SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2023 | Karaca Otel

SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2023

1. ABOUT US; 

Karaca Hotel is one of the most established hotels in Izmir, operating since 1970 and providing services in accommodation, meal and banquet organizations, meeting and conference organizations, special day invitation organizations, bars and restaurants. Our hotel, which has made a name for itself with its superior service approach, quality, hospitality and the home environment it provides to its guests, is located in the main center of the city, on Sevgi road, close to business, shopping and entertainment places, and a 10-minute walk from Kültürpark and the famous Kordonboyu. Our hotel, with its service concept focused on "unconditional guest satisfaction", provides service with the slogan "Your home in Izmir" and ensures that our guests leave with pleasant memories. Today, the fact that it hosts second and third generation guests from father to son is proof that it provides its guests with the same quality service as the first day.

The Kaya family entered the sector in 1961, when Turkish tourism was just developing. The 36-room, 2-star Kaya tourist hotel, which is not currently within the group, but was put into service in 1963, is the group's first facility and has remained a model for Izmir hotel management for many years.

In 1973, the 4-star, 72-room Karaca Hotel and Karaca Cinema were incorporated. While the start of tourism incentives in 1983 was a turning point for the sector, investors shifted to the south; The Kaya group of companies, which started from Izmir, continued from Izmir and started the construction of Kaya Prestige in 1989. Completed in a short period of 22 months, the 4-star, 142-room Kaya Prestige has the distinction of being the city's first "Business Hotel".

In parallel with the increasing number of beds and service intensity of the group, 500 kg per day was opened in 1994, just to meet the needs of the hotel industry. capacity Arı Kaya Laundry was established. This facility, which serves a total of 50 large and small organizations in Izmir and its surroundings, filled a huge gap felt in the sector. Arı Kaya Dry Cleaning, which provides dry cleaning services, was opened in 2011 and opened branches in Alsancak and Bostanlı.

As a result of the Kaya group of companies' strategy to expand outside of Izmir, the Erythrai hotel was put into service in the Çeşme Ildırı region in 1996. The 4-star, 300-bed Erythrai Hotel, which was completed in a short period of 18 months, has been operated by different companies since 2005.


2. OUR POLICIES

2.1. OUR SUSTAINABILITY POLICY


As Karaca Hotel, our main goal is to provide unconditional guest satisfaction with all our employees. In line with our goal, we are committed to complying with legal regulations in all our services and activities, being aware of our social, environmental, cultural and economic responsibilities in order to leave a sustainable world to future generations.
Meeting the needs of our guests and local people by considering future generations, protecting natural resources and wildlife, saving on natural resource consumption and improving the quality of life constitute the main principles of our sustainability activities.


2.2. OUR QUALITY POLICY

We work with great effort to increase satisfaction levels with our guest-centered service approach, to create a fair, peaceful and safe working environment for our employees and business partners, to provide better service than our competitors at optimum cost by determining the expectations and requirements of our employers.

2.3. OUR FOOD SAFETY POLICY

Our main principle is to implement the food safety system throughout the food chain, to continuously improve it and to prioritize hygiene conditions throughout the hotel in order to offer quality products that comply with food safety principles.

2.4. OUR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

We are aware that energy resources are limited, we follow our consumption data to support less energy and water consumption, we raise the awareness of our employees and we work to ensure continuous improvement of energy efficiency. In order not to harm the environment, we evaluate all our hazardous and non-hazardous waste within the framework of recycling principles in a way that does not pollute the nature. We take care to protect the special plant and animal species of our region.

2.5.OUR HUMAN RESOURCES AND OHS POLICY OUR HUMAN RESOURCES AND OHS POLICY

Karaca Hotel undertakes to respect all internationally accepted human rights regarding its activities and complies with all legislation and agreements in this context. In this regard, we evaluate all our guests and employees equally, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, opinion, age, social and marital status, family origin, physical or mental disability and sexual orientation. As Karaca Hotel, the basis of Human Resources processes is the value we give to people, and therefore to our employees. The health, safety and happiness of employees are an integral part of our strategic goals of growth, profitability and focus on creating new opportunities. All our employees who will contribute to this goal benefit from our equal training opportunities. Karaca Hotel closely monitors and implements legal obligations regarding the health, safety and working hours of its personnel and business partners; regularly inspects and checks compliance.

