Sustainability manual
This manual contains our Vision, Mission, Code of Ethics and the policies that the Hotel Buena Vista S.A.
Company has established itself as sustainable tourism, in order to inform their partners, suppliers,
customers and other people about our commitment as a company to sustainable tourism.
2015.
Introduction.
Hotel Buena Vista is a company dedicated to hosting services, with a history of about giving priority to
provide the local and foreign tourists, a pleasant stay and service that exceeds their expectations.
Hotel Buena Vista is located in the northern part of the city of Alajuela, in a small community called Las
Pilas of Alajuela. Taking the same route or road to the Poas Volcano, you will find our facilities.
Our facilities are accompanied by a spectacular view of the Central Valley of Costa Rica.
The tourism sector is a major generating activities currencies in the country, is for this reason that the
Costa Rican Tourism Institute, is driving this sector has a balanced and sustainable development, and
encourages all companies involved in this practice sustainability sector and thus take care of the
environment.
As part of this effort, the hotel companies have the opportunity to join the program for Sustainable
Tourism, which is awarded by the ICT and which is known as CST (Costa Rican Sustainable Tourism). For
this reason our company expresses its determination to achieve this important certificate, as an
important company.
For our company is very important form part of the group of sustainable tourism companies, working
hard on the implementation of responsible practices and policies.
This manual is intended for our employees, suppliers, customers and the general public.
As fallows we find the information needed to achieve sustainable development together.
Our Mission
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Establish Tourism Certification program (CST), on site, this in order to preserve natural
resources, within the company, community and nearby protected areas to the Website, looking
forward to obtain a higher degree of integration with the community and the environment.
Our Vision
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Hotel Buena Vista makes a bio social economic model of sustainability, encouraging our
employees, guests and the community to integrate in order to preserve natural resources for
future generations.
KEY ACTIONS OF OUR HOTEL
Company staff
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Training of our staff according to our regulations, basic first aid, rescue and evacuation and
firefighting, environmental and social awareness, among others. Allowing us to consolidate our
ideology both internally and externally, communicating with customers, suppliers and other
persons of concern to our company.
Implementation of new tools in our facilities in order to comply with the provisions of our
environmental legislation (in our case we have new green point or recycling area, we have new
landfills, properly labeled, donated by Cervecería Costa Rica also the implementation of new
paper in the office area for placement of paper recycle reusable and non-reusable, among
others).
Meetings are held regularly with the staff of our company, to inform and provide feedback on
the area of sustainability, in order to have positive results, and that each of the departments is
to support our sustainability program.
Shopping
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Develop a shopping manual in which policies aspects are based on sustainability.
Selection of suppliers according to their sustainable practices or preferably have some form of
recognized certification.
Use within our company's environmentally friendly products, and which are approved and
certified by Chemical regents, or Authorized Institutions. An example of these products is our
soaps and products for hair wash and the treatments applied to grease traps, septic tanks, and
compost.
We always give our Suppliers, information about our environmentally friendly company, for
them to join our effort.
Goals to achieve:
Water - Solid Waste - Energy
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Raise awareness of saving energy and water as a precious means by which life is.
Promote recycling awareness within the population of the town of Pilas in the importance of
recycling and the impact this could have to our surroundings and the environment.
Implement a reforestation plan within the hotel grounds, or in surrounding areas in order to
generate a positive impact on the environment.
Quarterly schedule a garbage collection and waste selection is made, in collaboration with the
School of Pilas in surrounding areas.
Organize a collection center where, in conjunction with the Community Association of Pilas, for
waste to be collected and with the collaboration of the staff from the Buena Vista Hotel, be
taken to the Recycling center for the proper treatment.
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Social awareness and contribution to the community:
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Participation in clean-up campaigns in the community.
Support laws: Protection of the Archaeological
Heritage and Wildlife.
Environment Act.
Biodiversity Act.
Law against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.
Act on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace and in Education
Centers.
We are a company that supports the sector of people with
special abilities and limitations.
We have a regulation for the visits to protected areas for all our
customers.
The Hotel Buena Vista supports the following laws or regulations:
Law on Protection of Archaeological Heritage and Wildlife.
Our company is an advocate of national archaeological heritage, by
which we commit to protect cultural property that are protected
under this regime.
