CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
When Gordon "Butch" Stewart opened his first resort, he had one very important mandate; the resort would be required to adopt a school in the community. Team members were to care for it and ensure that the facilities and students had what was needed to be successful. That was more than thirty years ago, and the beginning of a corporate commitment to community and a tradition of service that SRI has nurtured. "We have the resources, therefore the responsibility to act," says Stewart.
Today, every resort under the SRI banner is required to adopt schools and in some cases, entire communities to ensure that the messages of health, safety, environmental concern, community and opportunity are shared as much as possible. From helping to provide new computer labs and building additional classrooms to giving scholarships for academically bright but needy students and hosting career days - our resort teams continually provide mentorship and share their knowledge and resources with our Caribbean neighbors.
In 2007, Sandals Resorts earned the Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Award for the Adopt-A-School program and their work in the Caribbean communities.
THE SANDALS FOUNDATION
The Sandals Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Sandals and Beaches Resorts, and was created as a natural extension of the nearly three decades of the company's lasting commitment to the Caribbean.
As an independent non-profit organization, the Sandals Foundation has assumed the existing activities of Sandals and Beaches Resorts with the aim of expanding their reach to create a positive and sustainable impact on people's lives and the environment. Working with their neighbors, civic leaders, employees and partners, they have identified programs in the areas of education, environment and community to achieve their promise.
The power of the Sandals brand, the strength of Sandals partnerships, and the passion of our people put them in a great position to have a lasting and meaningful effect on improving lives in the Caribbean.
SANDALS EARTH GUARD
Sandals and Beaches Resorts is a leader within Caribbean hospitality, and through introducing new concepts such as the eco-village at Sandals Montego Bay, an exclusively solar-powered village continuing to set regional sustainability standards, the company is determined to lead the region in environmental stewardship; while encouraging other resorts and hotels to follow in its footsteps. The more hotels and resorts that practice sustainability initiatives, the better it is for the environment, the guests that visit and our family, friends and neighbors who call the Caribbean home.
From recycling to conserving, SRI is committed to providing quality vacation experiences for guests while working to minimize the environmental and social impacts associated with operations. The resort company was the first official hotel chain in the Caribbean to have a Group Director of Environmental Affairs whose sole responsibility is to lead the company's corporate environmental sustainability effort. Since 1997, the company has had a formal environmental policy for all of its resorts with dedicated Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Managers at each property to oversee and be accountable for environmental management performance indicators.