2.6.OUR ABUSE AND HARASSMENT POLICY

Although Karaca Hotel is a business hotel located in the city center, it also has the concept of a family and children's hotel. We condemn and state that we are against any exploitation of our children who will shape our future. Children under the age of 18 are not recruited to our hotel through educational institutions, except as interns for educational purposes only. As Karaca Hotel, we undertake to cooperate with all legal organizations operating in the fields of preventing child abuse, respecting children's rights, and helping children in need of care and protection, and to ensure that our employees are aware of this issue. 

2.7. OUR GUEST SATISFACTION POLICY

As Karaca Hotel, our main goal is to increase and ensure the highest level of satisfaction of our guests who benefit from our products and services. Our primary duty is to follow the complaints and suggestions of our guests, to inform them about the issue and to turn their complaints and suggestions into opportunities by solving them.

2.8. OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE POLICY

We see our cultural heritage as the "common heritage of humanity", in addition to its artistic or scientific value, with the understanding of "A future for our past", and we make the necessary efforts to protect it.

2.9. OUR PURCHASING POLICY

As Karaca Hotel, we are committed to choosing environmentally sustainable products that are sustainably produced and provided from sustainable sources in all service and product purchases we make.
Choosing local suppliers, ensuring that they are environmentally friendly and energy efficient, and checking that all purchased products comply with quality standards form the basis of our purchasing principles. Our hotel primarily prefers large-scale, large-packaged, recyclable and less waste-producing products when supplying products.


 2.10.OUR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY POLICY

We believe that our work on integrating with the local people and taking part in the solution of social problems will contribute to ensuring sustainability in tourism. Competing in both national and international markets according to these principles, our hotel always shows its determination to be a leader and constantly develops and provides the necessary resources for this purpose.

3. COMMUNICATION WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS

Our employees


Training and group meetings are carried out in the form of one-on-one interviews, workshops within the scope of ISG, career development meetings and surveys.

Our guests

It is carried out in the form of Guest Satisfaction Surveys, Online Travel Review Sites, Social Media and Contact Information.

Suppliers

It takes the form of purchasing specifications, supplier audits, performance evaluation reports, one-on-one meetings and interviews.

Local Communities

Social Projects are realized in the form of information requests (when necessary), activity reports, meetings, complaint and suggestion system.

Public Organizations

Meetings take place in the form of information requests (when necessary) and activity reports.

Our Business Partners

It takes the form of visits, one-on-one meetings, meetings, seminars and fairs.

Press

Interviews and press releases

4. HUMAN RESOURCES AND OUR WORKING LIFE

As Karaca Hotel, we follow a policy that respects human rights. The common characteristics we look for in our team members are the education, experience and competencies required by the position, as well as personality traits that are compatible with our corporate culture and values. The legal rights of our employees are always protected. There is no discrimination during and after the recruitment process, and equal opportunities are provided to everyone. Our hotel does not employ child labor other than interns coming from educational institutions for educational purposes. We do not cooperate with companies that employ child labor. If the companies we purchase from send personnel working under child labor status, they are not allowed to work (for plumbing, painting, furniture works, etc.). In our hotel, all staff have started to receive information training against child abuse for one hour a year.

Use and Cleaning of Working Clothing

Uniforms of all our employees and all work-related clothing are provided and cleaned free of charge.

Career Management

As Karaca Hotel, in line with our corporate philosophy, we create internship opportunities for students of the Tourism department of relevant high schools and universities to gain work experience. We support all our employees with training and a career management program. We aim to train and support our employees in every department as much as possible, move them to higher positions and grow together.

Staff Dining Hall

The 4 meals we prepare for our employees (breakfast, lunch, dinner and night meal) are provided free of charge.

Doctor's Office – Hospital Assistance

In our hotel, we have a health office with a workplace physician that employees can benefit from. Our employees can benefit from health services during working hours. In addition, in cases where they need to go to the hospital, they are referred to the hospital.

Work Clothing and Equipment

Our employees are provided with 2 sets of uniforms according to their department and work group. Complete personal protective equipment is provided and delivered to our employees who need to work with personal protective clothing.

