With sustainability woven into its DNA, Marbella Club continues to set the benchmark for responsible luxury travel – blending heritage, hospitality, and environmental leadership with purpose. In this exclusive interview, Marbella Club reflect on winning Positive Luxury’s 2025 Travel Business of the Year Award. From ecosystem restoration and climate resilience to community-led initiatives and employee engagement, discover how Marbella Club’s strategy goes far beyond surface-level solutions – highlighting that through collaboration, transparency and action, it is building a legacy of positive change.
…
What inspired you to take part in the Positive Luxury Awards, and what does this recognition mean to your brand and team?
Achieving the Butterfly Mark was a pivotal milestone in our sustainability journey, one that established a clear benchmark and laid the foundation for everything that followed. Since then, being recognised by the Positive Luxury Awards has been a key aspiration for us and seeing that vision come to life is a moment of immense pride. This award is a meaningful affirmation of the values that define our brand and the positive impact we are committed to making. It reflects the tireless dedication of our team, who have worked with passion and purpose to embed sustainability into every layer of our operations. It also honours the visionary leadership of our hotel owner, Jennica Shamoon, whose deep commitment to creating a lasting, positive legacy continues to guide and inspire us. Above all, this recognition sends a clear message to our guests, partners and community that we are not only committed to positive change, we are proudly leading it within the luxury travel industry.
Why is it vital for luxury businesses to implement long-lasting, meaningful change that benefits both people and nature, rather than temporary or ‘quick fix’ solutions?
The luxury industry is uniquely positioned to lead lasting, meaningful change. With access to significant resources, global influence, and a long-term mindset built into its very DNA, luxury has both the ability and the responsibility to drive ethical and sustainable transformation. This is not only a moral imperative – it´s a business necessity. Our operations are intrinsically connected to the health of natural ecosystems, the quality of raw materials, the preservation of artisanal traditions, and the integrity of the destinations in which we work. Quick fixes may offer short-term relief, but they do little to address the systemic challenges we face, which include climate change, biodiversity loss and social inequality. Ignoring these issues risks undermining the very foundations upon which the luxury sector is built. Lasting change, grounded in respect for both people and the planet, is essential. It secures the future of our industry, strengthens trust with conscious consumers and investors, and ensures that luxury remains relevant in a world that increasingly demands accountability, authenticity, and environmental leadership.
With the current economic climate putting pressure on many businesses, how have you upheld your dedication to positive change and resilience as core pillars of your strategy?
In today’s complex and uncertain economic and political climate, staying true to our values has never been more important. We remain firmly committed to our long-term strategy, recognising that climate change is no longer a distant threat – it´s already impacting our operation. This reality has only reinforced our belief that sustainability and resilience must remain at the core of our business model. Rather than scaling back, we have chosen to double down by investing in long-term solutions that strengthen our ability to respond to and mitigate environmental challenges. This includes building resilience to drought and flooding, as well as supporting both coastal and terrestrial ecosystem restoration through key partnerships with Fundación Aula del Mar Mediterráneo and the newly established Málaga Province Environment Foundation, which we are proud to have helped launch. Beyond implementation, we have taken an active role in fostering collaboration through our La Concha Conversations initiative, which brings together some of the most brilliant and forward-thinking environmental minds, including scientists, conservationists, policy leaders and sustainability experts. The initiative creates a space for meaningful dialogue, where participants share ideas, explore scalable solutions and work together to drive collective action toward a more resilient and sustainable future.
How has your sustainability journey created value for both your internal teams and external stakeholders, from employees to consumers and investors?
Our sustainability journey has had a real and lasting impact on our team. From refurbishing a home for vulnerable children in Alhaurín de la Torre through our partnership with ANIDE, to directly supporting our native seahorse conservation programme and taking part in clean-up actions that protect the coastal, river, and mountain ecosystems surrounding our hotel, our employees have been able to contribute in meaningful, hands-on ways. These experiences have not only encouraged personal growth but have also fostered a strong sense of pride and shared purpose across the team, helping to build a culture of accountability and collaboration. For our guests and investors, this visible commitment has strengthened their trust in us as a brand grounded in integrity and long-term responsibility.
What role has Positive Luxury played in helping your brand navigate and shape the future of sustainable luxury, and why is collaboration with organisations like this essential moving forward?
Positive Luxury has set an exceptionally high bar, providing a clear and ambitious roadmap that has challenged us to meet rigorous standards and strengthened every part of our sustainability strategy. Their guidance, tools and framework, particularly through the Butterfly Mark, have not only elevated our performance but also positioned us to be resilient in the face of emerging environmental regulations and climate-related risks. Importantly, they have supported our efforts to become nature positive by encouraging us to move beyond reducing impact and focus on restoring and regenerating the ecosystems we depend on. Earning the Butterfly Mark has given us a recognised and trusted symbol that communicates our commitment with clarity and credibility, not only to our guests, but also to our partners, investors, and wider community. Collaboration with organisations like Positive Luxury is essential, because the challenges facing our industry and our planet cannot be solved in isolation. Through shared standards, collective learning and a united voice, they bring together like-minded brands to lead the transformation of luxury into a force for lasting positive impact.
DOWNLOAD THE 2025 WINNERS REPORT
< Back
