Sustainability

Developing a responsible approach to hospitality and tourism with a focus on cultivating sustainable growth

At Cromlix we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and making a positive impact on the local community. To discover how we’re developing and maintaining sustainable practices, you can read our dedicated Sustainability Policy below and see what has already been introduced in the past two years.

Sustainability Policy

Cromlix is committed to achieving environmental and social sustainability as a business, by developing a responsible attitude to hospitality and tourism. We are aware of the impact that hospitality can have on the environment and, as a consequence, are consistently reviewing our practices and introducing new initiatives to reduce our consumption, protect the environment, respect our local surroundings and culture, and do our part to fight the emerging climate crisis.

A number of initiatives have already been introduced as a result of the total refurbishment of the hotel in 2023, focusing on improving the energy management of the building, building partnerships with environmentally conscious suppliers and improving accessibility. However, we continue to look at all areas of our business and work to stay abreast of new information which can aid in the delivery of new initiatives. We are committed to complying with all relevant legislation and regulations to achieve international best practices.

We have future plans for the hotel, which include the building of a new restaurant due to open in 2026 and repurposing a former, disused store-house in the grounds and converting it into our wellness retreat. And with these, sustainability is the starting point for our designs to ensure we use the latest technology to minimise our carbon footprint and our impact on the local environment.

As a family-run business, bought by Andy and Kim Murray in 2013 to help maintain jobs for the local community, our impact on those living and working in our immediate locale, remains a priority. We focus on employing local staff, sourcing locally in accordance with Fair Trade principles, and we run a number of outreach

programmes in the local community offering our team or the hotel for philanthropic initiatives.

Our SUSTAINABILITY journey so far

Improving our energy efficiency

In 2023, the hotel undertook a major refurbishment and at that time we worked hard to improve the energy efficiency of this Victoria building. Initiatives introduced included:

• New insulated piping system introduced throughout the hotel.
• Thermostatic valves in all bathrooms, with underfloor heating and individual towel rails controlled by seven-day programme controllers.
• Windows sealed and repointed externally to prevent heat loss.
• More efficient radiators installed throughout the hotel.
• Bathroom walls thermally insulated.
• LED lighting where possible.
• Borehole and spring water supply system introduced to reduce the need for mains water to be pumped into the estate.
• Automatically closing entrance doors to keep in heat.
• Upcycled furniture used wherever possible in 2023 refurbishment.
• Training of staff to switch off appliances not in use.
• Use of local Dunblane dry cleaners Green Clean, eco-friendly specialist dry cleaners, using chemical free cleaning for all garments.
• Use of Littles Chauffeur Drive, which has a silver rating in Green Tourism.

Reducing consumption

Reducing our consumption is an important part of reducing our impact on the environment. So far we have introduced:

• Borehole and spring water supply system reducing the need for mains water to be pumped into the estate.

• Partnership with EcoPure Waters to filter borehole and spring water onsite using recyclable glass bottles to offer guests drinkable still and sparkling water in the restaurant and in bedrooms. Profits from the sale of this water are given to the charity Just a Drop which helps provide clean water to impoverished communities around the world.

• Refillable in-room toiletries to reduce plastic waste.
• Use of locally produced ingredients and locally sourced Scottish suppliers (e.g. our MODM aromatherapy bathroom products from an Edinburgh-based supplier).
• Flowers, vegetables, fruit and herbs grown on site to reduce need for deliveries. Dried flowers (also grown on the estate) are used when fresh flowers are not in season.
• In season produce served in the restaurant whenever possible, and ingredients are foraged in the grounds of the Cromlix estate.
• Introduction of a new Gourmet Garden to supplement our Kitchen Garden to be able to supply more stock to our Kitchen.
• New shed added to the Kitchen Garden to make it more effective and increase our output of produce.

NEW PARTNERSHIPS

• Use of local Dunblane dry cleaners Green Clean, eco-friendly specialist dry cleaners, using chemical free cleaning for all garments.
• Use of Littles Chauffeur Drive, which has a silver rating in Green Tourism.

Making Cromlix inclusive and accessible to all:

We have already introduced:

• Enhanced arrival route to the hotel, rising the ground and taking away steps to the hotel to enter to allow far better accessibility. The addition of resin bound roadway on entrance also makes the accessible journey easier.
• Variety of bedroom options to accommodate individual requirements.
• Staff recruitment policies encourage diversity and working patterns are designed to suit different needs and lifestyles (such as part time etc). We employ a large amount of local young people throughout the hotel, working around their school and college timetables to accommodate their schedules.
• We host regular brand workshops with all staff to engage them in the Cromlix vision, mission and values of the hotel.
• We deliver diversity, inclusion and equality training through our online training portal, FLOW and in person.
• We are building two new ground floor bedrooms, including a fully accessible suite with wet room, due to open May 2026.

Engaging with the local community:

• We work regularly with local schools. We have hosted a home baking stand at the summer fête for our closest primary school for the past two years. We supported an experiential and educational programme through the culinary arts association, where children learnt hospitality skills (both cooking and service), culminating in a dining event for teachers and parents (where the children cooked and served the food).
• Our Executive Head Chef uses the most local produce available where possible, sourced from small artisan suppliers rather than large national businesses.
• Recruitment of staff from the local area.
• Use of Scottish suppliers (e.g. from printed materials to trades companies to marketing agencies) for our refurbishment and rebrand.
• Use of local Scottish craftsmen and women in the build of our new restaurant. This construction project will employ over 65 local people.
• Collaboration with Royal Scottish Academy, supporting local Scottish artists.
• Creation and promotion of specific events targeted at the local community, e.g. summer pickleball clinics with Judy Murray.

In the pipeline:

• Within the next 6 months we will be adding four new bedrooms at Cromlix, including an accessible ground floor bedroom and bathroom.
• We are in the process of partnering with Stirling based Hydro-genie to reduce our energy consumption and cut our emissions.