The Eco View
The hotel works with a wide range of local farms and growers, using organic produce wherever possible and ensuring support to the local community. All menus offer local specialities and full vegetarian options. The 72-acre grounds and water gardens showcase a unique collection of indigenous plants and butterflies and provide a valuable eco-space for both resident and migratory birds. The gift shop promotes a wide range of items made by local community groups, dance troupes are sourced from the local community; staff uniforms reflect traditional Ugandan dress.Additionally, we host a number of eco-programmes, all of which are designed to support and sustain the natural and human community of which we are a part. Such programmes vary according to need, but presently they are as follows:
- We create both temporary and permanent jobs for the local community. We also offer training and work-exposure programmes for school leavers.
- We operate an out-reach programme to the orphanages and hospitals of the area which allows for visits from our staff, the provision of funds, the hosting of seasonal events and the provision of clothing and foodstuffs.
- We work with a number of local schools, both by providing educational materials and by hosting environmental training sessions for the pupils.
In terms of its own ecological ‘foot print', the hotel abides by a code of responsible practice in relation to: energy conservation (inverter systems have recently been installed so as to reduce the hotel's use of diesel-fuelled generators), waste recycling (glass, plastics, ‘wet waste' and the distribution of food-waste to local pig-farmers), sewage disposal, air emissions, non-CFC use, pesticide-use, noise reduction and visual pollution. Wherever possible, local produce is featured on the menus.
In order to promote the overall health of their workforce, Serena has also established the Employee Wellness Programme, which aims to address the holistic health needs of not only Serena's staff, but also of the communities that surround their camps and lodges. In essence, the programme is devoted to reducing the incidence of accident and illness in the workplace, promoting healthy lifestyles, maximizing potential and promoting optimum quality of life.
