LEADING the way IN SUSTAINABLE HOSPITALITY

Fairmont San Francisco holds a Four Green Key rating from Green Key Global, an internationally recognized sustainability certification program for the hotel industry.

Green Key Global assesses hotel practices across areas including energy and water conservation, waste management, building operations, responsible purchasing and community engagement.

Fairmont San Francisco received an audited score of 70.63%. Our current certification was issued on June 6, 2024 and is valid through June 6, 2027.

A Four Green Key rating recognizes properties with established environmental and social programs that involve management, colleagues, guests and the wider community.

High above Nob Hill, our rooftop garden is home to one of Fairmont San Francisco’s longest-running sustainability initiatives.

In 2010, Fairmont San Francisco became the city’s first hotel to install honeybee hives. Today, as many as 500,000 honeybees may live across multiple hives, foraging among lavender, rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, chives and cilantro.

The garden provides food and habitat for urban pollinators while producing herbs and honey that can connect the rooftop garden to our culinary program.

Our commitment to sustainability includes the people who work here and the community we call home.

Fairmont San Francisco supports colleague training and career development, workplace inclusion, health and well-being, pay equity and programs designed to prevent human trafficking.

Our community efforts include charitable giving, colleague volunteer opportunities, donations of usable linens, furnishings and electronics, support for local entrepreneurs and community initiatives, and work with organizations such as GLIDE and Make-A-Wish.

Together, these efforts help us contribute to a city Fairmont San Francisco has been part of for more than a century.

From the ingredients we source to the food left after service, our culinary teams look for ways to make dining more responsible.

Whenever possible, we favor local and seasonal ingredients and work with Bay Area growers and purveyors. We avoid endangered and unsustainable seafood, use Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guidance when possible and favor suppliers committed to animal welfare.

Our menus also include plant-based, vegetarian and gluten-free choices, with dishes adapted for dietary needs when possible.

Behind the scenes, our teams work to reduce food waste by:

• Ordering and preparing according to anticipated demand
• Using in-house ingredients prior to new deliveries
• Storing ingredients carefully to reduce spoilage
• Using ingredients across multiple dishes
• Incorporating suitable surplus ingredients into specials or colleague meals
• Donating eligible untouched food
• Composting organic waste
• Recycling used cooking oil

Our kitchen, banquet and event teams have also participated in a food-waste pilot program sponsored by WWF, supporting a goal to reduce food waste by an average of 30%.

We continue to reduce disposable materials throughout the guest experience and behind the scenes.

In guestrooms, large-format bathroom amenities replace individual toiletry bottles, while ceramic mugs and glassware provide reusable alternatives to disposable cups. Guests also have access to in-room recycling.

Across the hotel, our practices include:

• Reusable dishes, glassware and linen napkins
• Water refill stations for guests and colleagues to reduce disposable water bottles
• Compostable takeout containers
• Compostable agave straws
• Electronic guest folios and event documents
• Bulk service in place of many individually packaged items

We also recycle materials including cardboard, glass, metals, paper, plastics, electronics, batteries, light bulbs and toner cartridges. Usable linens, furnishings and equipment may be donated or otherwise diverted from landfill.

Water conservation is part of how we care for our hotel every day.

Guestrooms feature low-flow showerheads and tap aerators, while public restrooms include water-saving fixtures. Our Housekeeping team is trained to limit unnecessary water use, report leaks and support our linen and towel conservation program.

We also track annual water consumption and maintain plumbing and kitchen equipment to help prevent water waste.

Caring for a historic Nob Hill landmark also means finding ways to operate it more efficiently.

All guestrooms use LED lighting, with LED technology also installed throughout most public and back-of-house areas. Motion sensors, timers and dimmer controls help reduce energy use, while programmable temperature controls and building automation systems manage heating and cooling more efficiently.

High-efficiency boilers and regular preventative maintenance further support the responsible operation of the hotel.

For meetings and celebrations, planners can choose from practices designed to reduce waste and resource use.

Options include:

• Electronic proposals, contracts, menus and schedules
• Reusable dishes, glassware, linen napkins and ceramic mugs
• Water pitchers and refill stations in place of individual plastic bottles
• Recycling and composting in meeting areas
• Plant-based and lower-carbon menu choices
• Plated service to help reduce food waste
• Reusable or donated decorative centerpieces
• Bulk service in place of many individually packaged items

Programmable lighting and temperature controls also help reduce energy use in meeting spaces, and planners can receive information about public transportation and electric vehicle charging.