BAY Gardens Resorts, the award-winning hotel chain, has once again been recognized for its continuing commitment to environmental protection and best practices with its nomination in this year’s St Lucia Business Awards.
The resort chain started its “reduction in carbon footprint” journey in 2018 by phasing out single-use plastics in favour of biodegradable vessels and utensils made from wood, paper, compostable plastics and sugar cane bagasse.
Expanded Polystyrene (Styrofoam) products at all properties were then discontinued, followed by innovations such as installing GEM Link occupancy sensors in its guestrooms, which resulted in an energy use reduction of 20 percent per occupied room.
“We are honoured to be nominated, especially in this category, as we are committed to making a difference in our homeland when it comes to environmental sustainability, and we hope others will follow,” remarked Executive Director SanovnikDestang.
This nomination is Bay Gardens Resorts’ 15th for the St Lucia Business Awards in the past seven years.
The locally-owned and -operated hotel chain has won eight St Lucia Business Awards since 2012.
Bay Gardens Resorts won the Entrepreneur of the Year award on two occasions: Managing Director Joyce Destang OBE in 2014, and two years later Julianna Ward-Destang, Managing Director of Splash Island Water Park, the first open water sports park in the Eastern Caribbean.
The group also won for marketing excellence an unprecedented four times, and Business of the Year on two occasions.
The criteria for the environmental stewardship nomination include an in-depth understanding of, and contribution to, an outstanding and cooperative effort for environmental sustainability as well as engaging stakeholders, employees, customers and suppliers in environmentally safe business practices.
Now in its 10th year, the St Lucia Business Awards promotes and fosters excellence within the local business community.
The St Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture uses these awards as a forum to promote entrepreneurship, innovation and community participation.
Earlier this year, Bay Gardens Resorts took second place in the Environmental Sustainability category at the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF) in Miami.