SUSTAINABILITY AND COMMUNITY

At Novotel Northbeach Wollongong, we are committed to minimising the environmental impact of our operations, and continually improving the way we operate.

As a beachfront hotel, we are fortunate to call one of Wollongong's most beautiful coastal environments home. We believe protecting this environment is something we all have a role in, from the way we function behind the scenes, to the small choices we make as guests.

 

OUR KEY OBJECTIVES

Energy & Emissions

Running a large hotel comes with a significant environmental footprint. From heating and cooling hundreds of rooms to operating kitchens, laundries, pools and guest facilities, energy and water are essential to what we do.

That doesn't mean we can't do better.

We monitor our consumption to help us understand where resources are being used and where we can make improvements. By measuring our use, we can make more informed decisions about how we operate today, and how we can operate more efficiently tomorrow.

This means we:

• Monitor our energy consumption across the hotel.
• Track our water use, from guest rooms and bathrooms to our pool and kitchens.
• Monitor our emissions to better understand the environmental impact of our operations.
• Look for opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary consumption.

Our goal is simple: use what we need, reduce what we can, and continually look for better ways to operate.

 

 

Waste Reduction

Did you know we weigh our waste?

From kitchen scraps and food waste to the everyday waste generated across a 209-room hotel, we monitor what we send to landfill.

Why? Because you can't improve what you don't measure.

Our focus is not simply on what happens to our waste once it leaves the hotel, it's on reducing the amount of waste we produce in the first place and making sure that what remains is sorted correctly.

Making recycling easier for our guests.

We are progressively transitioning our guest room bins from general waste bins to split waste and recycling bins.

When staying with us, we ask that you help us by separating your waste where possible. It's a small action, but when hundreds of guests take part, those small actions add up.

We are continually looking for ways to reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill and prevent waste from reaching our waterways and beautiful coastline.

 

 

Caring for Our Local Environment

Protecting the place, we call home.

Located directly beside North Wollongong Beach, our local environment is more than just part of our view, it is part of what makes staying with us special.

We want to protect it so that our guests, our community and future generations can continue to enjoy it.

The Illawarra coastal plain has experienced significant historical clearing, leaving isolated areas of native vegetation that remain vulnerable to ongoing environmental pressures. This makes protecting and restoring our local environment particularly important.

Our approach includes considering the environmental impact of our operations, supporting responsible landscaping practices and looking for opportunities to contribute positively to our local surroundings.

THE EMMA MCKEON PROMENADE & COASTAL PROTECTION

Wondering what’s happening along the beach?

If you've visited North Wollongong Beach recently, you may have noticed construction taking place along the Emma McKeon Promenade.

The works you can see are Stage 2 of Wollongong City Council’s coastal protection project, designed to help protect the foreshore and surrounding open spaces from storms, wave action and coastal erosion.

For a beachfront destination like North Wollongong, protecting our coastline is an important step towards ensuring it can continue to be enjoyed for years to come.

The project is currently scheduled for completion in mid-2027. North Wollongong Beach remains open throughout the works, with year-round patrols by Council lifeguards and volunteer lifesavers.

Want to learn more about the project?
Visit Wollongong City Council’s website for more information and the latest updates on the Stage 2 seawall works.

 

 

 

 

 

Supporting Our Community

Sustainability is about more than reducing energy and waste. For us, it also means being part of the community around us and using our position as a local hotel to support the people and organisations that help make Wollongong a great place to live, work and visit.

We’re proud to support local community organisations, events and initiatives throughout the year, from fundraising and donations to providing support for local programs and community activities.

Over the past financial year, the hotel contributed more than $17,000 in donations and vouchers to support community organisations and initiatives.

We’ve also supported causes close to home, including Lifeline, through our involvement in the 2025 Run Wollongong event, where our team helped raise funds through a community BBQ and contributed a $2,000 donation.

Supporting the Next Generation of Hospitality Professionals

We’re proud to support the next generation of hospitality professionals through our regular student work placements and Student Hospitality Experience (SHE) Program.

The SHE Program gives Hospitality and Tourism students the opportunity to step inside an international hotel environment, experience how a hotel operates, and gain an understanding of the skills and qualities valued across the industry.

Through our work placement program, students can gain hands-on experience across a range of departments, including:

• Engineering & Maintenance – practical, trade and maintenance experience.
• Kitchen – food preparation, food handling and commercial kitchen operations.
• Conferencing & Events – event planning, coordination and set-up.
• Restaurant – hospitality service and day-to-day restaurant operations.
• Business Services – administration and professional experience across Front Office, Reservations, Accounts, Human Resources, and Sales & Marketing.

 

By opening our doors to students, we help connect education with real-world experience, support local employment pathways and give young people the opportunity to discover where a career in hospitality could take them.

We’re proud to play a small part in helping shape the future of our industry.