Environmental Impact & Sustainable Business

Here at Clachaig we increasingly recognise the need to operate our business so as to minimise our impact on the environment and to operate in a sustainable manner wherever possible. Adopting such a policy has involved taking small steps towards our objectives and we’ve set out some of our achievements to date below. However, we recognise that we can still achieve more, and we keep our policies under constant review.

Clachaig Inn has been awarded the Green Tourism Business Silver Award. The scheme, operated in conjunction with VisitScotland, is a recognition of environmental achievement and is a useful tool in operating a sustainable business.

Business Management Policies

  • Champion locally produced cask conditioned ales – a “real” product, produced in Scotland, and generally within the Highlands and Islands area. Our regular festivals can feature as many as 40 different varieties within a week and our range always features a wide variety.
  • Champion Scottish malt whisky – again, a “real” product having a distinct Scottish identity. Clachaig stocks as many as 200 varieties on the ‘top shelf’.
  • In as far as practical, considering cost and supply issues, use locally (from within Scotland) sourced meat and fish products in our menus. Some produce, such as venison is generally supplied from the Lochaber hills.
  • Operate a clear smoking policy, which bans smoking in all guest bedrooms (and all public areas by law).
  • Active management policy seeking minimal environmental impact, low waste, sustainability on all management decisions after giving due regard to cost and supply issues.
  • Staff induction and on going training via Key Skills documents contain reference to Environmental Impact Policy and Sustainability issues.

Waste Management

  • Bottles & other suitable glass products are collected and taken away for re-cycling (for a fee) by a commercial contractor.
  • Waste cooking oil is collected and taken away for re-cycling (for a fee) by a commercial contractor.
  • Re-cycle paper and cardboard is collected and taken away for recycling by a commercial contractor.

Environment

  • At least once per year, collect litter along road between Clachaig and Glencoe Hostel.

Marketing & management

  • Welcome walkers and cyclists by participating in the Walkers Welcome and Cyclists Welcome schemes operated by VisitScotland.
  • Provide guest information and sources of further information regarding access to visitor information, walks and mountain access etc. Specifically, room information packs (containing suggestions on walks and visitor attractions), up to date brochures on the local area in the brochure rack and further paid offerings such as detailed maps and guidebooks.
  • Customer feedback solicited to gather views of all our customers. Regular review and if necessary, act upon the feedback.
  • Closer reference to activities within the glen and the local area through partnership working with community groups and other key providers such as the NTS.
  • Communicate Environmental Impact Policy to customers.

Community

  • Actively seek to raise funds for a variety of locally based charity/projects based on a pre-set criteria. Operate a rolling programme of £1000 targets.
  • Annually present the Winter Experience Lecture Series annually, on a free entry basis, in association with the Mountaineering Council of Scotland to promote mountain safety to as wide an audience as possible.
  • Recognise the mountaineering heritage of the area through the promotion of mountain and outdoor adventure sports lectures.
  • Reserve “bar top” fund raising for Glencoe Mountain Rescue collection boxes.
  • Octoberfest 2016 helped raise money for Glencoe Community Defibrillator. Read more on our Blog

Water

  • Draw water from a private supply, using UV filtering and no chemical treatments.
  • Operate our own bio-disc sewage treatment plant where final effluent complies with strict SEPA controlled standards.