Archer Hotel Alexandria is committed to doing its part in helping create an environmental and socially responsible property.
Select from the list below to see what our other locations are doing to help the communities in which we live and serve.
Archer Hotel has partnered with One Tree Planted, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a focus on global reforestation. Trees are essential to the health of our planet, biodiversity and reducing the harmful effects of climate change. Reforestation is consistently identified by scientists as one of the top solutions to the climate crisis, and the trees planted as part of this initiative support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
With hotels on the West Coast, Archer chose to plant trees in California’s forests, which are prone to drought, bug infestations and record-breaking wildfires. Repopulating these forests helps improve water and air cleanliness, protects natural habitats and creates beautiful scenery and recreation landscapes.
Sourced from a sustainable artesian aquifer in the tropical Fiji Islands in the South Pacific, FIJI Water is our hospitality partner of choice. As well as serving up Earth’s Finest Water®, FIJI Water also:
- Uses fully recyclable, 100% recycled plastic (recycled polyethylene terephthalate or rPET) for its 330 mL and 500 mL bottles. (projected total bottle volume per 2022 sales forecast — bottle only). This replaces nearly 65% of FIJI Water’s bottle volume in the U.S. with recycled material (projected total bottle volume per 2022 sales forecast).
- Uses fully recyclable, high-grade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for its bigger bottles. The company has plans to continue this momentum in the coming years.
- Works to reduce its carbon footprint by investing around $2.5 million on energy efficiency initiatives on the Fiji Islands — including using microturbine energy generation and adopting the low-sulfur fuel standard for all shipping, which dramatically decreases sulfur oxide emissions.
- Focuses on sustainability and improving the lives of native Fijians via the FIJI Foundation — a charitable trust funded and supported by the owners, employees and corporate affiliates of FIJI Water. The foundation helps provide clean water access, health care services, disaster relief and educational facilities and infrastructure for the islands.
- Partners with Conservation International to preserve the purity and biological wealth of the Fijian islands via large-scale reforestation and conservation efforts, which create sustainable jobs and income sources for local communities.
Archer loves to share what he’s discovered — especially stories and products that are born from passionate creators. Archer Hotel has partnered with LATHER to offer gentle, effective bath amenities to all guests. LATHER is a woman-owned business, born of owner Emilie Hoyt's very personal story and desire for good health that led her to explore natural ingredients to help others. The company has a range of community partnerships dedicated to inclusivity and sustainability. LATHER is synthetic fragrance-free using natural essential oils and botanical extracts — and never uses sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrance or color, phthalates or mineral oil.
Archer Hotels utilize large format dispensers in order to reduce the use of single-use plastics. Each property features LATHERs Aromatherapy Line for its wonderful range of subtle natural scents — mint thyme hair wash, yuzu bergamot crème rinse and bamboo lemongrass body wash.
Archer Hotel has partnered with KultureCity to provide employee training to better serve our guests who have sensory needs. Each hotel offers Sensory Bags which are are designed to help sensory needs in both adults and children. Filled with items that can help lessen sensory overload and also engage, the bag items are also easily cleaned and sterilized for multiple uses.
- Maintains LEED standards at the home office.
- Provides HR information and benefits plans online.
- Recycles documents, paper, glass, metal, electronics and appliances.
- Uses C-fold hand towels, toilet paper and paper towels made of recycled material.
- Recycles printer toner and ink cartridges.
- Utilizes utility monitoring: We currently employ the Burton Energy Group to monitor and report on utility usage at our hotels. They review monthly usage reports benchmarked against reports from year to year. The intent is to look for spikes in usage that would reveal leaking water, gas and irrigation piping, exterior lighting that cycles on for excessive lengths of time and kitchen equipment left on when not in use.
- Enforces environmental tobacco smoke control.
- Incorporates green cleaning practices.
- Stores and collects recyclables.
- Includes eco-friendly best practices, such as using stickers instead of toilet paper wraps in housekeeping.
- Implements a sustainable food program:
- Eliminates unnecessary inefficiency, waste and expenditure.
- Contributes to the combined purchasing power of local government to stimulate demand for sustainable products.
- Advances sustainability by participating in closing the “life-cycle loop.”
- Increases awareness about the range and quality of sustainable products available.
- Demonstrates leadership in advancing long-term social and environmental sustainability.
- Buys local:
- Archer Hotel recognizes its role in the economic development of the community and is committed to assisting the local industry to do business with Archer. The hotel supports the area’s economic development by ensuring that goods and services are sourced through local suppliers where possible.
- Prefers to choose locally grown, seasonally available produce and value-added products in our food service.
- Ensures a “buy local” culture within the Archer standards.
- Maintains a local food directory and preferred supplier list.
- Ensures that buying practices, procedures and specifications do not disadvantage local suppliers, and ensures transparency in quotation, tendering and contract management practices.
- Encourages local businesses and vendors to promote their goods and services to Archer.
- Encourages the use of local distributors within the delivery chain whenever goods, materials and services must be sourced from the outside local government area.
- Buys ethically:
- In instances where locally grown food items are not available, Archer mindfully sources value-added products and produce grown/manufactured from a supportive, ethical industrial location.
- Considers our social responsibility in food selections — Archer aims to promote the welfare of livestock, poultry and agricultural workers.
- Reduces waste:
- During product consideration, Archer prioritizes vendors and products with minimal packaging or reusable, recyclable or biodegradable packing. Selecting local suppliers also reduces food transport miles and environmental impact.
- Archer Hotel strives to promote environmental stewardship with this evolving plan to be a responsible consumer.
- Utilizes Energy Star certified appliances and equipment.
- Utilizes an InnComm Energy Management system for the VRF systems in guest rooms that use occupancy sensors to control HVAC and lighting when rooms are occupied and unoccupied.
- Furthers low water consumption measures:
- Dye tests toilets annually to test for leaks past the flapper valves.
- Trains employees on reporting water leaks, drips and running toilets.
- Recycles and reuses:
- Paper (e.g., newspapers, office paper, envelopes, computer paper, shredded paper, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, phone books), cardboard, aluminum cans and other metals, batteries, electronics, computers, appliances, dry-cleaning hangers, printer ink and toner cartridges, phones, plastics, guest laundry bags, glass and other items where municipal support exists.
- Keeps guests comfortable in “green” bedding and pillows of down-feather fill combination and cotton.
- Encourages in-room reuse of linens and towels.
- Utilizes an eco-friendly (PERC) dry-cleaning service.
- Provides eco-friendly soaps and products in public, back-of-house and guest room spaces.
- Provides 40%+ recycled material hand towels in public space restrooms.
- Is available to give tours of hotel facilities and LEED practices.
- Offers reusable break room and in-room coffee cups and mugs.
- Meets or exceeds EPA paper standards for in-room and billing documents.
- Uses LED lighting for all exit signage.
- Cleans carpets and spots with nontoxic and low-VOC products.
- Offers napkins for team use made of recycled and/or unbleached material.
- Partners with Cintas for uniforms and uniform care. Cintas uses recycled polyester made completely of post-consumer waste.
- Partners with Green Eco Cleaners & Enviro Cleaners for dry-cleaning and wet-cleaning services. Green Eco Cleaners uses production systems that incorporate the latest technologies to reduce consumption of water, electricity and natural gas, as well as recycling hangers and plastic bags.