QSE Certification: Progress without a song and dance

Since 3 December 2008, the Compagnie du Mont- Blanc has been certified ISO 14001 (environmental management) and OHSAS 18001 (health and safety at work). Our business is now one of the first lift companies in France able to point to its triple Quality,
Safety and Environment (QSE) certification as proof of our commitment.

This recognition was achieved after two years work and following a ten hour audit of all the Company’s installations and activities carried out last November by SGS. QSE certification does not mean that with effect from the beginning of the month our activities will have no impact whatsoever on the environment nor that the safety of our employees and subcontractors will be assured come what may or that as
a matter of course our customers will always be satisfied with our facilities. The standards applied do not set any target that can be measured on figures to achieve.

The QSE procedure is however very demanding, lengthy and expensive and for us hardly fulfils any communication aims. Certification from our point of view is mainly an encouragement to move forward respecting our social, economic and geographic environment, and proof of our support for the actions of our associates (Municipality, SIVOM HVA, Tourist Office, socio-professionals…).

What has been done:

- A commitment letter (copy herewith) which establishes our ambition and represents our « road map ».

- The involvement, training and making aware of more than 500 staff members, who throughout the audit showed their grasp of the work and their commitment.

- An accurate analysis of the rules applying to environmental issues and safety at work and the ongoing monitoring of all our obligations.

- An analysis of the impact of all our activities on the environment,

- Solid actions: storage tanks in the workshops to avoid the risk of pollution, full sorting of rubbish, arrangements to encourage public transport in the valley (special buses for our staff, more buses for guests, support for « tram-train » studies etc.), training for emergency situations, taking account of the environmental aspects in the management of building works, pistes and improvements (e.g. landscaping for the mountain reservoir at la Flégère).
In short, the QSE initiative at CMB is like a climbing team moving up the mountain, sure that the ways to make progress are limitless.

Collineige (who have chalets and apartments in the Chamonix Valley) try to encourage their guests to use green modes of transport.

One of the families to do this most successfully is the Devereux family (Vanessa, Robert and 4 teenage children) who always come over by train. They are a very adventurous family and came over in August (by train) to climb Mont Blanc.

Last February, they also came over to stay in one of Collineige's chalets and Vanessa said that the train journey was fabulous, but would be even better if only they could have the Collineige linen, bathrobes, toiletries etc on the train.

Colleen, Collineige's director in Chamonix, has been negotiating with SNCF to see if they can organise a Collineige carriage from Paris to Chamonix.

In February, the Devereux family did a moonlit descent of the 22km Vallee Blanche.

By using the train they managed 7 days of skiing, arriving on the Sun morning and then on the final Saturday skiing and then coming back to a "Hobo supper". This was prepared by the collineige's chef Luke Macleod who has been a chef at Paris restaurants Alain Senderens (3 Michelin stars) and Lucas Carton (2 Michelin stars)
and involved fresh bacon, truffles, eggs and various quirky dishes, this was at 6pm and they caught the 7.30 pm train home.....

5 minutes from the town centre, at the foot of the Aiguille du Midi, The hotel Les Aiglons*** Resort & Spa has been completely renovated. An ambitious renovation which pushes the boundaries of mountain tourism. The atmosphere is sporting, homely, and warm, the conception is contemporary and authentic, the surroundings are mineral and natural. In the tone of its transformation the entrance lobby exudes new horizons, space, awakening senses – Mont Blanc and Chamonix inhabit this place.
As well as its restaurant and bar, the hotel offers a real mountain spa – heated outdoor swimming pool, sauna and hammam in the hotel gardens, massage and fitness area and other surprises on offer at the time of its reopening in December 2008...

COMMITMENT TO THE PLANET

The new hotel Les Aiglon *** Resort & Spa is distinguished on several points from an equivalent hotel (by number of rooms, location), constructed without reference to the environment:
− a reduction in heating requirements (in the public areas and the pool)
- a reduction in lighting energy
- comfort in summer without thermodynamic air conditioning
− reduction in greenhouse gasses
− reduction in clean water consumption.

Thermal Insulation

− Optimisation of insulation of the vertical façades, roof terrace,roof space, glazed areas.
− The building is insulated on the outside. The balconies are structurally detached to avoid thermal bridges.

Production of heat

− The energy used is natural gas available on site.
− The installation of a wood-chip boiler designed to meet all the heating requirements of the swimming pool.

Ventilation

- The installation of a double flux clean-air multi-channel ventilation system for all the bedrooms in the existing building and in the new part.

Lighting

- The hotel is fitted with compact fluorescent bulbs, which give reduced energy consumption compared to traditional bulbs.

Hydro-economy system

− Double flush 3/6 litres systems.
− Taps : flow 6 l/min in the basins, and 9 l/min in the showers.
− Thermostatic limiters in the showers.