(81.95% lower than the regional leader)
(13% below the regional average)
(37% reduction year-on-year)
Nestled between the ancient rainforest of Langkawi and the Andaman Sea, The Datai Langkawi is redefining what luxury travel can look like.
With its flagship sustainability initiative, The Datai Pledge, and its partnership with EarthCheck, the Malaysian resort is demonstrating how high-end tourism can actively protect ecosystems, empower communities and deliver real, measurable impact.
Launched in 2020, The Datai Pledge is a long-term sustainability commitment built around four key pillars:
Each pillar transforms a broad vision into tangible action, from large-scale reforestation and marine conservation to circular economy partnerships with local communities in Langkawi. But what sets The Datai Langkawi apart from other resorts with similar goals is its commitment to transparency, science and accountability.
To deepen its impact, The Datai Langkawi became the first resort in the world to join the EarthCheck ECO certification program for ecotourism experiences focused on natural environments on land, such as forests and wildlife. EarthCheck is the world’s leading scientific benchmarking and certification group for the travel and tourism industry.
“EarthCheck certification brings real credibility to an organisation’s sustainability efforts,” says Remi Giromella, Director of Quality Control and Improvement at Datai Hotels and Resorts. “In today’s landscape, it’s more important than ever to have trusted, independent experts verifying those practices.”
EarthCheck supports The Datai Langkawi in setting KPIs, benchmarking progress and embedding sustainability in every layer of operations.
“We’re proud to be working with The Datai Langkawi,” says Stewart Moore, Founder and CEO of EarthCheck. “They operate in one of the most pristine natural environments on the planet, and we’re excited to support their efforts in ecotourism.”
In 2024, The Datai Langkawi achieved a significant milestone: diverting 96% of its solid waste from landfill. This was made possible by a closed-loop system that includes smart sorting at a custom-built Sorting Centre, on-site composting, and the use of The Asher machine to transform non-recyclables into non-toxic ash.
The resort also partners with local enterprises like The Kanshalife Project, which is dedicated to creating waste solutions, and hosts Guest Awareness Sessions at The Lab, a recycled-material learning centre.
Additional initiatives include:
The resort also fuels Langkawi’s circular economy through:
“Partnering with The Datai Langkawi has been truly transformative,” says Skaii de Vega, Founder of The Kanshalife Project. “They’re a hands-on collaborator who shares our vision for lasting change in both nature and society.”
Through a partnership with local marine NGO MareCet, the resort supports marine mammal conservation and coral reef restoration in Datai Bay. Initiatives include:
“The Datai Pledge enables us to continue our work studying endangered marine mammals and finding solutions for the conservation of their habitats,” says Dr. Louisa Ponnampalam, Co-founder of MareCet. “We applaud the resort for setting a good example of corporate responsibility.”
Photo by MareCet
– Arnaud Girodon, CEO of Datai Hotels and Resorts
To support the Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark, The Datai Langkawi has planted over 1,500 native rainforest trees, with ongoing monitoring to ensure long-term ecological benefits.
Other conservation practices include:
“We’re proud to be protecting the rainforest, the wildlife and the marine life that make Langkawi so unique,” says Fuad Ahmad, Naturalist at The Datai Langkawi.
Environmental education and empowerment sits at the heart of this pillar. In 2024 alone, 192 students and 53 teachers participated in workshops in which they developed water-saving solutions.
The resort also partnered with the Green Growth Asia Foundation, an NGO dedicated to promoting environmental stewardship amongst youth through education, and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Malaysia, a youth-led action program.
“Through The Datai Pledge, the kids have explored opportunities beyond anything we imagined,” says Zuraidah Zainal Abidin (Kak Zu), Co-founder of the Geng Bersih Kampung youth centre. “It’s boosted their morale and belief in their own potential – they now know they can achieve anything.”
For Arnaud Girodon, CEO of Datai Hotels and Resorts, preserving the environment is only part of the vision – the real ambition is to help it thrive for generations to come.
When asked what achievement he’d most like to see in the future, Arnaud reflects:
“If I could return to The Datai Langkawi 100 years from now, I would wish to see it exactly as it is now, but with even more wildlife and sea life. That would mean we didn’t just keep its surroundings intact – we regenerated them. Ideally, by then, we would have also achieved zero carbon output.”
The Datai Langkawi’s EarthCheck ECO certification serves as further proof that luxury and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. The resort is redefining what it means to travel with purpose – offering a blueprint that other organisations can follow to lead with impact and integrity.
Learn more about EarthCheck ECO certification.
There are more than 476 million Indigenous Peoples, found in all regions of the world, from the Arctic to the tropical forests. They make up more than 6 per cent of our global population.
In the spirit of reconciliation, EarthCheck acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout the world and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Indigenous Peoples today.
EarthCheck acknowledges that Indigenous Peoples are guardians of the forests and biodiversity hotspots we all depend on. Research shows that lands managed by Indigenous Peoples, with secure rights, experience lower deforestation rates, store more carbon, hold more biodiversity, and benefit more people than other lands — including protected areas.
We recognise and support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the most comprehensive international instrument on the rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration is a positive document that maps out a path for Indigenous Peoples to be free from discrimination and secure in their identities and life choices.
EarthCheck science and products were developed by the Australian Government Sustainable Tourism Co-operative Research Centre (STCRC) over ten years. Our science is reviewed annually to ensure that it meets international standards relative to greenhouse gas protocols, responsible tourism, and certification.
EarthCheck products and services are built on the Agenda 21 principles for Sustainable Development endorsed by 182 Heads of State at the United Nations Rio De Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992 and aligned to the SDGs.
EarthCheck Certified provides a framework for organisations to achieve the desired outcomes for sustainable development as set out in the final report of the World Summit for Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002.
EarthCheck Certified complies with the Mohonk Agreement (2000), which outlines the guidelines and principles for an international sustainable tourism certification program. It is also a Recognised program of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).
EarthCheck Certified is a verification standard accepted by CDP. It is also an approved program of the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA), London & Partners, the Mexican Secretary of Tourism (SECTUR) and the City of Sydney.
EarthCheck Certified is an approved program for meeting the EU Energy Directive for the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle – BAFA) in Germany and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy) in the Netherlands.
EarthCheck partners with international research organisations to maintain the currency of EarthCheck science and our benchmarking systems.
The EarthCheck brand signifies scientific excellence, better environmental, economic, and social performance, improved community interactions, and savings through more efficient use of resources. It provides recognition and promotional support to a global consumer market.