Therefore we will proceed harshly to any situation that threatens
the national archaeological heritage through three actions:
• Training all staff of the Hotel Buena Vista in terms of Law 6703 of the National Archaeological Heritage.
• Disclosure of this important law.
• Formal Complaint to the institution concerned, in this case the National Museum, in the given case a
situation that threatens this heritage.
In addition to nature, which is why we protect the wildlife of our territory, we inform our guests what is
established by Laws of Conservation of Wild Life and that we protect Wild Life and of the consequences
if the law is not respected.
Through our open process complaint, we will denounce any event that violates this law.
Organic Environmental Law:
The environment is the common heritage of all the inhabitants of the Nation (with the exceptions
established by the Constitution, international conventions and laws). In order to meet the provisions of
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this law, we will act responsibly in the development of our business, ensuring no pollution: soil, air, sea,
rivers, wilderness areas, forests and other considered within this law.
Biodiversity Act.
As a company we understand all the above mentioned and we support the conservation of biodiversity
and the appropriate management of natural resources.
Law against Sexual Exploitation of Children.
Hotel Buena Vista is a defender of the rights and integrity of Costa Ricans in general, but mainly minors.
We disclose among our employees, customers, suppliers and families that sex with minors in Costa Rica
is punishable by imprisonment.
We are zero tolerance against all forms of exploitation of children and adolescents.
Act on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace and in Education.
The employees of Hotel Buena Vista know about the procedure for reporting sexual harassment, since
the interview for the possible candidate is performed.
The company punishes any hint of sexual harassment of anyone or any situation that is affected, both
inside and outside the company.
All information in these laws will be available to our employees, suppliers, customers and family.
Code of Ethics:
1- The employees of our company must behave in general, according to the ethical standards that have
in their capacity as professionals. For this reason they must act according to the fundamental principles
of loyalty, good faith, honesty, sincerity, responsibility, mutual respect, solidarity, courtesy and agree
with the law.
Rules:
Every employee is covered by these rules and regulations. Among some of these they are:
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Days 1 work day and night.
Keep the absolute respect to any person related to their function.
Avoid conduct inside and outside your workplace, go in loss of professional reputation.
Keep discretion in private situations
Respect for the honor:
The Buena Vista Hotel partners must respect, at all times and in all circumstances, the company name
and honor of his companions, dignity. Should refrain from slander, libel, defamation, that may be
detrimental to the reputation and prestige of others.
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Obligations of employees of Hotel Buena Vista:
With regard to the obligations of the employees of Buena Vista, these are the internal working
regulations.
Some of them are:
Mutual respect among peers.
Punctuality
Honesty
Seriousness
Commitment.
Complaints Procedure:
Any person may make a complaint to the management or leadership of the Hotel Buena Vista, against
any person (customer, employee, visitor, neighbor, etc.) missing the Code of Ethics and internal
regulations.
Ask for a complaint form in the area of management of Hotel Buena Vista and can be requested to the
manager, to file the respective complaint.
The complaint form should indicate the type of complaint to be made, in addition to the full name of the
person reporting, if there are witnesses to the incident should indicate their full name, and the previous
description of the complaint to be made.
Moreover evidence must be attached to denounce the case.
Responsibility Report:
The employees of Hotel Buena Vista have a responsibility to report any circumstance at all times that
the conduct is morally reprehensible.
Suppliers:
The Buena Vista effort to comply with its policies and commitment as a sustainable company, is giving
priority to suppliers that demonstrate working with an environmental and social philosophy. So hire
service companies that implement sustainable practices.
Policies of Hotel Buena Vista:
Environmental policies.
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The overall objective of the environmental policy is to promote and encourage sustainable practices
guidelines as part of our internal processes, actively contributing to the development of sustainable
tourism.
a. The overall operation of the Hotel Buena Vista is done contributing effective, constructive and integral
to the generation of economic benefits for the entire organization (partners and associates), protecting
the environment and respecting the culture and idiosyncrasy of Costa Rica. To do this we will have a
periodic monitoring of the impacts our operations may generate on the environment and the
community.
b. Sustainability is central to the development of the overall operation of the Hotel Buena Vista base,
becoming an inherent feature of the services provided.
