Sustainability

Sanctuary

Schloss Elmau is located in a nature reserve with unique hummocky meadows that formed on the seabed 60 million years ago, which are not fertilised and are only mowed once a year or grazed by goats and sheep with the support of the EU environmental protection programme. In the winter months, we do not use road salt on our paths, only grit, which does not harm plants or animals. The protection of unspoilt nature and the climate is just as important to us as the well-being of our guests and employees, without whom we would not be able to operate Schloss Elmau sustainably and finance investments for climate neutrality measures.

Clean Water

We take extensive measures to actively protect the nature surrounding us. Our own mountain spring supplies guests, the entire team and the operation of Schloss Elmau with fresh and mineral-rich water from the immediate surroundings. In addition, we only use biodegradable and non-toxic cleaning agents. The majority of these are vegan and have been optimised through various processes such as: Cradle-to-Cradle, EU Ecolabel, NordicSwan, etc. certified. Many of the packaging is also made from PCR materials (Post Consumer Recycled), which means that the packaging has been recycled from disposed plastic waste and therefore saves CO2 and new plastic.

Ventilation and Cooling

Rooms are cooled and ventilated inductively and silently using the latest technology without climate-damaging air conditioning and fan coil systems. Our ventilation system supplies our public areas with fresh air via a cross-ventilation system, and filters of the highest technical standard are also installed here. To protect the environment, we work with heat recovery from the exhaust air.  As already mentioned in the ‘Clean energy’ section, heating is provided by wood chips.

Cooperation with SapoCycle Deutschland e.V. - Bubbles saving lives

After you check out, we recycle your used hotel soaps through SapoCycle Deutschland e.V., an initiative that actively works to reduce soap waste in hotels. The soap bars are reprocessed at the Lebenshilfe workshop (a German charity that employs people with disabilities) in Nuremberg and then given to people in need free of charge. Each recycled SapoCycle soap not only fulfills the basic human need for hygiene , but also facilitates access to health and well-being.

In this way, Schloss Elmau and SapoCycle Deutschland e.V. join forces to reduce waste, promote jobs for people with disabilities, and bring a little joy to those in need.

Limiting use of plastics

Only plastic-free, non-toxic, fair and ecological products are used in the guest rooms. Our skincare range, consisting of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion, is 100% organic, vegan, free from synthetic ingredients, cruelty-free and made in Germany. The products are available in high-quality porcelain pump dispensers. Our edible snacks are filled fresh in-house in paper cups. The packaging, from teabags to film, is made from biodegradable raw materials such as manioc, sugar cane, maize and aluminium foil: Cassava, sugar cane, maize, paper & unbleached cotton. For on the go, we offer glass bottles or our own sports drinking bottles made from biodegradable polymer. Behind the scenes, we are also replacing some of the disposable products in the kitchen, such as vacuum bags, with a biodegradable alternative.

Sustainable Electricity and Heating

We utilise and generate green energy with the help of wood chips. Since the opening of the new Schloss Elmau in 2007, we have been heating the entire hotel complex with wood chips from wood waste. In the meantime, a second wood chip power plant has been completed so that we can dispense with gas as a backup.The wood chips come exclusively from Bavarian forests, mainly from the surrounding area. As a backup in the event of an outage and to cover any peak loads, we operate a combined heat and power plant with district gas, which also generates electrical energy.

Since May 2022, we have been covering 100% of our energy requirements with state-controlled green electricity from EON and from our own hydroelectric power plant on the hotel grounds. We are also planning a PV power plant and the use of heat pumps. To minimise electricity consumption, we mainly use LED lighting. A modern energy management system reduces peak loads.

E-Mobility

We offer our guests and employees charging options at a total of 80 charging stations including 2 fast charging stations, all of which are supplied with 100% green electricity. In addition, our guests can explore the beauty of the region with one of the latest all-electric BMW models.

From 2025, our shuttle buses (VW ID Buzz) will also be 100% electric.

Social Engagement

Schloss Elmau is an internationally renowned cultural institution. For more than 100 years, we have been cultivating a unique musical and literary tradition with the great artists of our time and promoting young up-and-coming artists with the support of the non-profit Schloss Elmau Kulturförderkreis GmbH. Admission to the concerts is included in the room rate for hotel guests. Residents can purchase tickets at extremely discounted prices. All employees can attend the cultural events free of charge.

For more than 25 years, Schloss Elmau has been involved in numerous political and literary events with renowned scholars, authors and politicians to promote democracy and deepen transatlantic and German-Israeli relations.

Schloss Elmau is also committed to the training of young professionals. 30% of Schloss Elmau employees are trainees and students who are completing a BA in Hotel Management here and whom we also support financially with accommodation and further training.

In addition, Schloss Elmau supports numerous charitable organisations.

Wellbeing

In our spa you will find classic massages, cosmetic treatments but also a more specialised offer for body and mind. In addition to yoga, Pilates & Qi Gong, we offer TCM treatments (Traditional Chinese Medicine), lymphatic drainage, personal training and nutritional counselling. Our cosmetics team works with high-quality products from local and international companies. Our facial care range includes the South Tyrolean company Team Dr Joseph, our signature dermatology line, which we produce in collaboration with the German company KOKO, and the Swiss luxury brand NIANCE. For our body care we use products from Alpienne, a small company from neighbouring Tyrol. In the area of decorative cosmetics, we stock andGretel, a German company that offers animal-free organic cosmetics. All our products are personally tested by us for their ingredients and we attach great importance to sustainable packaging and transport. It goes without saying that our products are all cruelty-free and contain no parabens, silicones or hormones.

Waste disposal

Waste is disposed of through recycling and reutilisation. We recycle 100% of our paper and glass waste. Our biowaste is fed into a regional biogas plant, which generates sustainable electricity from it, and the remaining residues are ideal as soil and groundwater-friendly fertiliser for our farmers. We are still working hard to find a suitable solution for plastic recycling. In addition, we are reducing our plastic waste through the measures described in the ‘Plastic elimination’ section, which we are constantly expanding.

SapoCycle Deutschland e.V. is an initiative that is actively committed to reducing soap waste in hotels by collecting used hotel soaps, having them recycled by BadeLiebe in the Lebenshilfe workshop in Nuremberg and donating them to people in need in Germany. This partnership is an important step for Schloss Elmau, as it not only strengthens its ecological endeavours, but also helps to improve the living conditions of others.

By working together, Schloss Elmau is actively helping to reduce waste and give soaps a second life. In addition, we support the humanitarian mission of SapoCycle Germany e.V. to provide hygiene products to communities in need, thereby improving health and well-being.

Partnerships

Partnerships are an essential part of achieving climate neutrality. We therefore place great importance on sustainability and the selection of our suppliers in procurement. For example, we work with the VAUDE brand for some of our uniforms and equipment; the brand has a strong awareness of the circular economy. For our bathroom amenities, we work with the award-winning label URB'N NATURE and their ‘Zero Waste’ product line. We also source some of our food organically or from sustainable producers in our region. It is a constant concern of ours to source our food as regionally as possible, to support small farms and to offer our guests the best quality.