Goodbye plastic straws initiative to protect the environment at Club Med resorts

“Over the years, Club Med has developed a firm belief that the moments of happiness we offer to our guests are to be shared; they cannot be experienced at the expense of others or of nature. This mantra is considered throughout the entire process from location scouting, construction, biodiversity protection, food and water consumption, staffing, and educating our guests,” explains Rachael Harding, General Manager of Club Med in the Pacific.

“This recent initiative, first focusing on Asia and then globally, is putting a firm foot forward in our commitment toward environmental conservation. We feel it is our responsibility to educate and inspire as a committed sustainable resort group.”

Since Club Med’s implementation of a “Straw on Request” policy, replacing plastic straws for paper straws (only for guests who request a straw), Club Med’s popular Thailand resort, Club Med Phuket, has alone seen an approximate 76% decrease in the use of straws, reducing the daily use by an estimated 1,000 straws.

With sustainability and responsibility top of mind for the all-inclusive resort brand, 74% of Club Med resorts across the globe have achieved “Green Globe Certification”, with the objective to reach 100% in the near future. The “Green Globe Certification” is the highest and most thoroughly tested standard of responsible tourism; an annual review of sustainable practices across all aspects of business from training and recruiting staff, to food and energy wastage, resort construction and biodiversity preservation, including the preservation of local culture of the surrounding communities.

Club Med’s ongoing commitment to responsible tourism has seen countless small and large scale initiatives implemented into the daily operations of resorts worldwide. Such activities can be highlighted by three main objectives; caring for the environment, caring for guests, and caring for local communities. These include:

• CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
• CARE FOR GUESTS
• CARE FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Maximum preservation of the natural flora and fauna (built-up surfaces only cover 7% of the total site surface)
Club Med Finolhu Villas has over 6,000sqm of solar panels which provide solar energy to our resort in the Maldives
Reducing food wastage
o New innovative technology, Winnow, has helped reduced food wastage at Club Med Bali by 56%, this program is currently being rolled out across Asia in Club Med Phuket, Bintan, Cherating and Kani
Approximately only 100g of waste per person, per day, i.e. the weight of 1 kiwi fruit
Beach clean ups at multiple resorts
o Last week in Club Med Bintan Island, Indonesia, 60 staff and resort guests, together with 300 locals, successfully removed 450kg of waste from the beaches around the island and over 2,500kg at Lagoi Bay, in conjunction with other Bintan Island resorts
o Club Med also organises beach clean ups in partnership with 4Oceans, where guests receive 4Ocean bracelets (made from 100% recycled materials) for participating in the cleanup activity
Preserving biodiversity
o Protecting over 1,000ha of forest near Club Med Rio das Pedras, Brazil, and over 60ha near Club Med Cherating Beach, Malaysia
o Protecting endangered species and reefs with a turtle nursery at Club Med Bintan Island, artificial reef at Club Med Kani and fish refuge at Club Med Finolhu Villas in the Maldives

Sourcing food from local and agro-ecological farmers to serve fresh and locally-grown produce in resort restaurants to provide guests with in-season, organic and pesticide-free food
Eco-activities for guest education including assisting in a hatch and release program for baby turtles (200 baby turtles were successfully released at Club Med Bintan Island last season alone), ecological walks, Mobi Reef underwater trail with a Marine Biologist, and a coral propagation program in the Maldives
Fun and informative activities for children with Pedagogical Gardens to learn about food growth and consumption, building artificial reefs for fish refuge, and learning about new cultures while making friends through programs where local children are invited to the resorts
Activities to discover local culture is also available through cooking classes, batik painting and excursions

10 year relationship with NGO Agrisud, teaching local farmers agro-ecological farming standards and supplying multiple resorts around the world
More than 2,000 staff volunteer in local communities to educate on recycling, equality, and to bring joy through entertainment and games
75% of jobs in resorts are created locally and 20% progress onto new roles within a year
Over 110 nationalities are represented in our resorts and offices worldwide, with a zero discrimination policy

As part of Club Med’s local initiatives promoting sustainable practices and encouraging Australia and New Zealand to move #ForwardTogether, a competition will be launched through @ClubMedAustralia Facebook on 27th September – 8th November, 2018. Encouraging people to put forward their ideas on how Club Med can further with their sustainable practices, the winner will receive an all-inclusive trip to a Club Med resort in Asia to see their idea come to life.