Travel and tourism generate considerable pressure on the natural environment, not so much due to the danger of their impact, but rather the sheer size of the industry.

Hotels must minimise their consumption of natural resources and their impact on their local ecosystems, harmonising their business activity with respect for and protection of the natural environment. The efforts made by Sol Meliá in 2008 to this end may be seen in the following pages.

Environmental management

Environmental management is an integral part of Sol Meliá strategy through its inclusion in the global sustainability policy, from which are drawn a number of activities and principles which are included in the Strategic Plan 2008-2010. Corporate headquarters defines the global environmental approach which is then translated into specific actions or projects designed to ensure hotels reduce their environmental footprint and assume respect for and protection of the environment as part of their daily operations.

The overall guidelines are determined by the relevance of different types of environmental impact related to the hotel industry, leading to the prioritisation of 4 major areas:

• Energy and emissions: mitigation of the effects of climate change, mainly through savings and efficiency in energy use and the control and reduction of the emission of pollutants to the atmosphere.
• Water: reduction in the consumption of water and control of the disposal of waste water.
• Biodiversity: protection and conservation of environmentally valuable habitats to preserve biodiversity.
• Use of resources and waste management: minimisation of the environmental impact generated by the consumption of resources and the creation of waste products.

The different activities aim to respect the principle of “thinking globally – acting locally”. To achieve this, on the one hand we aim to preserve the natural environment in the destinations where the Company operates, and on the other hand we attend to our activities on a global level, aiming to reduce the overall effect of our activity on the planet.

There is also a forum for hotels to share their experiences and best practises. Communications between the hotels and corporate offices is encouraged, as well as between the hotels themselves, in order to convert best practises into standard practises.

In 2008 the Company has not been subject to any significant fines for lack of compliance with environmental regulations.