NASSAU, BAHAMAS— Water bodies form a large part of the idyllic wonders of the world, but they are often sullied by pollution of various forms.
Just recently, over 80 of the company’s guests vacationing at Sandals Royal Bahamian, along with some of the resort’s team members, decided to help preserve a piece of their island paradise.
The guests who were all part of a group known as Checkpoint from the United States, were keen on doing something that would aid in environmental conservation. “Our group always tries to do something along the environmental line. One year, we planted trees in Hawaii, and last year, in Turks and Caicos, we helped build back some of the reefs. We felt like a beach cleanup this year would be quite impactful,” shared Lina Tragni, leader of the group.
Amongst the debris were plastic-based items, including drink bottles, boating parts, plates and lunch boxes. There were also bits and pieces of discarded clothes and linen.
“We have always worked very closely with our communities as part of our corporate social responsibility. More than hoteliers, we are humanitarians and we do take seriously our environmental stewardship on and off our resort. We are conscious of our promise to protect the islands we proudly call home,” said Renee Deleon Lightbourn, public relations manager.
Over the years, Sandals has taken the lead in clean, green practices. The resort chain partnered with Oceanic Global, an international NGO designed to help people develop a more harmonious relationship with the ocean and the environment. As a result of the collaboration, the resort earned the Blue Two-Star Seal and all Sandals resorts are recognized globally as Blue Verified businesses and partners in sustainable industry leadership. Sandals has also launched several programs to aid in this quest. Some of these include the energy management program, the waste management program and the control of hazardous substances.
Sandals Resorts International operates one of the first all-inclusive resorts in the world to receive Earth Check environmental certification. Earth Check is the world’s leading scientific benchmarking certification and advisory group for sustainable travel and tourism.
