Grand Hyatt Melbourne has been announced as a finalist in the Large Business category for the 2017 Premier's Sustainability Awards for reducing their food waste through a Closed Loop Organics Unit initiative to be announced at the awards ceremony hosted by media personality Charlie Pickering on Thursday 26th October at the Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne.

The annual Premier's Sustainability Awards, now in its 15th year, recognises and celebrates Victorian's who are leading the way in sustainable innovation and practices across all sectors within Victoria. Grand Hyatt Melbourne installed a Closed Loop Organics Unit in March 2016, revolutionising the hotel's sustainability practices and making it the first five-star hotel in Victoria to implement this sustainable recycling program.

The innovative technology processes food waste on-site, using naturally occurring microbes, heat, oxygen and agitation to reduce food waste by up to 90% in 24 hours. During the first eight months of operation in 2016, over 39,000kg of food waste was processed while producing almost 14,000kg of compost and will annually avoid 49.72 tonnes of CO2-e net emissions. Food waste from meal preparation and plate scrapings from the hotel's restaurant and kitchen is now collected and composted on-site, producing a nutrient rich organic fertiliser.

“I am proud of my team and the recognition they received by being nominated as a finalist for this highly prestigious Victorian award,” says Ilan Weill, General Manager of Grand Hyatt Melbourne.

“As a major hotel in our state, it is important to us to take initiatives that would minimize the impact on the environment. We were able to execute this important project thanks to the active and engaging support of our Owning Company and through our partnership with 'Closed Loop' and City Harvest. Through the installation of the composter unit and our association with those two organisations, we managed to decrease the volume of general waste to landfill by 23%.”

“The connections we have made with Closed Loop and City Harvest will have a greater reaching effect on the ongoing drive to embed sustainability in all hospitality operations,” said Ilan Weill.

The food waste recycling initiative has created a strong ongoing partnership between Grand Hyatt Melbourne and Closed Loop to improve waste management across the board and provide significant ongoing environmental benefits. The partnership was also formed with City Harvest; the compost produced from the organics unit will be used to grow thriving vegetable gardens and productive urban farms. City Harvest supports and facilitates skilled and accredited horticultural training programs for our disadvantaged youth.

Robert Pascoe, Managing Director of Closed Loop congratulated Grand Hyatt Melbourne on being named as a finalist in this year's awards and said "we are thrilled to have partnered with Grand Hyatt Melbourne as part of their industry leading commitment to improving environmental performance. It is fantastic to see the Grand Hyatt Melbourne recognised for their onsite composting programme which has resulted in significant diversion of food waste from landfill, greenhouse gas emission reduction and the creation of a valuable new resource."

The broader impact of this initiative will be significant for the hospitality industry; it provides a readily replicable food waste solution that utilises innovative technology to divert food waste from landfill creates in its place a valuable new resource and delivers improved environmental, economic and social benefits.

For more information, please contact Jessica Formato, Marketing Communications Coordinator, 03 9653 4696 or jessica.formato@hyatt.com

About Grand Hyatt Melbourne

Grand Hyatt Melbourne is the city's centre of luxury, perfectly poised on Collins Street in the heart of the CBD amongst Melbourne's bustling shopping, dining and theatre scene. The hotel offers an unrivalled experience and includes 550 guest rooms, spectacular upper and lower lobbies, the exclusive Grand Club Lounge, Collins Kitchen restaurant, Ru-Co Bar, City Club Health & Fitness Centre - Australia's largest hotel gym and an innovative premium events venue – the residence. Grand Hyatt Melbourne continues to be recognised as one of the city's most superior five star hotels, an iconic Melbourne property and a world-class hospitality provider.