Sustainability
Society to the sea: hosting sustainable stays
Every day we make inspiring, invigorating and unforgettable stays by the sea happen. At the same time, we’re working to make every stay positive for the environment and society.
We do that by reinvesting in our local community, helping restore and rejuvenate our precious coastal landscape – through lowering our carbon emissions – and helping our team replenish through training and time for their health.
As part of the Watergate Bay Group, we’re working through the rigorous assessment taking place to become B Corp Certified. Far from a tick-box exercise, becoming B Corp is fundamentally changing how the whole group does business.
Reinvest
We’re different to other holiday lettings companies. Our business directly invests in the local community by employing more than 50 people working in our HQ near Newquay and in our properties across Cornwall. We also work with, support and champion lots of local organisations too, so every stay with us gives back to the wider local economy. That includes partnerships with our neighbours, like the Cornish Food Box and land&water, and working with local business on property maintenance and housekeeping.
Championing local organisations is at the heart of our digital guest guide book too: that’s a showcase of all our favourite local spots around every property, supporting entrepreneurs and their employees across Cornwall.
Every month we donate to the Wave Project – a charity that combines the therapeutic elements of the ocean with the adventure of surfing, helping young people gain higher self-esteem and lower anxiety, build better trust and friendships, and enjoy more positive futures. We also love promoting everything they do to give more people access to the sea.
Restore
As all of our properties are walking distance to a beach that means less travel and lower emissions once you’ve arrived on holiday. Our guests spend more time soaking up all the blue health and slow travel benefits of being on the beach and in the sea – and less time in a car. It’s easy to find out where to visit and what’s on offer near where you’re staying too, using our digital guest guide book that we’ve filled with our team’s top local picks.
We’re lowering the environmental impact of our day-to-day business, by updating our fleet with electric vehicles, and providing a Cycle to Work scheme to help our team travel to the office emissions free. When we clean properties, we are careful to use Puruzo eco and chemical free products.
And we’re reducing plastic pollution. Rather than single-use, virgin plastics, our body and bath products are crafted from natural materials by land&water, using recycled and recyclable plastic packaging made in the UK – and refills. We’re committed to their principles to use ethical and sustainable ingredients, and to find the best packaging solution possible.
Our head office has numerous eco-credentials including solar panels, a renewable energy contract and EV charging for staff. A mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system extracts provides fresh, filtered air while recovering heat from the outgoing air, improving energy efficiency and indoor air quality.
Replenish
We help our team grow and develop, through our company-wide training platform, teaming-up with external training providers and industry organisations to create learning and development opportunities as well.
Wellness Action Plans are available for every member of the team. These help managers to create a supportive and encouraging working environment for their team.
Our Mental Health First Aiders meet each month to plan initiatives and incentives that help everyone feel happy and healthy at work. That includes a paid You Day for members of our team to spend volunteering for a cause they’re passionate about or to try an experience they’re interested in.
A wide range of team perks include a 24-7 GP service, medical care cash plan, life insurance, company wide discounts and a packed calendar of social events and workshops.