Training and Development of Our Employees

As Karaca Hotel, regular training is held with all our employees. Vocational on-the-job training is provided to all our new employees. As a business, our goal is to invest in our employees through training and contribute to their personal development. We provide the necessary development environment and offer opportunities to ensure the continuous development of our employees and increase their potential. By creating a culture in which our managers take responsibility for the development of employees, we ensure that employee performance is regularly monitored and communicated.
  • People who apply to work at Karaca Hotel start working by making a mutual agreement with the workplace, knowing the working conditions, job description and social rights.
  • People who will start working will not be subject to any selectivity or discrimination other than the criteria of suitability for the job sought (race, language, religion, color, etc.).
  • Within the scope of KVKK, it is essential to observe open communication, confidentiality of personal information, understanding of justice and compliance with ethical principles.
  • There is absolutely no child labor in our hotel.
  • Personnel starting work must first receive orientation training.
  • In our facility, internal and external trainings with different contents are provided in line with the annual training plans. These trainings aim to increase the competence and knowledge level of our staff.
- Orientation and on-the-job training
- Occupational health and safety training
- Vocational Trainings
- First aid training
- Fire training
- Environmental protection trainings
- Personal development trainings
  •  Work Programs are prepared weekly and employees are informed by department heads.
  •  All our employees work 45 hours a week in accordance with the legal working hours specified in the labor law. In case of overtime, overtime is worked to the extent permitted by law, and overtime is paid either as wages or as time off. 
  • Severance pay, notice pay, weekly leave, annual leave, etc. All rights have been declared to the personnel and are used.
  • Our employees are granted all kinds of special leave rights. Maternity leave, bereavement leave, etc.
  • Risk analysis has been carried out within the scope of OHS, and the contracted KORUYUCU ORTAK SAĞLIK VE GÜVENLİK BİRİMİ TİC.LTD.ŞTİ. An Occupational Safety Expert has been appointed by the company. 
  •  By establishing an effective training system to increase the general and professional knowledge of employees and to develop their individual knowledge and skills, all kinds of legally compulsory training, internal training and on-the-job training are provided throughout the year according to need. (Vocational and technical training, communication, guest satisfaction, complaint management, team work, quality management systems, hygiene training, environmental and occupational health safety and sustainability training) 
  • Facilities Offered to Employees: Name Tags and Locker Use. Staff are given name tags at the start of work and a locker in the locker room.
  • All our employees' work uniforms and all work-related clothing are cleaned free of charge.

5. ENERGY MANAGEMENT

We are trying to produce solutions to ensure the continuity of natural resources, to leave clean energy alternatives to future generations, and to replace the energy we consume by acting with a responsible and pioneering perspective. We try to research, find, purchase and use suitable energy-efficient products, equipment, equipment and technology alternatives. One of the most important steps regarding sustainability is to ensure energy efficiency.
In our facility, first of all, values ​​related to energy use are monitored daily and problems are intervened on a daily basis. Departments where excess consumption occurs are identified and possible savings areas are identified. Low consumption equipment and systems are preferred. Long-term improvement is achieved by using automation management and monitoring resources. Energy savings through maintenance, surveillance and monitoring are constantly analyzed.


5.1.ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION

The following activities regarding energy saving are carried out in our hotel and their continuity is ensured.
  • A system that disables heating/cooling devices when the balcony door is opened is used in all rooms.
  • LED lighting is used in all rooms and general areas of our hotel to save energy and reduce the amount of hazardous waste.
  • Motion-sensitive sensor lighting is used in some of the guest common areas (WC). LED lighting is used in other common areas to save energy and reduce the amount of hazardous waste.
  • Many areas within the facility are designed to reduce energy consumption by taking advantage of daylight.
  • There is an Energy Saver card system in guest rooms.
  • Once the guests take their room cards with them and leave the room, the lights turn off automatically.
  • Energy losses that may occur are minimized by annual planning and periodic maintenance and cleaning of all electrical devices.
  • Where possible, photocell self-opening and closing doors are used and energy consumption due to heating / cooling loss is reduced.
  • By using air curtains on suitable doors and heating/cooling losses, energy consumption is reduced.
  •  The placement of heating and cooling devices is planned in a way that does not reduce energy efficiency.
  • We reduce the electricity consumption caused by washing / drying / transfer by changing the linen materials in the rooms of our guests who do not request it every other day.

