Left to right: Mark Haviland, Executive Vice President of Development and Sustainability at Rakuten EMEA; Co-host Lisa Snowdon; Paul Jones, CEO, The Lux Collective, parent company of SALT Resorts; Co-host Stephen Webster. Image: Dave Benett
SALT Resorts, which was awarded a Butterfly Mark for their SALT of Palmar location last year, has created meaningful experiences and lifted up the communities they operate in. As a result of their hard work across both social and environmental sustainability, they received a second accolade last week: the Brand of the Year Award at the inaugural Positive Luxury Awards.
SALT is a member of Slow Food International, and they concentrate on sourcing locally to decrease the need to import, and minimise their carbon footprint. They have a no single-use plastic policy, and strive to recycle and reuse wherever they can. SALT also educates children at local schools on the harmful effects of plastic waste. Through working with local communities and championing local employment, they have fostered a better standard of living in those communities.
SALT was selected by our judging panel as this category’s winner, and at our Awards ceremony on 25 February, Mark Haviland from Rakuten, the partner brand for this category, presented SALT with their award. “We were deeply honoured to receive the Brand of the Year Award,” said Paul Jones, the CEO of The Lux Collective, SALT’s parent company. “It’s been our mission to make SALT a force for good and a platform for change since we launched the brand just over a year ago. So to be recognised by Positive Luxury, an authoritative and powerful voice in sustainability, is incredibly humbling for us all.”
SALT is all about changing mindsets, and banishing unsustainable patterns in hospitality, like buffet restaurants and plastic bathroom amenities. When a guest arrives at a SALT Resort, they are presented with an aluminium refillable water bottle, and bamboo cotton buds and toothbrushes replace their plastic counterparts in each room. They use locally-sourced ingredients, and run employment programs for the people in the surrounding communities. “We hoped that by showcasing the positive impact SALT has had within its local community, we could be part of the movement that is helping to pave the way for a more sustainable future in the hospitality industry,” Jones added.
The positive impact doesn’t end there. In Mauritius at their SALT of Palmar location, the brand is opening SALT Farm to help provide fresh, pesticide-free produce for the Resort. It will also encourage help educate both locals and guests about traditional Mauritian farming techniques. Growth is also on the horizon, with plans to expand their properties across the Indian Ocean, Asia and the Middle East.
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