Six Senses Resort Sustainability
We are committed to improving the ecological and carbon footprint of our resort and spa operations by monitoring our performance against targets and goals. In 2023, we collected over 5,794 kilograms of trash from local beaches, provided access to clean drinking water for 3,143 local people, delivered 364 hours of English teaching to local primary students, granted five scholarships to underprivileged students, and planted 4,000 new trees along the upstream Thach Han River. Every little bit helps! Ninh Van Greens, the first in-resort solar farm in Vietnam, has consistently provided electricity, organic produce, and hot water for the resort. The Solar FreshCuts organic garden is situated beneath the 800 solar panels. As of December 2023, Ninh Van Greens generated an average of 70,690 kWh of electricity per month, meeting 20 percent of the resort’s energy needs.
Environmental Responsibility
We operate in line with the Sustainable Operational Guidelines set out by Six Senses and wherever possible go beyond Vietnamese and international environmental requirements.
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Langur monkeys
Included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and Vietnam’s Red Book, the black-shanked douc langur is only found in Southern Vietnam and Eastern Cambodia. The Hon Heo mountain area behind us is one of the prevalent habitats, where langurs visit the reservoir during the dry season. Naturally quite shy, it is a rare privilege to encounter them; however, we can arrange hikes into the hills where you may have unscripted encounters with these and other local wildlife.
Since 2020, we have collaborated with the NGO Green Viet, where biologists have identified 109 individuals around our resort, which has now grown to 170 in 2023, 19 plant specifies on which langur feed, and 20 popular behaviors - do ask our team for more details.
The resort employs a full-time resident biologist from GreenViet, Ms. Quynh, who works closely with our team to introduce exciting wildlife and conservation experiences for our guests including guided hiking trips to learn about forest life and how the resort is studying and protecting the langurs. Since 2023, we have been actively raising awareness in local schools and communities, not just about langur conservation but also about the conservation of wild animals.
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Coral
We launched a coral propagation program in collaboration with the Institute of Oceanography in Nha Trang to protect and preserve the marine ecosystem surrounding our resort. The resort’s shores are fringed by natural coral reefs that are biologically diverse and a great asset for snorkelers.
The team carefully transplants coral fragments onto artificial reef structures and monitors the growth and types of marine life attracted. By increasing the reproduction of the most successful clones, scientists hope to develop more resilient coral offspring that can withstand higher ocean temperatures and global warming. In 2023, we successfully transplanted 474 coral fragments into 36 coral frames in the sea.
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Biodiversity
Understanding the ecosystem of the bay will help us preserve its biodiversity. With the Biodiversity Research project, we have discovered a new plant which has been officially recognized and named after the resort in 2022: Six Senses Turmeric. From now on, guests at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay can see the newly discovered plant during its harvest season in August and September.
As part our mission to preserve the local biodiversity, we have built ‘exclusive villas’ for 500,000 stingless bees named the Bee Residences. The bees will help provide a high-quality pollination service for our organic gardens, increasing our leafy production. Excitingly, the resort’s first Biodiversity Book is yet to come, expected in August 2023. Guests will have an opportunity to learn more about the plant and animal species living in Ninh Van Bay, including 10 species of mammals, 20 species of birds, 20 species of reptiles, and 30 types of plants.
Social Responsibility
From drinking water projects to educational programs and employment, we maintain positive relationships with our greater community.
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Water for all
Our guests and hosts enjoy still and sparkling remineralized drinking water from an on-site reverse osmosis (R.O) plant, which is bottled in reusable glass bottles. This saves around 12,000 plastic bottles per month from entering the resort and going to landfills. We also provide filtration drinking water systems in local communities. In 2023, 3,143 students from five local primary schools were provided with clean water.
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Community Education
We believe education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty, so we aim to increase access to education for the next generations of Vinh Luong village. Every year, we donate scholarships totaling USD 5,464 to outstanding students in the village to attend university. Additionally, we provide employment opportunities at the resort, conduct for two local primary schools, and organize sustainability talks, knowledge sessions about waste management, and wildlife conversations for 1,343 local citizens, involving students from Vinh Luong Village.
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Waste Management
As part of our commitment to effective waste management practices at the resort, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay is dedicated to creating a positive impact on the local community. Our initiatives include the donation of trash nets to 130 fishermen's boats, the provision of 20 trash bins to Vinh Luong commune, the distribution of 12 trash bins to Ninh Van village, and the contribution of 10 bins to Ninh Loc Commune. In addition, we have actively participated in several beach clean-up activities. Through our waste management efforts, we have involved 487 locals, hosts, and guests, resulting in enhanced waste management accessibility for 5,304 individuals.
