The Townhouse Hotel, a historic 107-room hotel in Cape Town, has received Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) certification. The hotel has a conference centre, street-level café and is home to the renowned Trees Restaurant.

The Townhouse has installed devices to help conserve energy and water; has implemented waste recycling management practices; and supports local and ethical food suppliers.

It donates a percentage of all conference delegate fees to greening projects such as tree planting with Greenpop, and regularly arranges community-focused beach clean-ups with CleanC.

Together with its sister hotels, Oude Werf Hotel and Vineyard Hotel, the Townhouse is a founder of Kids of the Cape Fund, a social investment initiative that supports nine children’s charities spanning education, health, HIV/Aids and feeding schemes.

“We are thrilled to join an elite group of establishments and tour operators in the country who carry this honour,” says Jacqui Williams, GM of the Townhouse Hotel. "In recent years we have promoted sustainable practice under our ‘Living Green’ banner – we see our Fair Trade Tourism certification as the next step in our journey to being a more environmentally and socially responsible hotel.”

“Fair Trade Tourism is extremely pleased to have The Townhouse Hotel on board, forming part of our growing portfolio of responsible tourism products,” says MD of FTT, Nivashnee Naidoo. "We look forward to working together with them to promote the importance of more sustainable and responsible business practices, of which they are a sterling example.”