Six Senses has received the highest level of certification by Control Union, a certification body accredited by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Six Senses properties* underwent an extensive audit by Control Union to verify their efforts in sustainability planning, reducing negative environmental impacts, enhancing cultural heritage, and maximizing social and economic benefits for surrounding communities.

“GSTC Certification is a mark of trust and credibility in sustainability. While this certification is issued globally, it marks a proud moment for our individual Six Senses properties included in this certification and their sustainability teams, who work proactively to provide uncompromising hospitality, environmentally cognizant operations, an outstanding guest experience, and high levels of engagement among colleagues and the local community,” said Jeff Smith, vice-president of Sustainability, Six Senses.

The GSTC Certification is a respected seal of sustainable travel and tourism, offering an antidote to “greenwashing” in the hospitality industry. The extensive certification criteria aim to give credibility to sustainability claims, ensuring they are both measurable and can be upheld through meaningful action. Certification is based on third-party audits of hotels and corporate processes by accredited auditors, and is granted for a period of three years, providing a continuous commitment to improvement and accountability.

Turning criteria into impacts

The GSTC Criteria verify sustainable practices across four key areas: effective sustainability planning, reducing negative environmental impacts, enhancing cultural heritage, and maximizing social and economic benefits for surrounding communities.

Six Senses sustainability initiatives evaluated by Control Union, include:

• Dedicated sustainability directors at each hotel, who lead the property’s net-positive impact.
• Dedicated spaces – Earth Labs – dedicated to engagement, innovation and communicating the work happening on and off site at each property (e.g.. marine conservation, forestry or farming initiatives, harnessing renewable energy from solar or biomass, bottled drinking water).
• Resort Sustainability Fund comprising 0.5 percent of total hotel revenue coming directly from guest bookings, which goes toward meaningful and measurable initiatives outside the walls of the hotel;
• Meeting the goal for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification as a minimum for all new hotels (It has achieved LEED Platinum at Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea, the first hotel in Saudi Arabia to be awarded the highest available accreditation and at Six Senses Vana, India’s first retreat to have attained this environmental design standard, plus LEED Gold at Six Senses Rome, within the UNESCO listed-Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini.) Issued by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), LEED puts properties through a rigorous third-party review.
• Journey to Plastic Freedom Playbook, an initiative that began in the 1990s with guest amenities and drinking water, that has resulted in 82 tried and tests solutions across four main operating areas that have been recorded and shared with the wider hospitality industry.
• Integration into the fabric of the local community and culture (e.g. joining monks to light butter lamps; playing archery or celebrating annual tshechu festivals in Bhutan, dancing with warriors while passing around the yaqona in Fiji, etc.).
• Local hiring policy and local sourcing of products, including foods, local art, artifacts, etc.
• Inviting local artisans to share local culture.
• Partnering with local NGOs, schools, or hospitals to ensure local services are developed and access to life’s essentials such as clean water or education is improved as well as local skills training.