Club Med is leading the way in responsible tourism. From the elimination of single-use plastic in their Miches resort to the development of renewable solar power at Club Med Punta Cana, the All Inclusive brand is taking real-world action in the pursuit of environmental sustainability. Of their 70 locations worldwide, 46 resorts are now certified Green Globe, and over 20 have been awarded Ecoleaders by TripAdvisor.
Using renewable energy
About 25% of the total electricity requirements for Club Med Punta Cana resort have been supplied by the installation of solar panels in 2019. This initiative will offset 1,800 tons of carbon dioxide output each year. The goal is to roll out the same system across most of their resorts, with the next project taking place at the Miches Playa Esmeralda resort in the Dominican Republic.
No more single-use plastic
In pursuit of environmental sustainability, Club Med has already removed plastic straws from 8 of its resorts in Asia and is committed to extending this to 68 of its resorts worldwide. The brand also plans to eliminate all single-use plastic from these locations permanently, with Miches spearheading the campaign. Miches now offer reusable drinking bottles, preventing the usage of 60,000 single-use plastic bottles in the hotel. Club Med have even created their RecycleWear collection, a staff uniform made from recycled plastic. This has reused 2 million plastic bottles thus far.
Green Globe Certification
The Green Globe Certification is one of the most demanding accreditations for responsible and sustainable tourism, thoroughly testing hotels and resorts against rigorous criteria. The standard rewards establishments that are committed to development around sustainable management, economic/social issues, cultural heritage and the environment. Club Med has achieved the certificate for 80% of their resorts, of which four have received Platinum status. The ambition is to gain certification for 100% of its locations in the near future.
Food waste & local agriculture
Club Med has minimised food wastage per meal, per person to 101g and is continuing to develop new programmes. Their recent partnership with Solucycle at Québec Charlevoix converts organic waste into renewable energy sources. The brand also prioritises the support of sustainable agriculture, sourcing produce locally and working in partnership with AGRISUD NGO to create micro agricultural businesses in the communities.
Ecoleader
Over 20 Club Med resorts have been awarded the Ecoleader label by TripAdvisor for following eco-friendly best practices, including:
Monitoring energy consumption
Over 75% of all bulbs must be energy saving
At the very minimum, 2 types of waste must be recyclable
A program in place for the reuse of towels and bed linen
Training staff on environmental practices
Informing customers about their ecological initiatives
Biodiversity & animal welfare
Protecting endangered species, supporting biodiversity and preserving animal welfare has been at the core of Club Med’s beliefs for a long time. The company has initiated several partnerships in their resort locations including with The Florida Oceanographic Society, the Turks & Caicos Reef Fund, SEMARNAT (The Mexican Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources), and is also a founding member of PROMICHES, the hotel and tourism association of Miches El Seibo, which is dedicated to sustainable development within the region.
About the author
A thrill-seeking globetrotter, Lydia is passionate about trying out new experiences around the world. From rushing down the slopes of Savoie to quad biking over the dunes in Cape Verde, she wants to help holidaymakers get the most out of their next adventure.