The Soneva Sustainability Report 2012-13 is now published. To read the report in full, download it here.
The report is an honest and thorough audit of Soneva’s environmental performance and provides an insight into the multiple challenges facing the hospitality industry in reducing its carbon footprint. It also celebrates the many opportunities to link emission reductions and offsetting programmes with pro-poor initiatives, local community engagement and development, and improved biodiversity standards.
The report details both the environmental impacts and initiatives of Soneva Resorts – Soneva Fushi in the Maldives and Soneva Kiri in Thailand.
One of the highlights is the improvement is waste management. 74% of Soneva’s waste was recycled, up from 27% compared to 2008-09 baseline. Soneva achieved a 69 tons CO2 reversal from waste handling. One of the key actions taken was to increase composting capabilities to cover 100% of Soneva Fushi’s food waste through implementing a forced aeration system.
Carbon Footprint
The Soneva Carbon Calculator is used to measure the carbon footprint of direct activities such as energy consumption at the resorts as well as indirect emission such as guest air travel, ground travel, freight, food, waste, paper and water.
The total carbon footprint in 2012-13 was 46,098 tons CO2. Only 14% of these emissions came from energy consumption, which is the figure typically quoted by companies when measuring their carbon footprint. 78% of the emissions came from guest air travel.
Carbon mitigation
To address the carbon emissions not directly under Soneva’s control we established the Carbon Sense Fund that invests in carbon mitigating projects through the SLOW LIFE Foundation:
• SLOW LIFE in Myanmar is the first Gold Standard carbon registered project in Myanmar. The project will distribute efficient cook stoves to households in rural areas of Myanmar. Benefits of the project to the local community are extensive including monetary savings for households, protection of biodiversity, training and employment opportunities and health benefits from significantly reduced indoor air pollution. All of this can be achieved while offering supporters an attractive return on investment.
• The Darfur Stoves Project was established in early 2012. The project will distribute highly efficient cook-stoves to 125,000 families in the war-torn region of Darfur, Sudan, mitigating at least 350,000 tonnes of CO2 over the next seven years. In addition to the climatic benefits the Darfuri families will benefit from lower energy expenses, less time spent foraging for firewood in dangerous areas and less indoor air pollution, one of the biggest killers of women and children in Africa. To date 23,000 stoves have been distributed.
• Soneva Forest Restoration Project: 314,000 trees of 90 different species were planted in 2012 to make up 452,000 trees planted in total using Framework Species Methodology. A total area of 300 acres (120) of degraded forest land is being restored in Northern Thailand, mitigating at least 255,000 tons of CO2.
Marine biodiversity
Both Soneva properties are located on an island and therefore marine biodiversity is an important topic.
Soneva Fushi has been working since 2007 through its marine biologist with other resorts in the Baa Atoll, Maldives, to get Baa Atoll recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The reserve was officially opened 13 June 2012.
At Soneva Kiri in Thailand the Soneva Kiri Coral Restoration project showed good progress. 30 tonnes of live rock and 1,850 corals of 27 species have been transplanted. The corals are growing well and 69 species of fish (25 more than expected) have been spotted.
For any questions on the report, please contact Arnfinn Oines, Social and Environmental Conscience, The Soneva Group at [email protected].