Earth Day is a day of reflection and action that encourages individuals and organizations to protect the planet and promote environmental conservation. Last Saturday, the global community celebrated Earth Day 2023, and Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi, took the opportunity to showcase its comprehensive and ever-expanding efforts and initiatives towards sustainable practices. The resort prides itself on being one of the most eco-friendly resorts in the Indian Ocean and inspires its guests, team members, and local communities to reduce their environmental footprint and safeguard our beloved planet.

In honour of Earth Day 2023, Fairmont Maldives shed light on its notable sustainability initiatives that are both energy-efficient and waste-reducing. These initiatives aim to reduce the resort’s environmental impact and promote sustainable practices. The resort’s best practices include a Water Desalination & Bottling Plant, Reusable Fairmont Bottles, Chef’s Garden & Compost System, Guided Snorkelling Tours, Turtle Ranger Programme & Sustainability Lab, Participation in Global Environmental Campaigns & Polestar Collaboration, Solar Panels, and Marine Life Presentations.

The Water Desalination & Bottling Plant is a unique initiative at the resort, where the water is packed in reusable glass bottles, and extended as a complimentary service for guests. By housing its desalination plant, the resort can substantially reduce plastic waste. Similarly, with the launch of reusable glass bottles, Fairmont Maldives has eliminated the need for single-use plastic on the island, and water dispensing machines are easily accessible throughout the resort, enabling guests to conveniently refill their reusable bottles.

The resort’s Chef’s Garden & Compost System is another notable initiative, where an on-site gardening team successfully cultivates several ingredients on the island, and fruits such as bananas and pineapples are also freshly grown and harvested at the resort. The state-of-the-art compost machine located at the resort helps in the reduction of waste disposal, as the food waste produced in operations is fed into the machine, which converts it into organic compost for garden soil.

The resort’s Guided Snorkelling Tours are another fascinating initiative, where the resident Marine Biology team gives guests a guided snorkelling tour around the world’s first-ever semi-submerged art gallery, The Coralarium. Named Maldives’ first coral restoration project to unfold in the form of an art installation, the project was designed by British eco-artist, Jason deCaires Taylor.

The Turtle Ranger Programme & Sustainability Lab are other noteworthy initiatives at the resort. The resort collaborates with the Olive Ridley Project to help collect ID data for research on sea turtles and their natural habitat via its Turtle Ranger Programme. At the Sustainability Lab, the team repurposes plastic waste into unique souvenirs, creative furniture, and essential stationery for local schools.

Fairmont Maldives also participates in global environmental campaigns such as Earth Hour, Earth Day, Oceans Day, and Wildlife Day, among others. The resort has also partnered with a design-focused electric car brand, Polestar, to provide sustainable airport transfers for guests upon their arrival. With the installation of solar panels, Fairmont Maldives is also able to significantly reduce its carbon emissions by relying on solar energy from the sun. Solar energy accounts for 15% of the property’s daily power requirements.

All guests staying at the resort can sit in for a marine life presentation as the team highlights interesting facts about various species like turtles, dolphins, manta rays, sharks, and more. Similarly, the different sustainability practices will be spotlighted too in a fun and educational way. Owing to its extended portfolio of sustainable measures and best practices, Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi, is the first Fairmont property in the world to achieve the coveted Green Globe Certification for its various sustainability commitments.