Hannover Congress Centrum develops future CSR plans

LOS ANGELES, California – The Hannover Congress Centrum (HCC) is one of the largest independent trade fair convention and event centers in Germany. An average of 1,200 annual events are held at the center with approximately 400,000 visitors. HCC combines tradition and innovation with the historic Kuppelsaal (Domed Hall) over 100 years old, 3 large multifunctional event halls, 7 banquet halls and 30 conference and seminar rooms.

Green Globe recently certified the Hannover Congress Centrum for the fourth time with the hotel achieving an exemplary compliance score of 96%.

Lutz Wohlers, Environmental Officer at HCC, said: “We were first certified by Green Globe in 2011. For us, certification means working continuously within the process of corporate social responsibility in all related fields. It is a very intensive and helpful instrument.

“We believe in the permanent development of the CSR Story in our congress center since it’s part of our USP and the story we want to tell about our building and staff development,” added Mr. Wohlers.

HCC has implemented comprehensive CSR policies and practices that include impressive achievements in resource management and the development of wide ranging social activities.

A centralized Building Management System controls and adjusts temperatures in accordance with seasonal changes to reduce energy consumption. Further energy savings have been made through the use of district heating and cooling. Lighting has been replaced with LEDs and dimmable lights as well as motion sensors. Technical equipment is also integrated into the BMS. As of this year, reductions of approximately 15% have been made in energy usage.

The HCC has lowered water consumption by improving plumbing thereby dispensing with pressure boosting systems, the use of low flow aerators and electrically controlled toilet facility rinses. The property has also invested in waste management measurements such as merging waste areas, optimizing methods of disposal and the sorting of waste fractions.

To reduce its environmental impact, centralized MFPs (multifunction printers) will be used to minimize the use of paper in offices. This will be further supported by the scanning and digital archiving of paper documents. It is estimated 15,000 sheets of paper can be saved over a year with the implementation of these procedures. Another innovative initiative is the use of a new 100% chemical-free cleaning system where normal tap water and active oxygen are used to clean a variety of surfaces such as glass, ceramic, concrete, wood or textile materials.

Renovations in the majestic Domed Hall were completed earlier this year. The hall now has new seating and the latest stage technology with enhanced lighting and acoustics. Furthermore, an audio induction system has been installed for the convenience of guests who may be deaf or have hearing impairments.

The Hannover Congress Centrum continues to support social initiatives in the community. Since 2012, HCC has been working with the Annastift Living and Learning GmbH – Annastift Leben und Lernen GmbH – to offer unemployed people internships in various departments. The training provides practical skills that are transferable to future employment. In addition, for the last three years, HCC staff and professional performers have voluntarily run a special Christmas party for several hundred homeless people and underprivileged families. The property provides one of the major concert halls for the event which includes a Christmas entertainment program coupled with a Christmas meal.

Regional, seasonal and sustainable cuisine is offered at the organic Park Restaurant. The bio-restaurant has an herb garden that grows 17 different kinds of herbs to use as ingredients in dishes. In the future, organic honey from 16 beehives will be used at the restaurant and kitchens or as a promotional giveaway to guests and customers. And to stimulate local economic development, plans are underway for the restaurant to become a training venue for young people in the future.

Green Globe is the worldwide sustainability system based on internationally accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. Operating under a worldwide license, Green Globe is based in California, USA and is represented in over 83 countries. Green Globe is an Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

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