Sustainability at The Obelisk
Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk is committed to providing our guests with a luxurious yet eco-friendly experience with every stay. Our team actively participates in ongoing initiatives to reduce our environmental impact in our daily operations. As our industry continues down the road ahead to a greener and cleaner tomorrow, we invite you to take the first step in learning about our hotel’s commitment to sustainable development: Watch video
Sustainable Cuisine
We believe in showcasing the best ingredients and products the region has to offer. Our hotel Executive Chef Russell Impiazzi works diligently with local purveyors to source the highest quality of ingredients. We are committed to sourcing local, organic, fair trade and sustainable food products whenever possible. In 2023, 30% of all food & beverage at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk was sourced sustainably from the following categories: Local UAE-grown, Middle East produce, fair trade, regional produce, and organic.
Food Waste Reduction
We have adopted a mindful approach to food consumption and food waste. Our new breakfast standard has decreased food waste by 30% since 2022 with high guest satisfaction. No Bin days and Plant-powered days encourage staff to waste less food and enjoy plant-based options in our canteen. We have also installed Chefs Eye software to measure and record food waste in kitchens. With this data, we can analyze food waste and implement solutions to achieve our food waste reduction goals through measurement and follow-up. Learn more about our journey toward zero food waste to landfill.
Hotel Composting Program
Our Kitchen team has partnered with Reloop to compost 100% of food leftovers, ensuring no food waste reaches landfills. Together, we collect food waste, record data, and transform waste into valuable compost. We then return compost to local farms, contributing to the circular economy in a ‘root to stem’ approach. So far, we have created over 365,000kgs of compost with Reloop since 2022. Our kitchen and stewarding teams also collaborate to collect and send used cooking oils for bio fuel recycling.
Food Donation Program
In partnership with local suppliers, our culinary team turns food ‘surplus into purpose’ in proud support of the UAE Food Bank. Together, we have donated over 22,000 nutritious meals to date. This program has fostered a stronger sense of purpose for our team beyond the kitchen, with voluntary meal distribution at the Food Bank.
Linen Donation Program
In line with our dedication to committed luxury, the hotel regularly donates gently used linens to support the Dubai Center for Special Needs (DCSN), totaling over 3,400 kgs since 2022. This initiative is part of our ongoing efforts to extend the life cycle of our linens while supporting our community.
Eliminating Plastic Water Bottles & Water Recycling
Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk has bid farewell to plastic water bottles by installing an in-house water filtration & glass bottling system, as pioneer participants of Dubai Can project. With this tool, we have saved over 2 million plastic bottles from reaching landfill since adoption. We have also removed single-use plastics from guest rooms & suites and are actively taking steps to eliminate all single-use plastics within our hotel. Our hotel has also adopted practices to recycle water for other purposes like plant irrigation and hotel landscaping.
Energy-Efficient Fixtures
For guest rooms, our Guest Room Management System (GRMS) efficiently monitors, manages and regulates energy consumption. GRMS helps save energy in unoccupied rooms by managing lighting and extended cooling periods, leading to substantial energy savings. Throughout the hotel, our Building Management System (BMS) effectively monitors the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning within our hotel’s public areas. This sophisticated system enables us to optimize equipment operation schedules, resulting in a 36.97% KWh decrease in energy consumption.
Net-Zero Carbon Calculator
Accor’s Net-Zero Carbon Calculator helps Meeting & Event organizers calculate their carbon footprint and offset emissions by purchasing carbon credits to balance the remaining emissions. The solution is in collaboration with myclimate, a Swiss non-profit organization and global leader in carbon accounting and climate protection.
Our People
All colleagues and leaders of The Obelisk are involved in learning about our hotel’s sustainability initiatives. We are all committed to making progress toward reaching our shared sustainability goals. Additionally, The Obelisk has a dedicated Sustainability Committee led by a sustainability champion to lead the implementation of sustainability initiatives. Our sustainability committee identifies areas of improvement, discusses strategies to solve issues, and engages colleagues in sustainability events and programming.
Green Key Certification & Awards
In 2023, Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk received the Green Key Certification, a leading standard for excellence in environmental stewardship and sustainable operations within the tourism industry. In 2024, the hotel received the Dubai Sustainable Tourism Stamp Gold Tier, the highest rating recognized by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). We adhere to the strict criteria set by leading sustainability programs so that you can unlock sustainability at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk during your next stay.
Green Ideas
Help plant a seed on our sustainability journey. We would love to hear your feedback as a guest of Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk on how our sustainability initiatives have made a difference during your stay with us, and how we can grow on our green journey further. Share your feedback and suggestions here.
