Planting the Seeds of Change

With the current focus on Climate Change, it’s fitting that the first winner of the new global Seed Award – Banyan Tree’s four resorts in the Maldives – is located in one of the world’s most spectacular yet vulnerable destinations. The Seed Award is the brainchild of EC3 Global, which provides sustainability solutions for the Travel and Tourism sector.

From EC3 Global:

While world struggles with how to prosper in a carbon-constrained economy, some organisations have been quietly planting the seeds of change. An increasing number of hotels have guests who will readily tell you that, when it comes to deep-cushioned comfort and guilt-free luxury, their preference is to vacation where their values are aligned.

However, for travellers who wish to leverage their purchasing power, it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish the heroes from the pretenders. The world is awash with certification logos that all look the same from the outside.

It’s almost impossible to tell which logos recognise high standards of operational sustainability and which amount to little more than tick-box action. In some cases, the only thing green is the money changing hands, with the certification being used as a marketing ploy.

Finally though, a new award pegs the green washing to the line and allows organisations to reveal their true colours. Launched this year, the Seed Award was the brainchild of EC3 Global, which has been providing sustainability solutions for the Travel and Tourism sector since long before it became fashionable.

“We wanted to cut through the myths of sustainable tourism and encourage organisations to share their learnings with a global audience,” explains CEO Stewart Moore. “You Tube offers the next best thing to actually visiting these remarkable properties and the videos demonstrate how a commitment to sustainable practices can actually define market success.”

The inaugural 2009 Seed Awards attracted a bevy of entries from leading properties the world-over. Each entrant was required to submit a short video documentary, which offered insight into their organisation’s sustainability practices.

Of these, the best were uploaded to EC3 Global’s You Tube channel (www.youtube.com/user/ec3global#p/c/p ); allowing users to look back-of-house and see that the proof is indeed in the pudding. The Awards were then judged by an international panel of experts, who assessed each according to a strict set of criteria.

With the current focus on Climate Change, it’s fitting that the winner is located in one of the world’s most spectacular – yet vulnerable – destinations. Banyan Tree’s four resorts in the Maldives (Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru, Angsana Ihuru, Angsana Velavaru, and Banyan Tree Madivaru) don’t limit sustainability experiences to guest activities; they can be seen in every facet of resort operations.

Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts have long been known as offering a sanctuary for the senses, with its intimate retreats featuring a blend of romance, rejuvenation and exotic sensuality. Located in destinations that appear at the top of most Wish Lists, each of its properties has been designed to create a sense of place, with the environment in mind.

The Maldives is a remarkable diving and snorkelling paradise, but in 1998, record high water temperatures killed most of the corals throughout the Indian Ocean. Maldivian reefs, the best in the region, didn’t escape the trend.

Coral reefs are the most complex ecosystems in the sea and often described as the “rainforests” of the ocean. All around the world and also throughout the Maldives, these rainforests have been severely affected by rising global temperatures responsible for the bleaching and death of corals.

In response, the team at Banyan Tree sought out a solution that would help nurture the reef back to a state of vibrant health. They decided upon on an experimental suggestion that would allow guests to become actively involved; one where pieces of live coral were attached to a steel frame on the sea bed, and through this an electrical current was directed. 

This innovative approach resulted in the regeneration of an entire reef system in an unprecedented short amount of time. Such commitment is a credit to the staff and the company, who understood that in order for a hotel to continue to prosper, it must be aware of its responsibilities to protect the surrounding environment.

“We are especially thrilled that our efforts were recognized even amid the high quality of projects and organizations represented,” says Ms Claire Chiang, Chairperson Banyan Tree Global Foundation. “EC3 Global’s effort to push the sustainability message through new media channels  has massive potential for sharing best practices to enable sustainability minded enterprises to collectively push for effective alignment of social, environmental, and business interests.”

It is hoped that in sharing stories of an increasing number of properties who are awakening to the benefits of integrating sustainability practices into planning and ongoing operations, more will follow suit. EC3 Global has already assisted over 1000 operators in more than 60 countries, but with tourism being one of the world’s largest industries, it will take the commitment of all to help preserve the beauty we travel great distances to enjoy.

Source: www.ec3global.com