- Armada, Spanish Point, Co Clare, has achieved B Corp certification, recognising its commitment to positively impacting people and the planet.
- As Ireland’s first B Corp hotel, the global award establishes the Armada Hotel as a go-to destination for socially conscious and sustainable travellers.
Armada, Spanish Point, Co. Clare, has been awarded B Corp certification, becoming the only hotel in Ireland to hold this globally renowned accolade. B Corp recognises companies that use business as a force for good, meeting high ethical and environmental standards and positively impacting workers, communities, customers, and our planet.
As socially conscious and sustainable travel becomes more important to travellers, B Corp certification is an effective way for people to identify responsible travel businesses easily. As such, Armada’s recent certification establishes it as the go-to destination in Ireland for people who seek out hotels that prioritise people over profit, empower local communities, feed the local economy, assist conservation efforts and boost connections between tourists and locals.
After a rigorous 2-year assessment process, Armada earned B Corp status for exemplary performance across five categories; environment, community, workers, customers and governance.
When it comes to prioritising its people, the Armada has been a cornerstone of the community in Spanish Point for over 55 years. For example, 80 per cent of the Armada’s 220 employees live within 10km of the hotel – 186 of which work with the hotel throughout the winter, when many coastal hotels would typically close.
Armada supports employee well-being and inclusivity through policies that encourage whistle-blowers, address menopause-related concerns, actively work towards closing the gender pay gap and support employees with physical or intellectual disabilities. These policies are complemented by offering health insurance and conducting employee surveys to foster continuous improvement and maintain a positive workplace culture.
The Armada’s commitment to supporting local spans far beyond its team members. 61 per cent of its suppliers are within an 80 km radius of the hotel. Significantly, 73 per cent of revenue spent goes to these local tradespeople, food producers, artisans and other small businesses, including Burren Smoked Salmon, Achill Oysters, local artist Kevin Lowery, whose coastal paintings hang on the walls and Wild Irish Seaweed, so that guests can indulge in luxurious seaweed baths.
The Armada’s environmental efforts span from plastic-free hotel rooms, with refillable glass carafes and compostable coffee pods, and a 100% compostable packaging policy, to supplying its kitchen with produce from the Armada Farm, and regular beach cleans in partnership with Clean Coasts. Armada also collaborates with Coastwatch to support the conservation of an endangered seagrass species, contributing to the long-term sustainability of our coastal environments.
Speaking about achieving B Corp certification, Armada CEO John Burke said: “We see B Corp as just the beginning. Our certification signifies a line in the sand. From this point onwards, we’ll continue to invest in bettering ourselves on every level to meet B Corp’s ever-evolving high standards, protecting what’s on our doorstep, supporting our employees and contributing to our community.”
“Tourism, particularly the hotel industry, is a remarkably challenging business, and there is a deep lack of options that deliver holistic guest experiences that empower local people and preserve the environment. We hope our efforts within our hotel and community will inspire others to do the same across Ireland. Together we can each positively impact our own local areas and create collective change within our industry, communities and for our planet.”
Armada launched the news this week with a striking sand art B Corp logo on Spanish Point Beach drawn freehand by Waterford artist Sean Corcoran and captured aerially by photographer and videographer Clem Mcinerney.
Plan your next adventure along the Wild Atlantic Way with Armada. Explore more at armadahotel.com.