5.2. WATER CONSUMPTION

It uses water-saving equipment to reduce general water consumption without compromising health, hygiene and guest satisfaction; We inform our guests and train our employees on this subject. The following activities regarding water saving are carried out in our hotel and their continuity is ensured:
  •   In addition to low-flow special taps and shower heads, we prevent unnecessary water use by using photocell urinals.
  •   We reduce the use of flush water through low volume reservoirs.
  •   We train our Housekeeping and Technical Service personnel to detect and prevent water leaks from room toilets.
  •   Thanks to the meters in the sections, spatial monitoring of water consumption can be done. (City network, atresian)
  •   Towels and sheets are changed in the rooms in line with guest requests, and guests are informed about this. If the guest does not request, changes are made every two days.


6. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

As Karaca Hotel, with the measures we have taken in the light of sustainable tourism principles, the use of natural resources has been reduced and the amount of chemical and solid waste such as water, electricity and energy has been controlled in order to minimize and, if possible, eliminate the damage to the soil, water and air, without compromising guest satisfaction and comfort. We implement an effective waste management system with the aim of minimizing the damage that may occur to the environment and natural resources.

6.1. WASTE MANAGEMENT
Our main goal is to reduce the amount of waste, which includes processes such as reducing waste at its source, separating it according to its characteristics, collecting, storing, recycling, transportation, disposal and post-disposal control, and ensuring the least harm to the environment by ensuring that our existing wastes are managed correctly. is to dispose of it and recycle what can be recovered.
Our staff is provided with informative training on the importance of waste separation.
We keep waste bins in public areas and on the floors where guest rooms are located to ensure the separation of waste.
We inform both our guests and our staff about the Waste Management System and we strive to encourage them to reduce the amount of waste and separate the resulting waste.
All collected recyclable packaging waste and organic waste are delivered to licensed companies, thus contributing to recycling.
In order to reduce our paper consumption, we make our correspondence and announcements via e-mail whenever possible.
Refillable shampoo is preferred instead of disposable shampoo in guest rooms.
The use of picnic type products in the buffet has been reduced.
The cutlery cover has been replaced with an environmentally friendly packaging.
Work has been initiated to replace slipper covers and dirty laundry bags with cotton instead of plastic.
In order to dispose of the hazardous wastes generated in our hotel without harming the environment, we collect the hazardous wastes generated in our departments under appropriate conditions in our hazardous waste rooms, label them and deliver them to licensed companies for legal disposal or evaluation. We keep warning and informative posters in personnel areas. During the hazardous chemical / hazardous waste spill drills we conduct, we inform our staff about how hazardous waste will be stored. The amount of waste collected in our hotel and delivered to the licensed company in 2022 is as follows;
  • MIXED WASTES (PAPER / CARDBOARD WASTES / PLASTIC WASTES / GLASS WASTES / METAL WASTES)
            Total Waste Amount: 816 kg
  •  ORGANIC WASTE
            Total Waste Amount: 1945 kg
  • HAZARDOUS WASTES
            Total Waste Amount: 92 kg
  • WASTE BATTERY
            Total Waste Amount: 54 kg
  • WASTE VEGETABLE OIL
           Total Waste Amount: 155 kg

 

7. CHEMICAL USE







Cleaning with environmental consideration means being able to clean hygienically and at the same time having as little negative impact on health and the environment as possible. Damages to the environment can be minimized not only by using environmentally friendly cleaning products, but also by using these products economically and adjusting their dosage well. In this way, the total harm of chemicals to the environment can be significantly reduced.

We check that the pesticides used by the pest control company we outsource are products that do not harm human health and the environment.

We are trying to reduce chemical consumption caused by pesticides by trying to make more use of natural measures (fly catchers, adhesive paper, etc.).

The general chemicals we use have high biological solubility, and we particularly consider this criterion in new purchases.

Efforts to reduce chemical use;

Dosing pumps are used in dishwashers in the kitchen.