C. The training of our employees will always favor a clear conscience and sense of environmental
responsibility is reflected in their job performance.
d. Saving water, energy and recycling will be critical to fulfilling our commitment to corporate
responsibility pillars. In this sense the Buena Vista Hotel is committed to:
i. Use energy rationally by reduction practices.
ii. Avoid waste and pollution of water resources to contribute to their conservation.
iii. The consumption of water and energy will be continuously monitored by meters.
iv. Consider alternative sources for lighting, heating or warm water energy.
v. Rainwater is handled properly, without producing disturbance in the environment.
vi. Conduct proper waste management guidelines by reducing, reusing and recycling.
vii. Carbon neutrality is part of our commitment to the environment while maintaining offset projects
formally.
a. As a complement to environmental management, the Hotel Buena Vista proceeds to:
i. Contribute to the conservation of forest resources.
ii. Contributing to the reduction of air pollution.
iii. Gradually comply with relevant national environmental legislation (disposal and reuse of wastewater,
hazardous wastes, agrochemicals, etc.).
iv. Ensure hygienic conditions and adequate security for the health of employees, customers and
visitors.
v. Regularly participate in environmental activities carried out mainly in our area or in other parts of the
country.
vi. As part of our landscape planning, landscaping our endeavor that vegetation is composed
predominantly of native species in the region.
vii. Keep our daily recycling identified with their respective taxonomy (common name and scientific
name) plants.
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viii. We will support the maintenance or management of any protected or any reservations or
wilderness area wilderness area.
ix. At our facilities it is strictly prohibited to keep animals in captivity.
x. At our facilities it is terminally forbidden to artificial feeding animals.
xi. We will locate the artificial lighting in a way that we avoid disturbance to wildlife species.
xii. Our systems of artificial lighting do not disturb the wildlife species.
xiii. We will make measurements to quantify emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to measure our
ecological footprint and thereby establishing a strategy on climate change in sustainable development of
our administrative and operational management.
xiv. We endeavor to use and consume goods produced locally or nationally.
xv. Our decor is with crafts or other national art forms produced with materials that are not forbidden
by law and have verification of origin.
xvi. We will support our community to promote it in the sustainability criteria.
xvii. In our general promotion, we highlight the benefits of recreational activities run by community
organizations and local businesses.
xviii. Inform and promote charitable, social or cultural activities taking place in the community.
xix. Contribute with donations or financial support that contribute to the priority needs of the
community, community associations, development associations, among others, including aspects of
infrastructure and likewise.
xx. Commercially we will support local, regional or national companies and will promote activities where
community organizations, groups of artists to express their projects and initiatives.
xxi. We will support local organizations providing meeting space.
xxii. Report according to the form set, all actions or activities that cause environmental harm both the
company and its surroundings.
Social policies:
a. it is vigorously fight any tourist activity detrimental to good manners that characterize Costa Ricans or
threatening the physical and moral integrity of its employees, customers, visitors and neighbors, and
social decay.
b. Tourism development based on ethics will be promoted, quality and sustainability, for which the
Hotel Buena Vista use its influence at the level of historical, political and business sectors in equal
benefit of the company, employees, the environment and the community .
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c. All international and national promotion will be in accordance with specific plans to be designed
considering the involvement of the area, seeking mutual benefits in terms of image promotion and
responding to the vision and objectives of the tourist area as a whole.
d. We seek to be part of regional, local, national or international organizations that continuously work
on environmental issues (BAE).
e. We keep informative, inclusive and participatory campaigns for employees, guests and other
stakeholders.
f. For hiring staff, we will give priority to local people and surrounding communities to cover at least 60%
of our human capital.
Additional recommendations:
In order to maintain the appropriate level of sustainability, it is important to keep the information to
all parties involved, as they are partners, intermediaries and suppliers, why we recommend the
following sites on the internet, in addition to documents laws.
Recommended sites:
Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT ): www.visitcostarica.com
Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST): www.turismo-sostenible.co.cr .
Ministry of Environment : www.minae.go.cr
Ministry of Labour and Social Security: www.ministrabajo.go.cr
National Institute for Women (INAMU): www.inamu.go.cr
Judicial (OIJ and other offices): http://www.poder-judicial.go.cr/oficinas.html
Costa Rican Institute of Fishing and Aquaculture : www.incopesca.go.cr/
Links of autonomous environmental administrations
National Biodiversity Institute (INBio): www.inbio.ac.cr/
Paniamor Foundation : www.paniamor.or.cr
SINAC: www.sinac.go.cr/
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