Page 76 - Sustaining Accommodation SMES

6Analysis

Table 6.12 Continued from the previous page
Sustainability practice/implementation level () ()
System for monitoring water use, at the resource (e.g., per room, per . .
kitchen, per common areas, etc.).
System for monitoring electricity use, at the resource (e.g., per room, per . .
kitchen, per common areas, etc.).
Ensuring water quality and safety by implementing regular controls. . .
Ensuring procedures to evaluate satisfaction levels and complaints from . .
local communities.
Support for local community social responsibility initiatives and projects. . .
Automated monitoring of environmental performance (e.g., water use, . .
electricity use, etc.)
Support local employment opportunities. . .
Local art/craft/culture is reflected in design, furnishings and services. . .
Conducting education activities with the local community through site . .
visits, lectures, competitions, practices promotion in the local media (e.g.,
newspapers, radio).
Preservation of own natural area by implementing conservation . .
practices.
Raising guest awareness through the website, reservation system, . .
check-in, accommodation facilities, social areas, (e.g., verbal
information, displays, signs, brochures or guides).
Collaborating with other accommodation facilities and other actors for . .
sustainable development of the destination, (e.g., collective purchasing,
waste collection and social activities).
Training employees on sustainable behaviour (e.g., meetings, workshops, . .
courses, lectures, seminars, conferences, volunteer programmes.
Use of certified equipment for less noise or gas emission. . .
Thermal insulation of walls, ceilings and windows. . .
Monitoring of overall sustainability performance. . .
Reporting on overall sustainability performance to customers, business . .
partners, local community.
Notes Column headings are as follows: (1) low (0–1), (2) high (5–6); in percent. Practices
were measured as a degree of implementation on a 7-point scale, where 0 – not at all
implemented, 6 – extremely well implemented.

eration. Very low implementation of these practices is reported by only
a small proportion of respondents, indicating that basic environmental
sustainability measures are well established within Italian accommoda-
tion businesses. These practices are closely linked to operational effi-
ciency and routine management of resources, suggesting that environ-

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