Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels organised an impressive event, WeWalkOurTalk, to celebrate nine of their properties achieving EarthCheck Silver Certification, including the Beachcomber Resorts and Hotels Administration Head Office in Mauritius.
The goal was to ‘walk the talk’ and show once more Beachcomber’s commitment to social and sustainable development with special guests Anil Gayan (Mauritius, Tourism Minister), Etienne Sinatambou (Mauritius, Environment and Sustainable Development Minister) and Hector Espitalier-Noel (Beachcomber Chairman).
“The EarthCheck Silver Certification recognises the Beachcomber’s long-standing initiatives to promote sustainability,” Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels CEO, Gilbert Espitalier-Noël said.
“I would like to thank our Green Teams and our craftsmen who are deeply involved in the implementation of responsible best practices.”
“We intend to go even further in this process – a tourist chooses a country first and then a hotel. One of the messages that we are sharing through today’s event is that Mauritius must keep on being a touristic island. Mauritius is an amazing place to visit, but there are environmental, social and climatic challenges. All of us must realise the importance of safeguarding the great natural beauty of our country and protecting the environment must be at the heart of our concerns and actions,” he added.
EarthCheck CEO and Founder Stewart Moore congratulated the team. “I would like to acknowledge Beachcomber Resorts and Hotels for their commitment to sustainable tourism. EarthCheck has been working with the team at Beachcomber Resorts and Hotels since 2015 and their team’s dedication to sustainable and responsible tourism is to be commended,” Mr Moore said.
“We are very proud of Beachcomber Resorts and Hotels – their programs have inspired staff and guests through a number of eco-friendly activities and promoted these through the aptly named ‘beautifully responsible’ video. In addition, their social and CSR initiatives such as training and internships are having a positive impact by helping to support local youth and host communities.” he said.
The symbolic and impressive 350 km relay race for the environment had two main objectives:
1. To raise funds for three environmental NGOs (Island Bio, We-Recycle, and Mission Verte)
2. Raise awareness about the importance of protecting nature.
Another highlight of the WeWalkTheTalk ceremony was the unveiling of Beachcomber Resorts and Hotels’ Environmental and Sustainability Policy, which outlines environmental initiatives, including 52 commitments and a promise of preservation at the heart of its sustainable development strategy.
Ministers Gayan and Sinatambou welcomed Beachcomber’s environmental approach.
“Congratulations to Beachcomber for the certification of its hotels and headquarters. Too often in Mauritius, we talk the walk, but Beachcomber is seriously walking the talk when it comes to sustainable development, “said Anil Gayan.
Etienne Sinatambou concurred: “I welcome the EarthCheck Silver certification with great pleasure, because it shows that Beachcomber’s efforts are assessed and verified by an independent auditor,” he said.
To overcome the scarcity of water in Mauritius, Beachcomber produces their own bottled water. Saltwater desalination is a constant water source for the hotels and it also takes the pressure off the public works system. Each hotel has its own sewage treatment plant and the recovered water is used for irrigating the hotel gardens.
To minimise energy consumption, solar panels have been installed to heat water and more than 80% of hotel lighting is LED. Sorting and recycling has reduced waste sent to landfill and to combat plastic pollution, straws and plastic water bottles have been removed from all hotels and replaced with biodegradable straws and glass bottles. Beachcomber is also committed to the FoodWise social enterprise to take action against food waste.
The Beachcomber Fondation Espoir Développement (FED), supports local communities with its Youth Employability Project and empowers local artisans through Beautiful Local Hands. FED promotes and encourages training and education in the areas of:
• Health, including the fight against drug abuse and disability;
• Socio-economic development; and
• Conservation and promotion of the natural and cultural heritage of the country.
For Beachcomber, certification is a dedicated approach to implement positive actions for the preservation of water resources, control of energy consumption, waste management, reduction of plastic pollution, and engagement with local communities.
Victoria Beachcomber Resort & Spa; Shandrani Beachcomber Resort and Spa; Dinarobin Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa; Canonnier Beachcomber Golf Resort and Spa; Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa; Trou Aux Biches Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa; Mauricia Beachcomber Resort & Spa; Royal Palm Beachcomber and the Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels Head Office have all achieved EarthCheck Silver Certification.
