SOMM’S SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS
SOMM at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental opened its doors in 2019.
Sustainability and social responsibility are core to SOMM’s beliefs. A casual neobistro featuring over 100 wines by-the-glass, we believe that wine is a gift fromnature, finessed by the dedication and craftsmanship of winemakers and thecommunities around them.
Guided by the pioneering philosophies of Director of Culinary Operations andFood and Beverage, Richard Ekkebus, SOMM is dedicated to protecting ourplanet, on environmental and social performance to create meaningful social,

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material, and environmental impact.
We also work closely with ‘Food Made Good’, an organisation that provides
foodservice businesses with manageable means of understanding, reviewing,
and acting on the issues that matter. Within this framework, ten major areas ofsustainability are divided under three pillars: Society, Sourcing, andEnvironment. Accountability is key. We participate in a bi-annual evaluation of
the sustainability practices called Food Made Good Rating. The Rating helps us
to legitimize our efforts and create a clear plan of action/improvement. It is asurvey capturing our activity across the three pillars. Once the survey iscompleted, a percentage score is calculated for each key area, and the overallsustainability score is an average of those percentages. A business may achieveone, two, three, or no stars (committed) depending on its score. In 2021, SOMM has
achieved 3-star rating. In the same year, SOMM was nominated and shortlisted
in the category of Sourcing and was the winner of Business of the Year award
which recognized our continued commitment to sustainability in our daily
operations. In 2023, SOMM has maintained 3-star rating and 2% increase in
overall score compared to 2021.
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In addition, the Hotel was assessed in 2023 by the Global Sustainable Tourism
Council® (GSTC). The assessment is known as the GSTC Criteria, this global
standard for sustainable travel and tourism by GSTC provides the industry withcomprehensive criteria to operate and flourish in a sustainable manner. As theresults of a worldwide effort to develop a common language aboutsustainability in tourism, the yardsticks could also be further divided into fourpillars namely 1. Sustainable management, 2. Socioeconomic impacts, 3:Cultural
impacts, and 4. Environmental impacts. All these criteria are designed andadapted to local conditions for seamless localization. In 2023, the Hotelsuccessfully received the GSTC Certification to recognize our commitment for a

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better future.
We are committed to searching for the most ethical and sustainable ingredients
while minimising our environmental footprint and being conscious about social
responsibility.

1Our sustainability efforts include:

SOCIETY
INTERNAL / WITHIN SOMM:
SOMM prides itself as an employer that goes above and beyond for its
team members. We firmly believe that our colleagues are our internal
guests, and we ensure that they feel well taken care of. Colleague
development is a key focus, ensuring everyone has equal learning anddevelopment opportunities to grow and develop their full potential. We
encourage paid volunteering hours, ensure the continuous enhancementof our colleagues’ experiences, and offer innovative bonus schemes. ThisSUSTAINABILITY

also means going beyond the mandatory Hong Kong employee
recognition and minimum wage. These are all part of our approach tobuilding a team, encouraging staff loyalty, wellbeing, and commitment.
We believe that a team that feels seen and supported will naturally
ensure that guest experiences will be at the highest possible level.
A comprehensive list of our internal efforts to contribute to a sustainablestaff environment and development can be found below:
RECOGNISE GOOD PERFORMANCE: Across teams in SOMM, there is a
rewards structure in place that recognises excellent colleague
performance. Rewards are tied to relevant goals – for example, receiving
positive guest feedback, and comments are tied to monetary rewards.
Acknowledging and rewarding performance is an integral part of the
SOMM’s DNA, with town hall meetings conducted monthly and quarterly
to recognise outstanding performers.

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COLLEAGUE DEVELOPMENT: At SOMM, we have a well-defined learning anddevelopment plan for each colleague, and a clearly defined system of
performance evaluation. Training includes HACCP and food safety, corporate
office-driven programs, a variety of online learning platforms, including but notlimited to: e-Cornell, ‘A Silver Lining’ learning initiative by Jardines, LinkedIn
Learning, cross-departmental training exposure via a program called ‘Team
Titans’, and many more.
HEALTHY DIET FOR COLLEAGUE MEALS, INCLUDING GREEN MONDAYS:The hotel’s canteen only offers vegetarian options every Monday to promotehealthy eating. This is not only to reduce the amount of animal proteins thatare linked to problems such as greenhouse gases and water wastage, but also

