Environmental and Social Policy

It's BEST when you care for the environment

Best Western Keavil House Hotel recognises that we must operate our business with care and consideration both within our local environment and in the wider environment. We have committed to operate with the following policies:
Our social policy in our local community:
We use local suppliers wherever possible to minimise transport and CO2 emissions but also promote local and Scottish produce.

We use local trades people and companies for property maintenance and operation.

We pay all our suppliers promptly and within their own credit terms.

We work closely with Fife Council and all statutory authorities to ensure that we operate our business above the minimum standards for Environmental Health and Safety.

We have ensured that all areas of the hotel are accessible for mobility impaired customers and have provided two specially adapted bedrooms to ensure access to all.

We give our excess and used furniture free to local charities.

We pro-actively maintain the appearance of the hotel and gardens and ground and encourage local access to our grounds for recreation and dog walking.

We have permitted the local community group to construct a woodland walk through our grounds and encourage access to this woodland walk.

We maintain the woodland walk for the local community and plant bulbs and shrubs to enhance the natural environment around the hotel.

We work with local schools, colleges and universities to provide work experience and training.

We recognise that we are the largest employer in the Crossford area and therefore contribute to the local economy.

We offer greatly subsidised membership of our health & fitness club to staff members.

We work with Fife Council Social Services to provide paid employment to young people who are disadvantaged by their circumstances and find it difficult to secure employment.

We support the local village community group by providing use of the hotel gardens and grounds for the annual children's gala day.

Our wider social and environmental policy

We have now achieved (July 2008) the Silver standard in the Green Business Tourism Scheme and will continue to keep this standard by operating the business in an environmentally responsible “Green” Way.

We have formed an Energy Committee which investigates and initiates ways to reduce energy and wastage from hotel operations and to increase recycling. This committee also monitors meter readings for all energy and pro-actively takes steps to reduce usage when consumption increases by calculating and setting targets for energy use per customer and per room sold.

We recycle paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, electric light bulbs, fabrics, cooking oils and metal cans.

We encourage our guests to recycle by placing recycling containers in public areas.

We use fair trade beverage produce in the bars and restaurant.

We use recycled a paper for all printing, general stationary and sanitary use.

We encourage re-use of guest towels and change bed linen only on demand.

We have thoroughly insulated all bedrooms and have individual heating controls to reduce excess energy use and have energy switches to prevent appliances being left on when the room is vacant.

We harvest rainwater for use in the hotel grounds.

We have installed a large proportion of low energy and long life light bulbs.

All heating, hot water and air-conditioning plant is regulary maintained and insulated and set at optimum comfort and energy consumption levels.

We have installed motion sensors for automatic switching off of corridor lighting and "auto-switch off" switches in back of house areas and stores.

We have installed aerated shower heads and taps to save water consumption.