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Hamburg, 10th January 2025

Sustainable Achievements and Interactive Workshops at the 3rd Sustainability Day of the Empire Riverside Hotel Hamburg

An innovative hub for exchange and inspiration: the 3rd Sustainability Day at the Empire Riverside Hotel attracted numerous interested participants on 7 January 2025, who joined experts in exploring sustainable concepts and visions. With insightful presentations, interactive workshops, and impressive best-practice examples from the renowned Hamburg lifestyle and design hotel, the event demonstrated how sustainability can be actively embraced within the hospitality industry.

Sustainability as a Guiding Principle
The Empire Riverside Hotel regards sustainability as an integral part of its business strategy. It aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and focuses on the three pillars of sustainability – environmental, economic, and social responsibility.
“Sustainability is more than a trend for us – it is our commitment,” explains Hotel Director Enrico Ungermann. “We aim to take responsibility and implement concrete steps towards a more environmentally friendly and equitable future. To ensure we are not alone in this philosophy, we want to make the knowledge of sustainability experts accessible to a wider public.”

Workshops: Developing Solutions Together
A key element of the day was a series of forward-looking workshops in the afternoon, designed to be practical and interactive:

StraßenBLUES e.V.: Having no warm bed in winter is a harsh reality for many homeless people in German cities today. The initiative StraßenBLUES demonstrated how innovative approaches such as “social impact storytelling” can support those affected. Participants gained insights into creative solutions to address this social challenge.

Anna Manzke – Self-determination and Participation: What must it be like to depend on the help of others for a lifetime? Social worker Anna Manzke highlighted the challenges faced by people with disabilities, particularly in relation to career choice, relationships, and autonomy. Through an engaging self-experience exercise followed by discussion, participants were encouraged to broaden their perspectives.

Zeit für Zukunft – Mentoren für Kinder e.V.: Equal opportunities for every child in Germany remain an aspiration. However, initiatives such as Zeit für Zukunft are working to make this a reality—for example, through volunteer mentors who provide children in Hamburg with new perspectives. Participants learned how they could become involved and the lasting impact of such mentorships.

Hanseatic Help e.V.: Wear once and discard—that is the problematic philosophy behind fast fashion. Hanseatic Help e.V. demonstrated that there is another way. Their focus is on the sustainable use of resources, particularly textiles. The workshop provided insights into working with donated clothing and highlighted the environmental and social impacts of textile production.

Hamburger Tierschutzverein von 1841 e.V.: Sadly, even in a modern society, animals continue to fall victim to abuse, neglect, and mistreatment. The Hamburg Animal Welfare Association raised awareness and offered practical advice on how animal and species protection can be incorporated into everyday life. Discussions also explored how the hospitality and catering sectors can contribute more effectively to animal welfare.

Optimised Use of Resources Through Digital Processes
In addition to the workshops, the Empire Riverside Hotel presented significant achievements in its sustainability efforts, including:

- CO₂ reduction: Emissions were reduced by 2.75% from 2023 to 2024.
- Resource conservation: Paper consumption was reduced by 13.9%, equating to savings of 0.56 tonnes.
- Digitalisation: Digital processes such as menus and check-outs contribute to the sustainability strategy and optimise resource use.

Future goals include a complete transition to LED lighting by 2026 and further reductions in energy consumption.

Networking Sustainably into the Future
The 3rd Sustainability Day not only provided space for knowledge-sharing and dialogue but also highlighted the importance of collaboration among all stakeholders.
“It is impressive to see how many creative ideas and how much commitment come together here,” was the conclusion of many participants.

With this in mind, the organisers are already looking ahead to Sustainability Day 2026, where the involvement of guests and partners will be expanded even further.
“Together, we create change—step by step,” the Empire Riverside Hotel concluded.

PRESS CONTACT:
BISS PR & Communications
Kronprinzendamm 20
10711 Berlin
T: +49 1522 4924162
E: hotelhafenhamburg@biss-pr.de
E: empireriverside@biss-pr.de