SUSTAINABILITYt﻿o raise awareness and educate colleagues about the impacts on theenvironment. This allows us to offer high-quality and ethically sourced animal
proteins on other days.
BIRTHDAY LEAVE: All colleagues have an additional day off because of theirbirthday that can be taken within one month.
EQUAL PAY: All our colleagues receive pay above the required HK minimum
wage, and all genders are equally recognized.
AIM FOR AN EQUITABLE GEDER BALANCE: As of December 2023, our male-tofemale ratio is 75% to 25% and our aim is to work constantly towards a 50/50
balance.
HEALTH INSURANCE FOR ALL COLLEAGUES: Although is not mandatory byHong Kong law and not common practice in restaurants across the city, all ourcolleagues are insured via The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong,
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EACH COLLEAGUE HAS A CONTRACT: All our colleagues are employed by
The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong with a valid full-time work
contract, which is mandatory by Hong Kong law.
TIPS ARE EQUALLY SHARE AMONGST TEAM MEMBERS: Every teammember has an equal percentage of the overall cash and credit card tips,
which is not based on rank or performance.
RECREATIONAL ALLOWANCE: Annually, the Hotel’s Human Resources
Department supports team culture and bonding by offering a recreational
allowance to each colleague, enabling departments to organise activities
outside of work environment to foster understanding and better mental

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health.
FREE UNIFORMS: Uniforms and laundry services are provided free ofcharge to all colleagues.
OPTION TO CHOOSE REST DAY WITHIN THE WEEK: Days off can berequested and are given whenever possible.
SUSTAINABILITY TRAINING TO ALL COLLEAGUES: We want to ensure that
our colleagues are trained to understand the impact of our daily actions on theenvironment. We ensure that our colleagues are making conscious andinformed decisions towards a greener future, and will be able to apply theknowledge in their daily lives, not just at work. We have initiated generalsustainability training annually, as well as introductory training during theonboarding procedure, and raise more awareness with various initiatives
throughout the year. Sustainability-related information is present in allcolleagues’ areas.
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EXTERNAL / WITHIN THE COMMUNITY:
To restore or refresh is the definition of the French word ‘restaurant’. Thevery nature of hospitality is to bring people together through fabulous
food. Kitchens that are connected to their communities are places thathave loyal customers, loyal team members and some of the tastiest food.
It’s a recipe for a sustainable and successful business. Nine out of ten
consumers remain loyal to socially responsible businesses. The best
businesses in this area are building long-lasting partnerships with local
community groups and charities, and have a named individual responsible
for managing these relationships.

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In addition to our internal efforts, SOMM is an active member of thecommunity. We constantly contribute to local and international charities, notonly through monetary contributions, but also by donating colleagues’ timeand skill sets. We recognise our privileged position in the market, and havemade it one of our key missions to give back when and where we can.

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SUPPORT LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL CHARITIES: We always seek
opportunities to raise awareness and funds for causes close to our hearts, suchas Feeding Hong Kong, More Good, Food Angel, MINDSET, Movember, r é n, Baan
Nokkamin Orphanage, World Ocean Day and A Plastic Ocean Foundation.
SOCIAL INCLUSION: We work closely with MINDSET, Shining Star, and Hong
Chi Association, offering re-integration and development opportunities to theirservice users. We aim to equip them with new skill sets and to ultimately offer
them job opportunities within SOMM.
PROVIDE COMMUNITY S SERVICE: ERVICE: We volunteer with NGOs such as
Food Angel and Soap Cycling. We have distributed hygiene and PPE kits to

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street cleaners in Hong Kong in partnership with Soap Cycling, and haveorganised colleague wellness activities such as hiking, running, and wellness
activities within the Spa infrastructure.
FREQUENT GUEST SPEAKER ON SUSTAINABILITY-RELATED ISSUES:
Being a sustainability advocate, Richard Ekkebus is frequently invited to speak
about sustainability and to be on discussion panels hosted by institutions suchas ICI VTC Pokfulam Complex, Food Made Good, ReThink, Future Green, WWF,
G.R.E.E.N. Hospitality, and so on.
PARTICIPATING IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ON SUSTAINABILITY:
SOMM has been participating in research and development to further
sustainable practices within the hospitality industry, collaborating withvarious institutions such as G.R.E.E.N. Hospitality to study food waste andpackaging waste in hospitality. Together with the School of Energy andEnvironment in City University of Hong Kong, we have participated in researchon sustainable kitchens and their energy and water performance.
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Sourcing
Sourcing is a topic that we at SOMM, helmed by Director of Culinary
Operations and Food and Beverage, Richard Ekkebus, have long beenpassionate about. The sustainable, organic, and local sourcing ofingredients is one of the key initiatives that sets SOMM apart from mostof the restaurants in Asia. SOMM is one of the very few restaurants in
the region that has such an extensive and comprehensive sourcing
program to ensure the use of fully traceable, local and regional, organicand sustainable produce wherever possible.
SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD: All fish and seafood used at SOMM are

