Dr. Christopher Warren, a recent alumni of Griffith Institute for Tourism and founder of ‘My Green Butler’ has been awarded the prestigious Banksia Foundation’s 2018 Small Business Award.
My Green Butler, an innovative new service devised by Crystal Creek Meadows Luxury Cottages and Spa Retreat is a green holiday adviser that helps tourist accommodation save resources, cut costs, cut pollution and increase guest satisfaction. The service was devised by this small business in Kangaroo Valley, NSW and is now already on trial in Australia and Europe.
Banksia judges chose this entry because it “was outstanding for its great leadership, to take on such a big role and create a big impact despite being only from a small business in tourism. This business is producing a unique product with potential to have a real impact reducing the footprint of accommodation and has strong potential to go global.”
My Green Butler applies smart technologies and persuasive communications to help people self-regulate consumption. The program combines host training, web app and guest engagement.
“Tourism is a major contributor to global carbon emissions and natural resource depletion yet we are in the de-stress and happiness industry! So we therefore must take serious innovative steps to change if we are to remain relevant to the changing social values of our guests and act responsibly to globally accepted science”, says Dr. Warren, a co-proprietor of Crystal Creek Meadows. My Green Butler evolved out of Dr. Warren’s PhD research on how best to engage tourists to help hospitality become more sustainable. He believes that hospitality firms are under enormous pressure from rising costs, searching to find ways to decarbonise and meet the escalating expectations of their guests. “It is a very pressuring situation for business owners and managers so I really think the time is right to apply genuine service innovations that give us win-win results for our sector,” he says. “The reason My Green Butler is particularly effective is that it has been devised by a small hotelier who understands the commercial constraints for hospitality.” Dr. Warren claims that his method to engage guests positively has the potential to save millions of kW of energy and litres of water without negatively affecting the guest’s stay.
“We are thrilled to have won this Banksia Award and are proud to participate alongside such talented and committed sustainability entrepreneurs from across Australia,“ says Dr. Warren.
The Banksia Foundation is a strong and expanding brand and its Awards program, the Banksia Sustainability Awards, are regarded as the most prestigious and longest running sustainability awards in the world. Banksia Foundation’s 30th Anniversary illustrates how the efforts and passion of so many individuals that have been a part of Banksia Foundation can make a difference in moving our society towards a more sustainable future. The longevity of the Banksia Foundation Awards proves without doubt that Australians are keen to innovate and move forward with thousands of entries over the past 30 years being received for the Banksia Foundation Awards.
Find out more about Banksia Foundation Awards
Find out more about:My Green Butler
Read about Crystal Creek Meadows 12 years of responsible tourism reporting here
