Environmental Charter – The Originals Boutique Montluçon

Dear reader of the Environmental Charter of The Originals Boutique Montluçon,

First of all, we would like to thank you for choosing us for your stopover in Montluçon.

Since its creation, our establishment has placed great importance on environmental responsibility. For us, for you, and for future generations, we are fully committed to minimizing the environmental impact of our activities.

This is precisely why we have written our Environmental Charter for The Originals Boutique Montluçon.

On the Road for the Label Clef Verte

The Green Key is a voluntary label awarded annually by an independent jury to all types of environmentally friendly tourist accommodations: hotels, campsites, lodges, guesthouses, tourist residences… The jury requires regular monitoring of progress and improvements made by the candidates. The criteria are defined at the international level and are shared across all countries. They are reviewed every year to remain forward-thinking and to meet the environmental requirements of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). This review is conducted jointly with all the national coordinators of the label. France hosted the international coordination from 2002 to 2008. Today, the Netherlands is in charge of it.

The criteria cover various areas of environmental management.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY: general environmental management, staff training

WATER MANAGEMENT: resource management and sanitation, taps and fixtures, irrigation

WASTE MANAGEMENT: waste sorting, volume reduction

ENERGY MANAGEMENT: energy resource management, heating, household equipment, lighting

RESPONSIBLE PURCHASING: food, maintenance, other purchases

LIVING ENVIRONMENT: indoor environment, outdoor environment

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS: guest information, nature-related activities

In order to meet the label’s criteria and make our establishment an environmentally friendly place to stay, we ask for everyone’s participation.

Our establishment must comply with over 110 criteria to be eligible for this label. These include informing guests through staff members, waste sorting, proper use of cleaning products, the implementation of a smoking policy, and many more.

But what does it actually mean in practice?

Awareness for Our Teams and Guests

Our environmental manager has completed specialized training on the challenges of sustainable tourism, environmental preservation, and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

We train our staff in eco-friendly practices to be applied in their daily tasks.

We select our service providers and suppliers based on their environmental and social commitments.

Water & Energy Conservation

We have installed water-saving devices/pressure reducers on taps and showers to avoid depleting resources.

All our toilets are equipped with dual-flush systems.

All our windows are double-glazed, and the building façade is scheduled for renovation to improve insulation.

We record our water and electricity meter readings monthly to better manage our consumption.

All our lighting is LED, providing energy savings while maintaining guest comfort.

We have installed motion detectors and timers in common areas and corridors to reduce energy waste.

Waste Reduction & Sorting

• We have set up several selective sorting stations; all our rental units are equipped with a pre-sorting bin.
• Ink cartridges are collected and recycled.
• We sort paper, glass, batteries, light bulbs, and more.
• We prioritize electronic communications over paper mail whenever possible.
• We sort all types of waste, including organic waste, which is repurposed for our chickens and a local horse breeder. Our staff also collects used coffee grounds to use as fertilizer in the gardens.
• We use mostly bulk or large-format products to limit unnecessary packaging.
• Amenity products are only provided upon request to reduce packaging waste.
• We have put up signs to help guide our guests in sorting waste according to local regulations.
• We do not use any disposable tableware.
• Soap is used to refill dispensers in the shared areas.

Responsible Purchasing

We always renew our equipment with environmental considerations in mind. Our materials are maintained to ensure greater longevity.

Guest Well-being

We use eco-labeled cleaning products to ensure better air quality and reduce health risks.

For the well-being of our team and yours, we have banned the use of bleach, which is irritating to the respiratory tract and toxic to aquatic life.

Our establishment is completely non-smoking.

Going a Step Further…

We recycle and support local reuse centers by donating our old equipment, furniture, and linens.

Atelier de Pénélope

Our materials are recycled through local charitable organizations in the Montluçon area to give them a second life.

We support various sports and cultural clubs in the Montluçon region through partnership agreements:

• Montluçon Badminton Club (free access to our seminar room & discounted rates)
• Montluçon Football Club
• Lions Club (free access to our seminar room)
• BSM Handball
• Montluçon Moto Club
• Légion d’Honneur

Cultural partnerships with:

• La SMAC de Montluçon, Le 109 Montluçon
• Gabrielle Robine Theater
• Le Palace Cinema
• MuPop, Museum of Popular Music

We work with local partners who are committed to the environment and social inclusion.

Le Lavandin, a sheltered workshop in Montluçon, is our laundry partner.

Each year, we commit to new criteria to improve our approach. Please feel free to share your ideas with us!

Finally, thank you for reading our Environmental Charter for The Originals Boutique Montluçon—and most importantly, thank you for supporting our efforts during your stay!

Want to best prepare for your arrival? You’ll find our room directory with available services attached.