Devising a Strategy to Implement an Environmental Management System Based on ISO 14001:2004 in the Hotel Sector

Abstract

The aim of this study was to devise an environmental management strategy
based on ISO 14001:2004 standard for a four star plus hotel in Mauritius.
Results of the preliminary environmental audits at the case study hotel revealed that 22, 113, 374.2 MJ of energy was consumed per year whereas the water consumption amounted to 89089 m3 during the same year. These figures are colossal considering that the hotel pays five per cent of its total turnover on environmental issues such as water consumption, energy consumption and solid waste disposal. The Environmental Management plan consisted identifying procedures to address each of the requirements of ISO 14001:2004 as well as building a list of environmental aspects and impacts, legal and other requirements and Environment Management programmes for water, energy and solid wastes reduction at the hotel. An environmental policy for the case study hotel was also written. The PLAN, DO, CHECK and ACT phases of Deming’s PDCA cycle were taken into account while looking into these requirements and necessary measures were F Khodabocus, C Beekoo 139 suggested to reduce energy consumption by 30 %, water consumption by 40 % and solid waste generation by 30 %. These environmental targets were set for a specific time period whereby periodic internal audits would ensure that these objectives and targets have been met. However the successful implementation of ISO 14001 in the hotel lies in the full integration of the
PDCA cycle within the management system.

Keywords: ISO 14001, Tourism Sector, environmental System, energy audits, PDCA Cycle, environmental aspects, environmental plan.