Iberostar Group has announced a collaboration agreement with EarthCheck to provide a coordinated structure for the sustainability initiatives currently being introduced to the more than 120 hotels included in Iberostar’s portfolio. A measure that is fully in line with Iberostar’s commitment to spearheading responsible tourism initiatives and joining forces with leading companies in the field in order to securely underpin Iberostar’s entire Wave of Change movement through its three action lines.
Iberostar’s Wave of Change movement is working towards moving beyond plastics and towards a circular economy, promoting the responsible consumption of seafood and improving coastal health. A circular economy approach will be applied by Iberostar in order to make maximum use of these resources, providing them with as many lives as possible and encouraging their reduction, reuse and recycling. EarthCheck will support Iberostar in this action by calculating the amount of waste and then analysing the most sustainable means of reducing these amounts. Wave of Change has also obtained MSC/ASC certification at certain restaurants and observes local seafood bans among other initiatives. In addition, Iberostar is working to improve coastal health through the discovery, protection and restoration of coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses by spearheading projects such as establishing their first on-land Coral Reef Laboratory in the Dominican Republic. Iberostar understands the importance of setting the standard for responsible tourism at a high level, and EarthCheck will help Iberostar work towards developing that standard for the rest of the industry to follow.
By the end of 2019, no fewer than 35 Iberostar hotels will join the EarthCheck program, and the certification process will be completed for the remaining hotels between 2020 and 2021. As part of the collaboration agreement, Iberostar will be conducting comparative assessments and monitoring its environmental and social actions via the EarthCheck Certified Program. It will also be working with the EarthCheck Research Institute to identify the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for the tourism sector in the coming years.
Iberostar’s Director of Sustainability, Dr. Megan Morikawa, sees this partnership as a reflection of Iberostar’s commitment to actions, projects and decision-making procedures in favour of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. “We are fully aware of the impact that our actions can have on the overall sustainability of areas in which we operate and are committed to preserving those natural environments for future generations to enjoy,” Dr. Morikawa says.
In turn, EarthCheck’s CEO, Stewart Moore, stressed that “Iberostar should be applauded for its vision and commitment to the oceans, expressed through initiatives based on the responsible tourism model the company is working towards with the aim of making the world a better place not only to live and work in, but also to visit and enjoy.”
About the Iberostar Group
Iberostar Group is a 100% family-owned Spanish multinational company based in Palma de Mallorca (Spain) that has been operating in the tourist sector since 1956 and whose business activity dates back to 1877. Its sales network covers 35 countries, it has a staff of more than 32,000 employees and handles eight million customers a year. Hospitality is the company’s core business, with a portfolio of more than 120 four- and five-star hotels located in 19[NK5] countries on three continents. In addition to the hotels, the Group has a further three business units: travel and incoming activities, a holiday club and real estate.
Iberostar Group leads with purpose in its pursuit to set the standard for responsible tourism. One of Iberostar’s pioneering initiatives is Wave of Change which consists of three pillars – moving beyond plastics, promoting the responsible consumption of seafood and improving coastal health. Wave Of Change is designed in line with Objectives 12 and 14 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations, “Responsible Consumption and Production” and “Life Below Water,” respectively. Oceans are home to more than 80% of life on the planet and Iberostar is committed to protecting the oceans.
Iberostar Group is owned by the Fluxá family and chaired by Miguel Fluxá Rosselló, founder of the Group’s current hotel unit and Iberostar Hotels & Resorts brand. His daughters Sabina and Gloria are the Company’s two Vice-Chairmen. Sabina is also the Group’s CEO and Gloria holds the post of Chief Sustainability Officer.
