tissue 60-79% 73.9 Points
Paper towels 60-79% 73.9 Points
Overall Rating: 73.9 Points

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7. Cleaning

Cleaning Products Rating (Points) 

Cleaning Products Rating (Points) for the year

2012 (1 January 2012 – 31 December 2012)
was 80.3 Points, which was 0.3 Points better
than the Best Practice level.

Cleaning Products Measures Frequency / Percentage Cleaning Products Rating

Rating (Points)
Hard floor cleaners 80-99% 88.9 Points
Carpet cleaners 80-99% 88.9 Points
Interior surface cleaners 60-79% 73.9 Points
External surface cleaners 60-79% 73.9 Points
Glass cleaners 60-79% 73.9 Points
Detergents 60-79% 73.9 Points
Personal hygiene 80-99% 88.9 Points
Overall Rating: 80.3 Points

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8. Pesticides

Pesticide Products Rating (Points) 

Pesticide Products Rating (Points) for the year

2012 (1 January 2012 – 31 December 2012)
was 88.9 Points, which was 8.9 Points better
than the Best Practice level.

Pesticide Products Measures Frequency / Percentage Pesticide Products Rating

Rating (Points)
Weed killers 80-99% 88.9 Points
Fungal killers 80-99% 88.9 Points
Rodent killers 80-99% 88.9 Points
Insect killers 80-99% 88.9 Points
Overall Rating: 88.9 Points

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HISTORIC BENCHMARKING INDICATORS

1. Renewable Energy
Renewable Energy % is no longer a supplementary indicator; it is included here for historical
reference.

Renewable Energy Used (%)

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The supplied data has been compiled by the Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan in the
prescribed manner, authorised by a senior executive of the company and submitted for an
annual assessment.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Congratulations, the Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan has met the requirements to be
recognised as an EarthCheck Benchmarked Accommodation - Business Hotel.

In addition to having a Sustainability Policy in place, nine of the assessed EarthCheck

indicators are at or above the Baseline level. From the benchmarking data provided, four
indicators, Waste Recycling Rating, Community Commitment, Cleaning Products Rating, and
Pesticide Products Rating, are at or above the Best Practice level, which is an achievement to
be commended.

The two indicators that fell below the Baseline level were Energy Consumption, and Potable
Water Consumption.

The value for Energy Consumption was 31.1% below the Baseline level. The Radisson Hotel
Shanghai HongQuan is encouraged to review all its existing energy consumption and
demand patterns for both facilities (e.g. use of low wattage, energy saving light fittings and
timers to switch-off lights) and vehicles (e.g. reducing the number of journeys). Radisson
Hotel Shanghai HongQuan is encouraged to investigate other renewable energy options
such as Hydro, Solar, or Wind.

The value for Potable Water Consumption was 28.0% below the Baseline level. The Radisson
Hotel Shanghai HongQuan are encouraged, therefore, to review current on-site water use
and the possibility of increasing on-site recycling and reuse (e.g. using non-hazardous rain
water and/or grey water for watering plants and washing exterior surfaces). The Radisson
Hotel Shanghai HongQuan are also encouraged to regularly check for possible leaks, and
fitting (where appropriate) water saving devices such as low-flow shower heads and dual flush
toilet cisterns.

The Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan is encouraged to continue to make improvements

in the above indicators and to ensure that any indicators below baseline are addressed in the
organisation’s risk assessment and long term sustainability approach.

Improvements in all the EarthCheck indicators will not only help the environment, but can also
help reduce operational costs. Due to the positive commitment that the Radisson Hotel
Shanghai HongQuan has demonstrated to the environment, the assessors are confident that
they can maintain or improve performance, where appropriate and practical, in all indicators.
In particular over the next 12 months, the Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan is
encouraged to ensure that Energy Consumption, Potable Water Consumption are at Baseline
performance or better. In line with EarthCheck Policy this would enable the Radisson Hotel
Shanghai HongQuan to continue to meet the benchmarking requirements of the EarthCheck
program.

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APPENDIX
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
The Benchmarking Assessors sought clarification with regards to Energy Consumption as the
submitted energy source of Town Gas was different to the previous assessment, and no Diesel
was submitted under Mobile Fuel Combustion (road). Additionally, the Total Number of Visitors
for ‘Visitor Transport’ was greater than expected.

The Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan advised the following (in red):

Current Assessment (2012)

Stationary Fuel Town Gas 1 146 962 m3
Combustion This was mentioned by our Chief Engineer, the type of gas is
Town Gas
Mobile Fuel Combustion Motor gasoline 16 767 L
(road) The diesel car was sold this year, thus you can see the figure of
motor gasoline is much higher than last year
Visitor Transport 1.4 – 2.0L car, 3600 International visitors, 15 km
travelled per visitor

1.4 – 2.0L car, 1 809 296 International visitors, 15

Employee Transport
km travelled per visitor
This blank should be N/A
1.4 – 2.0L car, 300 International employees, 10 km travelled per
employee
This blank should be N/A

The revised Energy Consumption can be found below:

Stationary Fuel Combustion

Type Quantity Unit Energy Consumption (MJ)
3
Town Gas 1146962 cubic metres (m ) 41387527.3

Mobile Fuel Combustion (road)

Type Quantity Unit Energy Consumption (MJ)
Motor gasoline 16767 litres (L) 546164.7

Purchased Electricity
Quantity Unit % Green Provider Energy Consumption (MJ)
Power
5775006 Kilowatt hour (kWh) 0 China, East China Grid 20790021.6

These sources produced a total of 62 723 713.7 MJ which equates to 491.6 MJ per Guest
Night.

POTABLE WATER CONSUMPTION

The Benchmarking Assessors sought clarification with regards to Potable Water Consumption
as the initial submitted figure of 158 877 m3 was greater than expected.

The Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan advised:

“158 877 this was confirmed by Chief Engineer again, they have daily record but it’s
hard for me to copy and scan.”

This figure was confirmed to be correct which, equates to 1 245.1 L per Guest Night

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RECYCLED / CAPTURED WATER (SUPPLEMENTARY)

The Benchmarking Assessors sought clarification with regards to the Recycled / Captured
Water as no figure was initially submitted.

The Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan advised:

“We don’t do this.”

The Benchmarking Assessors updated the Recycled / Captured Water figure to 0%.

WATER SAVINGS RATING

The Benchmarking Assessors sought clarification with regards to the Water Savings Rating, as
the percentages initially submitted were very different to the previous assessment.

The Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan advised to following (in red):

Water Savings Measures What percentage is currently

in use or Installed?
Check for leaks we have daily record to control the water, ?%
if the figure is stranger, our Engineer will have a check
Low/dual flush toilets 20% ?%
Low flow tap fittings No ?%
Low flow shower fittings No ?%
Water sprinklers used after dark No, it was contracted by ?%
outside gardener
Minimal irrigation landscaping No ?%
Use of recycle/grey/rain water No ?%

The Benchmarking Assessors sought further clarification to ensure each water savings measure
has been correctly calculated.

The Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan advised:

“Check for leaks: back of house checked by engineer, front of house (including room)
report by user once they find any problem

Low/dual flush toilets: yes, around 60

Low flow tap fittings & Low flow tap fittings: no, we need to buy, but this need to
approval by hotel management

Water sprinklers used after dark: approx 1000 M2

Minimal irrigation landscaping: approx 200 M2

Use of recycle/grey/rain water: No”

As no percentages (%) were provided, the Benchmarking Assessors sought another

clarification with regards to the Water Savings Rating.

The Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan advised:

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Water Savings Measures Is the Is the What percentage is currently in

Component component use or Installed?
relevant to your available for
operation? Implementation
Check for leaks Yes Yes back of house checked by
engineer, front of house (including
room) report any problem
Low/dual flush toilets Yes Yes 21.28% 60 of 282
Low flow tap fittings No No 0%
Low flow shower fittings No No 0%
Water sprinklers used after dark No Yes 0%
Minimal irrigation landscaping Yes Yes 13.3%
Use of recycle/grey/rain water No No 0%

Following a conference call with the Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan, it was identified
that watering of the gardens is conducted manually during night time; hence the percentage
(%) for ‘Water sprinklers used after dark’ has been updated to 100%.

Additionally, the Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan also advised via phone-link that back
of house facilities are checked twice a day and all other taps are checked and/or reported by
housekeeping staff or guests. Therefore, the ‘Check for leaks’ measure has been updated to
‘Every week’.