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sourced sustainably. Currently, all our seafood is sourced throughsuppliers who deliver seafood harvested using sustainable techniquessuch as line fishing, hand diving, and other methods with no negative
impact on the environment. In addition, we respect the sustainablefishing calendar whereby we only purchase fish when they are notcarrying eggs. Also, certain species that reproduce later in their lifetime,and are therefore quite vulnerable to overfishing, are not featured on ourmenus. We manage our menus utilizing the following resources:
Australia Seafood Guide, Good Fish Guide by the Marine Conservation
Society for European seafood, and the WWF Seafood guide for local andregional sourcing. We are members and work very closely with Hong
Kong’s Sustainable Seafood Coalition, which promotes sustainableseafood initiatives and the preservation of different species.

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WE SUPPORT BIODIVERSITY: Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth– the number of different species of plants, animals, and microorganisms
from Earth’s vastly different ecosystems, from deserts, rainforests, coral
reefs, grasslands, tundra, to polar ice caps. Biodiversity is essential to
the well-being of the planet. As a result, we love to feature lesser-known
seafood, ethical-sourced heritage meats and poultry, heirloom plants,roots and fruits
ONLY SOURCE FAIR TRADE AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES:CHOCOLATE, VANILLA, COFFEE, SUGAR AND TEA: We exclusively use
ethical and responsible agricultural commodities, certified by Rainforest

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Alliance, Fair Trade and others.
ETHICAL-SOURCED ANIMAL PROTEIN: All our ingredients arethoroughly scrutinised before being featured on SOMM’s menu. We carethat all our animal proteins are ethically raised, antibiotic- and growth
hormone-free, and where appropriate, grass-fed, free roaming,sustainably sourced, and raised by people who share our sustainability
values.
Brandt Beef: Our beef from Brandt embodies a “farm-to-fork”
philosophy that involves raising animals humanely and naturally,
without hormones and antibiotics. This commitment to sustainability
also includes being responsible stewards of the land.

9Organic KIN eggs: In our continuous efforts to progress ethicalsourcing, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental uses only organic KIN
Eggs in SOMM. KIN Eggs are exclusively produced at a family-ownedsustainable farm located in the pristine mountainous region of
Yunnan with a closed-cycle supply chain – chickens are fed by organic
corn grown on the farm while utilizing their waste as soil fertilizer.
Foie gras: Our foie gras by Rougié is sustainably farmed. The ducks
are raised with no added hormones or antibiotics. Rougié has also
obtained a CLT welfare certificate for handling and transportation.
PRIORITISE SOURCING ORGANIC, LOCAL, AND REGIONAL TO REDUCESUSTAINABILITYCARBON FOOTPRINT: We predominantly work with organic farms from
Hong Kong’s New Territories, including fruit, vegetable, pig and poultry
farms, such as local yellow chicken from local producers. Buying fromlocal producers gives us access to seasonal, fresh food with a smaller
carbon price tag. It is also a valuable investment into the local economy,helps to establish thriving food networks and protects Hong Kong’s foodheritage. Where we cannot source local, most of the time, we source
regionally, in particular﻿ from organic farms in Southern China, Taiwan
and Kyushu (Japan) and, only when even those are not possible, organicfrom Australia and Europe.

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PRIORITISE WINE SOURCING FROM SMALL BATCH PRODUCERS:
SOMM’s wine list features wine from small producers all over the world.
We understand the importance of highlighting producers that are an
integral part of their communities and ensuring that proceeds of thesales of their products go directly where they are needed and do not get
lost in big supply chains. Additionally, biodynamic and organic wines arefeatured and highlighted, with suppliers that match SOMM’s high

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sustainability standards.

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Environment
The third pillar of our sustainability efforts is environment. We believethat operating in a sustainable way and leading by example acrosswaste management, energy management and resource management is
crucial in order to bring upon lasting change in the hospitality industry.
All our waste and resource output is closely monitored and measured toensure that we constantly operate in the most efficient way possible.
WE FAVOUR PLANT-BASED OPTIONS: Food accounts for 25-30% of
greenhouse gas emissions, while livestock production alone accounts for
15% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Making our menu less meat-centric

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reduces our overall environmental impact and resonates with thegrowing number of diners who believe that a good meal doesn’t require
meat. We define vegetable-led dishes as those that emphasise andcelebrate vegetarian ingredients. This includes fruit and vegetables,
whole grains, beans, pulses, soy or other protein alternatives, nuts andseeds, plant oils, and so on. In SOMM, around 25% of the dish arevegetarian or plant based. For example, we offered plant- based protein
salad with chickpeas and edamame during breakfast.
SUP-FREE OPERATIONS: Reducing single-use plastic (SUP) output
across all waste streams is our number one objective. Over the past six
years, we have diligently operated towards a fully SUP-free operation byclosely working with manufacturers to develop plant-based alternatives
for commonly used cling film, vacuum pouches and bin liners. Mandarin
Oriental Hotel Group has followed our best practices and has eliminatedover 60 SUP items in 2021.

