Sustainability

A long-term management system

We have designed a sustainability plan with the aim of implementing a long-term sustainability management system suited to our reality and scale, covering environmental, social, cultural, quality, health and safety issues. It identifies objectives and sets out short-, medium- and long-term measures to minimise the negative impact of our activity.

We meet and improve on the collective agreement

We take the Gipuzkoa Accommodation Collective Agreement as our reference. Our staff's real working conditions are reflected in their contracts: actual hours worked, a job category matching the tasks performed, pay, and so on. We comply with Law 31/95 on occupational risk prevention and with applicable environmental legislation.

We firmly reject and denounce practices in the sector that we consider unethical, such as "voluntary" work or contracts that fail to reflect the worker's real category. We make sure our subcontracted services comply with the law.

Staff training

We train our staff in sustainability: 4 working hours a year are set aside for training. They can attend conferences, courses or talks on the impact of tourism, and we invite them to take part in putting this plan into practice.

We measure guest satisfaction

Guests can complete a satisfaction survey, on paper or online, with closed and open questions. The areas assessed include the hostel's sustainability, and there is space for complaints, solutions and improvements, which we take into account when planning changes to management and facilities.

Honest communication

Our promotional materials are truthful, accurate and complete with regard to the organisation, our products and sustainability matters. This section of the website is purely informative: we don't use sustainability as a mere marketing gimmick.

A building restored with sustainable criteria

When choosing the hostel's location we considered the impact on the surroundings, avoiding areas overrun by tourism. So as not to fuel speculation or reduce residential housing, we chose a former commercial premises: an abandoned car workshop, in ruins and closed for over fifteen years, whose restoration has driven the regeneration of Calle Carquizano.

The premises are in a 1917 building with grade III heritage protection, which safeguards its façade and rationalist style. The renovation respects the protected elements and highlights the industrial character of the space.

• All timber of legal origin certified by the suppliers
• Sustainable insulation materials
• Windows and enclosures with minimal energy loss
• Heat-pump climate control, with major energy savings
• Push-button showers to reduce water consumption
• Insurance managed by Nortlan, the Basque Country's first ethical and solidarity-based broker
• Accessible hostel: step-free access and common areas, and one wheelchair-adapted room

Information and interpretation for travellers

We have a library with books, magazines, guides and local maps for discovering the heritage of San Sebastián and Gipuzkoa, planning routes or learning about Basque culture. Our staff, all local, are specifically trained to offer personal guidance and advice.

We advise guests on how to travel responsibly in a way that contributes to the local economy and respects the environment. We have created a series of videos with suggested plans – the Koba Plans – that encourage activities away from the crowded spots and instil the values of sustainable tourism.

We support community development

Our facilities can be used occasionally and free of charge by local organisations for educational, cultural or social activities. So far, the following activities have been organised:

P: planned · C: in progress · L: achieved

Equal opportunities

We provide equal employment opportunities for local residents and regular training for all employees. Every position has a profile defining duties, responsibilities and skills, available to all staff so they can plan their career path.

43% of positions are held by women and 66.6% of management positions are held by women. We offer wages above the sector agreement and improved conditions; 100% of staff have a contract that reflects the position they hold.

We buy local and fair

When choosing suppliers we value local businesses, organic or fair-trade products and social enterprises. At least 50% of the products offered and used at Koba come from local producers: breakfast, beer, surfboards (Up Surfboards), wetsuits (Seland), bikes (Bizipoza), beds and furniture.

P: planned · C: in progress · L: achieved

Respect for our neighbours

Our activity does not jeopardise the provision of basic services or our neighbours' peace and quiet.

P: planned · C: in progress · L: achieved

Code of conduct for visitors

We believe information is key to ensuring visitors respect and value the area's historical and cultural heritage.

• Good practice guide informing tourists how to behave and about their impact on the surroundings
• Free information through leaflets and magazines
• Library with guides, magazines, books and recommendations
• Staff specifically trained to teach good practice
• The option of booking cultural, social and sporting activities with local active tourism companies

Local elements in the design

In decorating the hostel we have used traditional and artistic elements from the area, avoiding the clichés exploited by the tourism industry (La Concha, the Peine del Viento, the food…) so as not to narrow the cultural view of our surroundings.

We have preserved the heritage value of the premises and its history as Talleres Stinus with old photographs, highlighting its historical value through architectural features. We promote local producers and artists, making the hostel a platform for exhibition, sales and information.

Responsible purchasing

When selecting building materials we make environmental criteria a decisive condition. We aim for at least 50% of food, drink and consumables to be locally produced. We measure our purchases of disposable items and actively seek to reduce their use.

Facilities and building work

• Bathrooms and showers with soap dispensers
• Heat-pump climate control, which harnesses energy from the surrounding air
• The entire building envelope insulated with rock wool, an air cavity and triple plasterboard
• Thermal-break window frames and double glazing

Everyday actions

• Package-free breakfast, with no individually wrapped products; shopping is adjusted daily to occupancy to avoid waste
• Recyclable or reusable bottles and free jugs of water
• Recycled toilet paper in dispensers; foam soap to reduce waste
• Push-button timed showers, aerators on taps and showers, and dual-flush toilets
• Digital signing of terms and invoices sent by email to avoid paper

Energy

Our electricity is supplied through the Goiener cooperative, which guarantees energy from renewable sources.

• LED lighting throughout the premises
• Large windows with natural light in the rooms
• Presence sensors in corridors and common areas
• Insulated windows and doors to prevent overheating or cooling
• Appliances with a minimum A energy rating
• Electricity meter to track consumption and draw up reduction plans

Water

• Pedal-operated kitchen tap
• Signs reminding everyone to use resources responsibly
• Courtyard planted with local, climate-adapted vegetation (hydrangeas, moss) to avoid excessive watering

Emissions and mobility

We encourage guests, staff and suppliers to reduce their transport-related emissions.

• We promote cultural and sporting activities that are accessible by public transport
• We promote cycle tourism: facilities for storing bikes and tools for repairs
• Bike hire as a way to discover the city and its surroundings

Waste

• We prioritise loose products from local producers with minimal transport
• We sort waste at source: paper, plastic, glass, oil and organic, and inform staff and guests
• We avoid disposable materials: quality crockery, soap dispensers…
• We donate lost property and equipment we no longer use to people at risk of exclusion

Substances, noise and light

• Eco-friendly cleaning products in the hostel and no chemical pesticides on the plants
• Acoustic insulation of the building envelope guaranteed below 37 dB
• Natural light in every room, controlled with curtains; artificial light limited to night-time
• Good practice guide and verbal instructions so guests respect the surroundings

Biodiversity

All the activities we promote are regulated. We raise awareness of the area's protected natural spaces through guides, books and magazines, and we publicise the conservation campaigns run by local associations (litter collection on the Urumea and the Bay of Biscay, path clean-ups…), encouraging our guests to take part.