RIU has been applying a range of different environmental measures for many years. On some occasions, structured projects have arisen to save energy and water or to maintain a strict purchasing policy that monitors suppliers' compliance with the law and respect for people and the environment. On other occasions, isolated projects have been developed at certain hotels. Some have featured the creation of a water efficient garden; others are concerned about monitoring energy use - office employees were made aware of the importance of not wasting paper, etc.. It is thanks to all these projects and initiatives that we are presenting a structured document that summarises RIU's environmental policy today.

This communication project of our own at www.riu.com is part of our efforts to raise our employees', guests' and collaborators' awareness of the importance of the small initiatives that add up to big results.

We are pleased to be able to offer this information and also to convey our desire to forge ahead with these projects and develop new initiatives.

1. Environmental purchasing criteria

A fundamental part of RIU's environmental work is our Purchasing Department. Hotels are complex businesses that require a range of diverse products and furthermore, in RIU's case, these come from and must be supplied to almost twenty countries, which is why applying established standards is indispensable.

Therefore, RIU's professionals created a Purchasing Policy years ago which reflects our suppliers' respect for people and the environment, in addition to their quality, price and service continuity, of course.

In addition to monitoring these principles, the following decisions have been made by the Purchasing Department to collaborate in protecting the environment.

1- Biodegradable cleaning products

All cleaning products used at the RIU Group's hotels, in both rooms and common areas as well as kitchens and laundries, must be biodegradable.

2- Environmentally-friendly fabrics

The Group's Purchasing Policy ensures the acquisition of environmentally-friendly fabrics. Cotton towels, table linen and sheets with the "Made in Green" certificate awarded by the AITX (The Textile Industry Research Association) are used in the Balearics, the Spanish mainland, Cape Verde and the Caribbean, which ensures respect for the environment at the production centres where these items are manufactured.

All towels in the other hotels are made of cotton in environmentally-friendly INDANTREN colours.