The revised Water Savings Rating can be found below:

Water Savings Measures Frequency / Percentage Rating

Check for leaks Every week
Low/dual flush toilets 20-39%
Low flow tap fittings 0%
Low flow shower fittings 0%
*Water sprinklers used after dark 100%
Minimal irrigation landscaping 1-19%
Use of recycle/grey/rain water Not Relevant / Not Available

Therefore the overall rating for the Water Savings Checklist Indicator has been revised to 52.1
points, as illustrated below:

Water Savings Rating

 Initial Rating: 79.4 points

 Revised Rating: 52.1 points

The revised rating has been used throughout the benchmarking assessment.

WASTE RECYCLING RATING

The Benchmarking Assessors sought clarification with regards to the Waste Recycling Rating,
as every waste recycling measure was submitted as “Not Relevant / Not Available”.

The Radisson Hotel Shanghai HongQuan advised the following (in red):

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Waste Recycling Measures What percentage do you currently recycle?

Glass ?% 35%
Paper / Card ?% 85%
Iron and steel ?% NA
Other metals ?% NA
Plastics ?% 85%
Rubber ?% NA
Green waste ?% 90%

The revised figures for Waste Recycling Rating can be found below:

Waste Recycling Measures Frequency / Percentage Rating

Glass 20-39%
Paper/card 80-99%
Iron & steel (ferrous metals) Not Relevant / Not Available
Other metals (non-ferrous) Not Relevant / Not Available
Plastics 80-99%
Rubber Not Relevant / Not Available
Green waste 80-99%

Therefore the overall rating for the Waste Recycling Checklist Indicator has been revised to
81.4 points, as illustrated below:

Waste Recycling Rating

 Initial Rating: no points

 Revised Rating: 81.4 points

The revised rating has been used throughout the benchmarking assessment.

Benchmarks Assessed by EarthCheck

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SUMMARY OF SUPPLIED BENCHMARKING DATA

Activity Measures
Guest Nights 127599
Area Under Roof 28009

Supplied Benchmarking Data

Energy Waste Indirect Emissions (Scope 3) (kg
CO2-e / Guest Night)
Energy Consumption (MJ / Guest
Night) Supplied 0.0 kg CO2-e
Calculated 0.0 kg CO2-e / Guest Night
Supplied 62723713.7 MJ
Calculated 491.6 MJ / Guest Night Water
Baseline 375 MJ / Guest Night
Best Practice 262 MJ / Guest Night Potable Water Consumption (L / Guest
Difference 31.1% below the Baseline level Night)

Green Power (%) Supplied 158877000.0 L

Calculated 1245.1 L / Guest Night
Supplied 0% Baseline 973 L / Guest Night
Calculated 0% Best Practice 681 L / Guest Night
Difference 28.0% below the Baseline level
Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Scope 1
and Scope 2) (kg CO2-e / Guest Night) Recycled / Captured Water (%)

Supplied 6225896.9 kg CO2-e Supplied 0%

Calculated 48.8 kg CO2-e / Guest Night Calculated 0%
Baseline 52.6 kg CO2-e / Guest Night
Best Practice 36.8 kg CO2-e / Guest Night Water Savings Rating (Points)
Difference 7.2% better than the Baseline
level Supplied 52.1 Points
Calculated 52.1 Points
Direct Emissions (Scope 1) (kg CO2-e / Baseline 50 Points
Guest Night) Best Practice 80 Points
Difference 2.1 Points better than the
Supplied 2366959.4 kg CO2-e Baseline level
Calculated 18.5 kg CO2-e / Guest Night
Waste
Indirect Emissions (Scope 2) (kg CO2-e
/ Guest Night) Waste Sent to Landfill (L / Guest
Night)
Supplied 3858937.5 kg CO2-e
Calculated 30.2 kg CO2-e / Guest Night Supplied 300000.0 L
Calculated 2.4 L / Guest Night
Indirect Emissions (Scope 3) (kg CO2-e Baseline 3.4 L / Guest Night
/ Guest Night) Best Practice 2.3 L / Guest Night
Difference 29.4% better than the Baseline
Supplied 0.0 kg CO2-e level
Calculated 0.0 kg CO2-e / Guest Night
Recycled / Reused / Composted Waste
Transport Indirect Emissions (Scope 3) (%)
(kg CO2-e / Guest Night)
Supplied 40.0%
Supplied 0.0 kg CO2-e Calculated 40.0%
Calculated 0.0 kg CO2-e / Guest Night
Waste Recycling Rating (Points)

