The Lodge's Sustainability Initiatives

Here at The Lodge at Ashford Castle, our commitment to environmental and social responsibility has a multifaceted approach, find out more about our holistic dedication to creating a positive impact on both the environment and the community below.

CLIMATE 

We are undertaking a number of different measures to reduce our carbon footprint at The Lodge at Ashford Castle. As a property, we have been using 100% renewable energy since 2019, this dedication to the reduction of carbon emissions is something that we are particularly proud to endorse. Additionally, through using Diligent, we have recorded our carbon footprint, able to track our progress and align ourselves with industry standards. As part of the future here on the estate, we are looking into using all electric vehicles with additional charging points on the Ashford Estate.

FOOD

Reducing Food Waste

All coffee grinds, raw fruit and vegetable trimmings are now being converted into compost via Winnow, a food waste solution technology. This compost is then being transferred into helping fruits and vegetables grown on the estate, this circular process is one our Executive Head Chef, Jonathan Keane and his team are particularly proud of. In 2021, we recycled 69% of our waste, which is then separated into various streams, food, non-recyclable, glass, paper & plastics, cardboard, batteries and electrical waste. 

Local and Organic Produce

Jonathan Keane is an advocate for using the best locally sourced produced, and his menus are a testament to this belief. The Lodge's partnership with Glasraí the perfect example of this. A small certified organic farm in Hollymount Co. Mayo, a few miles from the Ashford Estate, they farm with the earth as their core value and encourage a biodiverse, vibrant, healthy ecosystem. On the Ashford Estate, Gardener Alex Lavell has brought new life to the polytunnels. Situated by The Lodge at Ashford Castle, these supply the Ashford Estate with a vast array of local and organic produce.

WASTE

Eliminating single-use plastics

Currently, we are 76% of the way to eliminating as many single use plastics as possible from our operations. We are also in the process of changing our key cards to paper as well as trialling new refillable toiletries in the bathrooms, which would eliminate a significant amount of plastic waste on the estate.

EXPERIENCES

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

We have curated a collection of MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences under four different themes: Irish food, indigenous craft, music and story, and the real Connemara. This is a unique opportunity to meet the flagbearers of traditional Irish culture and to support our local artists and artisans. 

DIVERSITY 

Kevin Baker O’Haire is a long-standing team member here at The Lodge at Ashford Castle, he is an active member of the IDEA (Inclusion Diversity Equality Action) circle. The Ashford Estate has a wonderful collection of employees who have been trained as Mental Health First Aiders, who provide their own time and energy to talk and mentor colleagues who may be facing personal or work challenges.

Additionally the Ashford Estate's sustainability team have been given the tools to research, investigate and implement ways that can continue to support our significant global process. Every department has been encouraged to find its advocate, the passionate force pushing ideas throughout the teams and the whole workforce. We realise that we have a huge way to go to fully realise our goals of achieving carbon neutrality whilst still delivering world class hospitality; nonetheless we are overwhelmingly proud of the achievements we have made so far.

Volunteering 

Volunteering at The Lodge at Ashford Castle is something that we’re incredibly proud to take part in, working with four main charity organisations; Mayo Roscommon Hospice, Cope Galway, Hand in Hand and Madra. 

Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation in association with HSE West funds specialist palliative care services, which are free of charge, to patients and families living with life-limiting illnesses in counties Mayo and Roscommon. In April 2021, all employees from The Lodge at Ashford Castle were invited to ‘Walk, crawl, jog, swim, or row' either a 5 or a 10k to raise funds for Mayo Roscommon Hospice. Raising a total of €4,227 this event was a great success and enjoyed by all. 

Cope Galway provides essential support services for people who are homeless, women and children experiencing domestic abuse and older people. The General Manager of The Lodge at Ashford Castle, Peter Fergus, has supported the charity for several years now through their annual business sleep out, where he spends 24-hours out on the streets of Galway City to heighten awareness of those in need in our close community. 

Hand in Hand work with families in every county throughout Ireland who are affected by childhood cancer. With care being predominantly based in Dublin their focus is to give these children and their families on-the-ground support to minimise the impact that both the diagnosis and frequent long-distance travel for treatment has on family life. General Manager of The Lodge at Ashford, Peter Fergus, and Ashford Castle’s George V Restaurant Manager, Robert Bowe, both sit on the Board of Directors for Hand In Hand Children's Charity.

MADRA rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes unwanted, neglected, abused and abandoned dogs. Located in Connemara, in the heart of the Gaeltacht, surrounded by beauty and nature. Dogs sleep in purpose built kennels and have a variety of outdoor areas available to them for exercise and enjoyment. The Lodge Ashford Castle's team members are frequent visitors to the Madra facility where they walk dogs, take on maintenance and general cleaning duties. We have also donated a number of blankets and pillows no longer fit for hotel use, but that are very much welcomed by the dogs.