A dosing pump is used for PH and Chlorine chemicals used in the Reverse Osmosis system in the booster room.


8. PRESENTATION OF CULTURE AND HERITAGE

It is important for our business to keep the cultural values of the region and environment it lives in.

For this reason, we try to keep alive the symbolic and promotional values of our city by displaying them in different corners of our hotel. While our hotel respects the intellectual property rights of local/regional people, it takes care to evaluate the authentic elements of traditional and contemporary local culture in its operations, design, decoration, cuisine or stores.

Our hotel contributes to awareness-raising efforts on the history, recipes and presentation of national and/or local cuisine as a cultural element. It strives to participate in all kinds of social responsibility projects in order to promote the promotion, presentation and consumption of local and seasonal products and recipes. In all our activities, we continue our efforts to combine traditional with innovative and creative practices to ensure sustainability in gastronomy.

  • Gastronomy products that reflect the culture of the region
  • We offer the iconic culinary elements of our region to our guests for dinner during foreign and domestic tourist group accommodations. Artichokes with olive oil, Şevketi bostan, İzmir Meatballs, sea bream, the popular fish of our region, are the dishes we definitely serve to our guests.
  • We offer the famous Izmir Tulum Cheese, boyoz and gevrek, and Izmir Kumrus for breakfast to all our foreign and local guests.
  • Decoration products that reflect the culture of the region
    • Local and souvenir items showcase
    • Clock Tower object depicting the symbol of Izmir
    • Clock Tower Picture depicting the symbol of Izmir
  • Artworks
    • Painting of poet Haluk Işık's poem titled Izmir.
    • Miniature work by artist Ebru Özbenli
    • Calligraphy work by artist Saim Yeşildağ
    • Izmir Bay Painting from the 1700s
    • A charcoal drawing of Atatürk Portrait by Painter Uğur Öztürk
    • Handcrafted Turkish Flag made in 1930
  • Antique Family Heirloom Artifacts from Past to Present
    • Brass samovar from 1902
    • Footed clock from the 1900s
    • Scale from the 1930s
    • Knife sharpening machine from the 1800s
    • Many wall clocks dating back to 1800-1900

9.OUR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROJECTS

As a facility committed to contributing to sustainable development goals in our country and in tourism, we take care to take an active role within the scope of responsibilities in environmental, social and governance areas and participate in various projects.

We gave importance to our social work in our processes. However, we are aware that what we do is not enough for us, so every year we increase the share of our budget and opportunities to increase our social work.

The social work we do;

  • We provide our hotel's meeting room to non-governmental organizations free of charge, if available.

  • We regularly donate to the Aegean Forest Foundation by sending awareness wreaths from the Aegean Forest Foundation instead of live flowers at weddings, funerals or celebrations.

  • We allocate free space to the social projects carried out by the Koruncuk Foundation for children in need of protection.

  • We make financial donations to the Koruncuk Foundation.

  • We make financial donations to Lösev.

  • We purchase support tickets for theaters organized to support the disabled association.

  • We allocate free space in the exhibitions of Izmir's valuable painting artists in the foyer area of our Karaca Cultural Center.

  • On the occasion of the 154th anniversary of the Red Crescent, we hosted the Museum event organized by the Izmir Branch, which was open to the public, free of charge.

10. GUEST COMPLAINT AND REQUEST MANAGEMENT

We work with all our efforts to meet the needs and expectations of our guests, aiming for the highest level of unconditional satisfaction.

Since production and consumption occur simultaneously in the service sector, errors are inevitable. However, successful compensation for service errors; It will be possible to be aware of the existence of complaints, to create processes that produce quick solutions and are based on justice for the management of these complaints, to inform our staff and guests about these processes, and to implement these processes effectively.

Our guests can submit their complaints and requests during their stay at the hotel or after leaving the hotel. In order to follow an effective guest feedback process, our guests' evaluations, comments, etc. on online sites are constantly monitored and answered through our front office department.

This feedback is followed by the relevant department managers, evaluated in our meetings and remedial activities are determined. If our guests have a complaint or request they would like to convey during their stay, they can fill out the Guest Survey Form in their room and submit it before or after leaving the hotel.