Sustainability impacts
As the regenerative travel movement grows, we’re thrilled to play a part in it, in line with our values, and the values our guests hold dear. We’re promoting the move from high-volume disposable travel to longer-stay more mindful and soulful travel.
“The strategy at Six Senses has always been based on looking for unique locations in destinations that tell a story while offering out-of-the-ordinary guest experiences to educate, surprise, and delight,” says Vice President of Sustainability Jeff Smith. “We are incredibly proud of the achievements being made by our NGO and community partners on the ground. Each resort has taken on unique projects based on the local need and is aiming for the greatest measurable impact at that destination – and there are too many to list here. Guests at any Six Senses property can find out more by dropping into the Earth Lab or joining a sustainability tour. And I welcome all our guests to join us in celebrating these projects and partnerships, which are only made possible by guest visits and ongoing support.”
Here's how we got on in 2022.
Self-sustaining
To be self-sustaining, we’re moving towards zero waste to landfill, using existing resources and reducing our carbon.
In 2022, we produced:
- 96,545 kilograms of compost
- 56,298 kilograms of organic vegetables
- 93,505 eggs
- 77 liters of essential oils
- 1,760,787 plastic bottles avoided by refilling our own drinking water
- 1,338,488 kWh renewable energy
- 135 kilograms of honey
- 2,998 liters of EM cleaning solution
we upcycled:
- 275,044 cubic meters of wastewater recycled
- 1,750 kilograms of upcycled timber products created
Regenerative
Our aspiration to be regenerative goes beyond protecting local communities, cultures, and environments to add value to local stakeholders and give back more than we take. After all, we’re all part of a global community on a shared Earth, which is why sustainability at Six Senses also focuses on aligning with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
In 2022, we volunteered in our local communities:
- Hosts dedicated around 4,900 hours to volunteering in their local communities
- 9,590 community members joined our events to help the environment and support communities
- 19,403 guests supported positive impact events
we made life better:
- 120,467 people gained access to clean drinking water and sanitation
- We provided access to education and skill trainings to 8,528 students and 113 jobs in local communities
- 17,545 people have improved access to medical care
- 7,977 people have improved public waste management in their community
we protected endangered species:
- 2,559 endangered sea turtles hatched on our beaches, including 484 Hawksbill and 2,075 green turtles
- We protected and conserved seven endangered and four more critically endangered species
and we conserved our habitats:
- We planted 2,020 trees
- 23,391 square meters of protected or restored habitat
- 33,887 kilograms of trash were collected voluntarily by our hosts, community members, and guests
- We protected a range of habitats including tropical forest, coral reefs, desert, temperate forest, mangroves, and seagrass
Plastic free
We’re on our path to becoming plastic free, on track to eliminating our “18 Most Unwanted”. This also means prioritizing the elimination of single-use and virgin plastic sourcing and adopting circular solutions through supplier engagement.
Collaboration
Within the world of hospitality, Six Senses has created a niche for itself and become a game-changer in sustainability. In the broader sense, we also form strategic partnerships with NGOs around conservation, community, culture, and commerce. This includes being one of the first signatories of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, led by the UN Environment Programme and UN World Tourism Organization, and collaborating with the United States Coalition on Sustainability and SustainChain™ to connect initiatives and scale solutions.