Supplied 81.4 Points

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Calculated 81.4 Points

Baseline 50 Points
Best Practice 80 Points
Difference 1.4 Points better than the Best
Practice level

Community

Community Commitment (%)

Supplied 100%
Calculated 100%
Baseline 60 %
Best Practice 100 %
Difference at the Best Practice level

Community Contributions Rating

(Points)

Supplied 77.6 Points

Calculated 77.6 Points
Baseline 50 Points
Best Practice 80 Points
Difference 27.6 Points better than the
Baseline level

Paper

Paper Products Rating (Points)

Supplied 73.9 Points

Calculated 73.9 Points
Baseline 50 Points
Best Practice 80 Points
Difference 23.9 Points better than the
Baseline level

Cleaning

Cleaning Products Rating (Points)

Supplied 80.3 Points

Calculated 80.3 Points
Baseline 50 Points
Best Practice 80 Points
Difference 0.3 Points better than the Best
Practice level

Pesticides

Pesticide Products Rating (Points)

Supplied 88.9 Points

Calculated 88.9 Points
Baseline 50 Points
Best Practice 80 Points
Difference 8.9 Points better than the Best
Practice level

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DETERMINATION OF BASELINE AND BEST PRACTICE LEVELS

General
The values for the Baseline and Best Practice levels for each indicator are derived from extensive
worldwide research into available and appropriate case studies, industry surveys, engineering design
handbooks, energy, water and waste audits, and climatic and geographic conditions.

National and regional data for per capita energy use, greenhouse gas and other emissions, wastes to
landfill and water consumption, where available provide background data for normalisation of the
expected performance values for per customer or employee, and/or overall performance of an enterprise
being benchmarked. They are used to gauge the regional or national situation and environmental
performances that an enterprise is based in, and hence what are reasonable levels to expect the
enterprise to achieve.

A benchmarking result at, or above, the Baseline level demonstrates to all stakeholders that the
enterprise is achieving above average performance. A result below the Baseline level indicates that an
enterprise can and should carry out actions that will make beneficial improvements in performance.

Consideration of Climate
A major determinant of energy consumption in some sectors, primarily those centred on buildings such
as accommodation, visitor centres and administration offices will be the dominant climatic conditions in
which the enterprise is located. In general, to maintain the same level of indoor comfort, enterprises
operating in hot or cold climates will consume more energy than those in temperate climates.

Similarly, it is recognised that in certain sectors a major determinant of potable water consumption will
be the climate in which an enterprise is located, in particular those with large grounds and/or significant
water-based facilities or activities. That is, enterprises located in hot climates are more likely to consume
more potable water than equivalent ones located in cooler climates. Factors that are likely to lead to a
higher level of potable water consumption, for example in the accommodation sector, include increased
evaporation rates of swimming pools, personal bathing and irrigation demands of grounds. In
consideration of this factor, Baseline and Best Practice levels can vary in relation to country location.

Waste Sent to Landfill

The benchmark indicator used for Waste Sent to Landfill is given in litres as waste bins are usually
calibrated by volume, and it has been found that the majority of operations do not have access to the
weight of material disposed of. However, if a weight is supplied, standard factors are used to convert
from weight (e.g., kilograms (kg)) to volume (e.g., cubic metres (m 3) or litres (L)). These are:
1 kg (uncompacted waste) = 0.00333333 m3 or 3.33333 L and 1 kg (compacted waste) =
0.00153846 m3 or 1.53846 L.

Operations should make note of the level of compaction when submitting data for assessment by
EarthCheck.

Review of Performance Levels

The Baseline and Best Practice performance levels for EarthCheck indicators are continuously reviewed
and are likely to change over time. This review by a team of international experts, takes into account
“business-as-usual” changes in practices, equipment and facilities, as well as regulations and general
improvement trends in performance and procedures. This review is used to update the levels of Baseline
and Best Practice, and provides useful feedback to the user of the indicators.

The list below summarises the basic generic rules used to determine Baseline and Best Practice levels for
EarthCheck indicators.

 If relevant enterprise sector specific case studies are not available for a type of activity in a
designated region, then national averages will be used to ascertain the Baseline level. In this case,
the Best Practice level will be set at a minimum of 30% better performance than the Baseline.

 If case study or national data are not available for a specific indicator, then the first enterprise that
benchmarks will have its results set as 15% better than Baseline (i.e., half way between Baseline and
Best Practice).

The planet deserves more than half measures www.earthcheck.org