Sustainability as a driving force

SONEVA Resorts - #newluxury of a clear conscience

Traveling sustainably, seeing the world and making it a better place: what at first glance seems like a contradiction or a pious wish is slowly becoming a reality in more and more hotels and resorts. Often in response to the increased demand for this type of travel. One person who pursued this idea on his own initiative back in 1995 is Sonu Shivdasani. The Indo-Britishman's SONEVA resorts are regarded around the world as showpieces of responsible and sustainable tourism.


In the beginning: a vision

It all started small. On their honeymoon, Eva and Sonu Shivdasani discovered the deserted island of Kunfunadhoo in the Maldives. Enchanted by this place, they decided to make it the center of their lives and to live sustainably. "At the time, people around us thought we were crazy with our focus on environmental aspects," he recently told Handelsblatt in an interview. However, a large number of people had enough faith in him and his vision to lay the foundations for a small empire. The first resort, Soneva Fushi, was followed by Soneva Kiri on the unspoilt Thai island of Koh Kood in 2009 and Soneva Jani in the Maldivian Noonu Atoll in 2016. The Shivdasanis also founded the successful Six Senses Resorts and Spas, as well as EVASON Resorts, which have since been sold.

Local products, responsible treatment of nature and the locals were a personal concern for the two of them and were therefore already there before the first tourists set foot on the island: Authenticity as a recipe for success. "Eva and I have always believed that success comes from combining opposites, from an 'and' rather than an 'either - or'. We are luxurious and sustainable. We offer delicious food that is also healthy," says Sonu Shivdasani, explaining the philosophy that guides him. He firmly believes that a company must pursue a higher purpose than just generating profits for shareholders. An attitude that perhaps runs in the family, as Sonu's father was already involved in educational projects in India with a foundation, while his sister worked in the field of women's education.


The luxury of a clear conscience

"True luxury touches people's hearts," Shivdasani is certain. The success of his resorts is a combination of the active involvement of guests in the sustainability strategy and the measures that take place behind the scenes. For example, the resorts' water supply is completely self-sufficient thanks to water filtering and bottling stations. Guests pay for water, but 100 percent of the revenue is donated to clean water projects. The two percent environmental levy that every guest pays for their stay is invested in projects that have a positive effect on the environment and society.

90 percent of waste is recycled in the Soneva Eco Centros and reused where possible. In the Soneva Glass Studios, guests can experience live how glass artists create works of art, drinking glasses and vases from glass waste and even try their hand at glass blowing. Indirect emissions caused by guests' flights, for example, are offset by CO2 compensation programs, such as the Myanmar Stoves Campaign, one of the many projects of the Soneva Foundation, which ensures that people in poorer regions of the country receive clean stoves for cooking. The "Women in Soneva" program opens up career opportunities for Maldivian women by guaranteeing them a safe working environment, while the Soneva Forest Restoration Project takes care of the reforestation of northern Thai forests.


Commitment instead of proposal

All measures taken are reviewed annually according to strict criteria and published in the Sustainable Report. Tweaks are made where necessary. Sonu, Eva and their employees have plenty of ideas and visions. Soneva proves that sustainability does not stop at its own front door with its strict guidelines for suppliers. They also have to commit to strict criteria, such as the ban on child labor, compliance with anti-discrimination guidelines, integrity and environmental protection.
Sonu sees its most important task today as promoting the corporate culture and upholding the values and philosophy behind Soneva. The commitment in the team is great, the idealism united. For example, even the Chief Commercial Officer is a convinced environmentalist and vegan. However, it is not only the inner attitude that unites them, but also the shared experience of the pandemic: "We have grown much closer as a team during the coronavirus crisis," Sonu revealed in a recent interview.