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WASTE PREVENTION: We consider waste prevention to be even more
important than waste management, especially in a city like Hong Kong
where waste management and recycling infrastructure can be difficult
and unsatisfactory. We believe that waste prevention is crucial.
Therefore, we closely monitor, analyse, and examine our operations on aregular basis, to understand where and how we can further reduce ourwaste. Waste output is recorded daily and consolidated monthly, andanalysed. An action plan is then derived in order to reduce input for thesubsequent month. The data is openly shared with all colleagues to raiseawareness and further facilitate reduction. The anaerobic waste
digester in Amber’s kitchen is another key initiative – in 2023, we diverted
an average of 37.77% of our total waste from the landfill. We are actively

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engaged in the formal practice of diverting coffee grounds and eggshells
to a local farm, with the purpose of enriching the soil through theirutilization.
OIL RECYCLING: Since June 2011, we recycle all cooking oil andcurrently we work closely with Gammon Biofuel, a waste oil recycling
company, and fully-licensed biodiesel manufacturer in Hong Kong. Theirkey focus is to transform cooking oil into a renewable energy for local
use. In our hotel on average of 200kg of oil per month is diverted.
WASTE SEGREGATION FOR RECYCLING: We separate our waste into
metal, plastic, styrofoam, food waste, glass, paper and carton, oil, andelectronics. We recycle wherever possible. All staff are thoroughly
trained on waste prevention and waste segregation.

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PAPER PRODUCTS: At SOMM, we are strongly committed to recycling,
all our paper products such as menus (non-laminated), shopping bags,
collateral, paper napkins, paper straws and tissue are all FSC certified,recycled and recyclable.
DIGITAL MENUS: All guests in SOMM are encouraged to use digital QR
code menus, which reduce wear and tear on the paper menus, andtherefore paper usage and wastage.
MANAGE NATURAL RESOURCES: Energy and water consumption arerecorded in a monthly basis, and analysed. An action plan is then derived
to reduce usage for the subsequent month. The data is openly shared

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with all colleagues to raise awareness and further facilitate reduction.
SOMM’s front-of-house and heart-of-house spaces use exclusively LED
lighting, for further reduction in energy consumption.
NO LINEN: No tablecloths are used at SOMM. This decision was made to
reduce the environmental impact of industrial laundering, which uses
bleach. We chose to use napkins of natural colours as opposed to white
for the same reason.
CUTLERY BOX: The table design features a hidden cutlery box, which
was inspired by local Hong Kong culture. This enables guests to only
select the cutlery they need, and reduces unnecessary washing of unused
cutlery – an issue common in high-end restaurants around the world.

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IN-HOUSE WATER BOTTLING FOR COLLEAGUES AND GUESTS: We use
the Nordaq FRESH water filtration and bottling system from Sweden inboth front- and heart-of-house, thereby completely eliminating plastic
bottles, as well as imported bottled water. This not only reduces SUP
usage, but also significantly reduces the carbon footprint associatedwith importing bottled water. Water fountains are also used bycolleagues to help further minimise SUP bottle usage. In 2020 alone, we
saved 57,212 plastic bottles from landfills, equivalent to 7,095kg ofplastic waste.
ELIMINATE CHEMICAL CLEANING PRODUCTS: In 2022, we pledge toeliminate chemical cleaning products by deploying the natural

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sanitation and disinfection solutions by Biotek Ozone – a modern, safeand effective technology for sanitizing all fresh vegetables, fruits andeggs in our kitchen operations. Furthermore, only 100% chemical-free andcertified biodegradable cleaning products of Zero Impact are used forday-to-day cleaning tasks. The used bottles are collected and recycled forthe new batch of production. We carefully selected hand sanitizers from
Safe+Sound, which are vegan-friendly, alcohol-free and made frombiodegradable lactic acid. Their newly created, circular refill system
helps us eliminate single-use plastic bottles.

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Our Sustainability Related Awards & Certificates:
2023 GSTC - Global Sustainable Tourism Council Certification
2023 | Green & CSR Hotelier of the Year for Richard Ekkebus by Stelliers
2023 | 3-Star Rating – Food Made Good
2022 | Distinguished Sustainability leadership award for Mr Richard
Ekkebus by the Hong Kong Management Association

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2021 | Business of the Year - Food Made Good
2021 | 3-Star Rating – Food Made Good

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