Plantonia: Sustainability at the heart of our philosophy
In our latest interview, we talk to Karolina Jakubiczka-Costanzo, Marketing Manager at Plantonia and Stradonia, companies that focus on sustainable development in the hotel industry. Karolina will talk about how both brands implement an ecological philosophy in their business, what challenges they face on the way to certification, and how sustainability is becoming an increasingly important element of decisions made by their guests.
What sustainable development activities are being implemented or will be implemented in 2024/25 in your company?
Plantonia was created with sustainable and ethical travel in mind. The equipment of our apartments has been carefully selected with ecology in mind: the materials are natural, recycled or suitable for reprocessing. The products do not contain animal ingredients. We have worked with suppliers who try to minimize the carbon footprint, obtain raw materials responsibly and use ecological packaging.
We have implemented technologies that support resource savings, such as LED lighting, reed switches in windows and aerators that limit the flow of water. Our guests can use filtered water available in the lobby, and in the apartments we offer it in glass bottles. We also take care of a healthy microclimate in the rooms by placing plants known for their cleansing properties and improving air quality. Plantonia continues its commitment to environmental protection by segregating waste, offering cosmetics in reusable containers and using natural cleaning products.
As part of our ecological activities, we monitored the Plantonia building with a thermal imaging camera to check its thermal insulation and eliminate heat loss. We also calculated the operational carbon footprint, which will allow us to implement future initiatives. The annual result was 106.56 tCO2e, reaching 81.30 kg CO2e per square meter.
What does your employee management and supplier cooperation policy look like?
We focus on team development and promoting a healthy lifestyle. As part of employee support, we offer preferential conditions for participating in yoga classes, access to the gym and salt cave. There is also a library in Plantonia, where you can find books focusing on the topics of well-being and ecology. Our organization also has a Sustainable Development Leader, who shares the latest trends and initiatives in the area of environmental protection with the team. One of his activities was to calculate the carbon footprint and water footprint, replace aerators and initiate internal training in the field of sustainable development and our solutions in Plantonia.
We cooperate with local suppliers, craftsmen and designers, thus supporting the local economy.
Fresh breakfasts are prepared for the apartments by the Zaczyn bakery, the juices in the pantry come from Chocznia Tłoczni and natural wines are supplied by Naturaliści. Additionally, among others. we cooperate with brands such as Krakow Places – they provide us with beautiful souvenirs from Krakow, you can buy Plantonia bags from Radecka and we created mugs with Zuza Tokarska - Odpodszewki. Our apartments are equipped with natural Yope cosmetics, the packaging of which is made of recycled plastic and the label is made of sugar cane. We also organize various workshops or classes held outside. These include yoga, gong concerts in a salt cave or painting workshops.
Regarding company management/operational strategy: Sustainability is an integral part of our strategy. For 2025, we plan to further optimize operational processes in the spirit of ecology, including the purchase of green energy and the development of activities that compensate for carbon dioxide emissions.
Do you have or are you interested in obtaining a certificate for sustainable activities for your company?
Yes, in July 2024 we obtained the Green Key certificate, which confirms our commitment to pro-ecological activities. This certificate is an international symbol of sustainable activity in the tourism industry.
What was the biggest challenge in the certification process? Why did you decide on the Green Key certificate?
We chose the Green Key certification because it is one of the most recognizable ecological distinctions in the hotel industry.
One of the challenges was to complete all documentation for the certificate of specific solutions. This is our first year with the certificate, thanks to the Plantonia concept we were already quite well prepared to meet the ecological requirements for the facility.
Do customers expect your company to provide sustainable solutions/certifications?
In a survey conducted in 2024, our guests indicated that the aspect of sustainability was the third most important factor when choosing Plantonia. We see a growing awareness of travelers who value ecologically responsible solutions both during their leisure and business stays. This trend is also visible on booking platforms, where it is now possible to filter properties by having sustainability certificates.
What trends in event / meeting organization have you observed recently?
At Plantonia, we organize intimate events related to well-being and mindfulness. The topics of sustainability and ecology are becoming increasingly popular in the context of workshops, meetings and events.
Where do you get your knowledge and inspiration for organizing sustainable meetings?
We draw inspiration from participating in industry conferences, congresses and fairs dedicated to sustainable development. We also use global educational platforms and specialist press. These include, among others: Footprint+, Greenview.sg, Gbta.org, sustainablehospitalityalliance.org, climateandstrategy.com, PLGBC. We drew a lot of knowledge from them in terms of calculating the carbon footprint.
The Sustainability Leader monitors current trends and implements them in our activities, sharing knowledge with the entire team.
