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3.2.1 Sani Resort

Sani Resort’s Corporate Social Responsibility program pursues three strategic objectives with a well-defined set of policies, initiatives and measurable targets.

  1. Sustainable hotel operations
  2. Protection and enhancement of local biodiversity
  3. Local community support and human capital development

Circular economy practices are relevant to the first and third strategic objective and regard the following:

1. Recycling of wastewater to cover the peripheral garden’s irrigational needs. According to the EU Action Plan for Circular Economy, water scarcity has worsened in some parts of EU in recent decades with damaging effects on our environment and economy. In addition to water-efficiency measures, the reuse of treated wastewater in safe and cost effective conditions is a valuable but under-used means of increasing water supply and alleviating pressure on over-exploited water resources in the EU. Specifically, Sani Resort uses recycled wastewater to cover the peripheral garden’s irrigational needs in accordance with the national legislation. Waste water is treated in a three stage biological treatment plant. The resort managed to reduce the water consumption over the years. Just between 2014 and 2015 water consumption has decreased by 7%.

2. Waste management. According to the EU Action Plan for Circular Economy, waste management plays a central role in the circular economy. Sani Resort is considered a pioneer in the waste management. The resort implements an integrated recycling program for all waste streams. In total, it managed to recycle almost 42% of the waste produced during 2015. In cooperation with recycling companies, Sani Resort recycles glass, paper, plastics, cans, batteries, electrical and electronic equipment, lighting bulbs, toners, candles and coffee capsules. As “large quantities of plastics also end up in the oceans and the 2030 sustainable development goals include a target to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, including marine litter” (see EU Action Plan for Circular Economy: 13), it is of great significance that the resort has banned the use of plastic bags in all owned operations and suppliers are encouraged to use reusable paper or other bags.

Moreover, used cooking oil is collected by the resort’s processor and the relevant revenue of each year is invested on the needed equipment or training of the employees for the recycling program (see further below). At 2016 Sani Resort started a pilot composting program. The green waste produced by all green spaces of the resort are collected to a compost bin. The compost produced is used as fertilizer in the resort’s gardens. This is also in line with the interest of the EU for the promotion of organic and waste-based fertilizers.

3. Sustainable procurement. The company community policy is to support local suppliers and local products as well as to reduce waste and chemical use. Sani evaluates all suppliers on the basis of sustainability criteria focusing on quality, locality, environmental protection and business ethics as set out in the sustainability procurement policy. This is in accordance with the potentials of green procurement for extending the durability and reparability of products and hence, promoting circular economy30.