For us social and environmental responsibility is at the heart of the way we do things at the Castle. We set very high standards for ourselves because we are determined to protect the reputation and profitability of the business. Fine words but what does this mean in practice?
For a generation we have intuitively understood that using the best fresh local produce, supporting local businesses with our business and establishing close ties with the local community was the right thing to do.
Today we have formalised this under the heading of a “Sustainable Development Plan” and we have gained the support of our guests, our local community and our employees. Our plan combines economic viability with social responsibility and environmental protection.
Economic Viability
It goes without saying that we must remain profitable to be sustainable. By working in partnership with local suppliers we are able to contain costs while ensuring their own viability, in part due to our long term support and encouragement.
Social Responsibility
Our relationship with the local community and our employees must be constructive and healthy.
Throughout the year we receive requests for help from a great many extremely worthwhile local charities and organisations. Whilst we would love to be able to make donations to each and every one, realistically we are obliged to restrict our support to a limited number. This year our principal charities are the Wooden Spoon Society, which supports disadvantaged children in Somerset and the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, which receives 3 to 4 calls per day to remote locations where often life threatening injuries have been sustained.
In addition we encourage our staff to be involved in community activities such as leading walking excursions, amateur dramatics, Rotary International and the local Chamber of Commerce not to forget schools and many many more. We want to be recognised as a fair employer and ensure that our employees are happy and proud to be associated with the Castle. We recognise that your experience at the Castle will be a direct reflection of the way our employees feel about the way we treat them.
Environmental Responsibility
By insisting on using fresh local produce wherever and whenever possible we not only provide award winning food but we significantly limit food miles. Our support of these often very small holdings is an encouragement to others to start up and develop their own sustainable enterprises. We are working closely with the Carbon Trust to reduce our impact on the environment and we are very grateful to our guests for their help and suggestions with the many ways that we can reduce our carbon footprint such as using less linen, turning out lights, using showers rather than baths and so on.
“The earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.”
Mahatma Gandhi |
