The Caribbean’s all-inclusive Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts become the first to attain a portfolio-wide Green Fins membership
The Caribbean’s most popular all-inclusive operator, Sandals Resorts International – which comprises Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts – has, association with PADI, become the first operator to earn a company-wide Green Fins membership.
Sandals’ membership will extend to each of its resorts across all eight of the Caribbean islands where it has a presence. The Green Fins program, a conservation initiative implemented by The Reef-World Foundation in partnership with the UN Environment Programme, is designed to protect coral reefs through environmentally friendly guidelines that promote sustainable scuba diving and snorkelling.
‘Here in the Caribbean, the ocean is a part of our everyday lives, and the health of our underwater ecosystems plays a role in the livelihoods of our friends, families, and neighbours,’ said Michael Clarke, Corporate Director of Watersports for Sandals Resorts International. ‘As new members of Green Fins across our entire resort portfolio, Sandals and Beaches are upholding their vows to protect and restore our natural resources so guests visiting from every corner of the earth can experience the crown of the Caribbean while generations to come continue to prosper from its resources.’
Through the creation of action plans adhering to the Green Fins code of conduct, the staff of Sandals’ and Beaches’ on-site PADI-certified dive shops will be able to implement procedures to reduce their environmental impact. Participation will expand on the resorts’ existing conservation practices, which include rotating dive sites, invasive species management, encouraging the use of reef-safe sunscreen, and providing snorkellers and scuba divers with briefings on eco-friendly best practices.
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‘As PADI Mission Hubs, Sandals and Beaches are incredibly important strategic partners for PADI,’ said Katie Thompson, PADI’s Global Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability. ‘Their scale and shared commitment to a healthier future helps advance our mission to create more ocean ambassadors who can go out and not only explore but also protect the ocean.’
In addition to its new Green Fins commitments, Sandals and Beaches Resorts are also actively engaged in the PADI AWARE Foundation’s Adopt the Blue Program – through which dive centres adopt a dive site and take responsibility for its upkeep and conservation.
‘We are thrilled to see Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts leading the way in sustainable tourism for resort companies, leaning on Green Fins as a benchmark for environmental standards,’ said JJ Harvey, Operations Director of The Reef-World Foundation. ‘This is an important step in their environmental commitment, and with Green Fins, they now count on the world’s only recognized eco-focused standard for scuba diving and snorkelling as the tool to do so.’
For more information about Green Fins, visit www.reef-world.org or follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
