The GreenAsia Group marked its official opening today with the announcement that it will work with Alila Hotels and Resorts towards the hospitality management company becoming Singapore’s first carbon neutral business corporation. The GreenAsia Group is one of the first in the region to offer an integrated carbon management platform and solutions – based on highest international accepted standards – for companies to voluntarily address their impact on climate change, and to provide environmental as well as social benefits to less privileged communities in Asia’s developing countries.
Under the agreement with Alila, The GreenAsia Group will deliver the carbon footprint for 2008 and projected 2009 requirements for Alila’s head-office in Singapore. The process of quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions includes the analysis of all energy use within the office premises and emissions due to business travel as well as the daily commute of Singapore-based employees. Alila has pledged to become carbon neutral by offsetting all accounted emissions with emissions reduction certificates generated from Asian projects.
Mr Raimondo Chiodi, director of The GreenAsia Group said, “The GreenAsia Group is extremely proud to work with Alila Hotels and Resorts which has already built a strong consistent reputation for its leadership role in eco-tourism. We will use science-based methods to provide a quantifiable unbiased measure of Alila’s carbon footprint and develop a broad-based programme for Alila to become the first carbon neutral company in Singapore.”
Mr Mark Edleson, president and CEO of Alila Hotels and Resorts said, “As a luxury lifestyle boutique resort manager Alila Hotels and Resorts takes a proactive and serious approach to preserving our environment. Measuring our carbon footprint, striving to reduce it and then offsetting the unavoidable emissions will ensure we continuously seek to set best standards in environmental sustainability. We are very happy to work with The GreenAsia Group in a comprehensive way that reaffirms our commitment to the triple bottom line framework for sustainability and delivers tangible benefit to local communities in some of Asia’s less developed countries.”
Mr Bradley T. Gardner, founder of The GreenAsia Group and a passionate advocate of environmental protection founded the non-profit Begawan Giri Foundation (Begawan Foundation) in 1999, with the aims of catering for the educational, health and environmental needs of local villages. Prior to The GreenAsia Group, he, along with his wife, Debbie, created the famed Begawan Giri Estate in Bali, a unique resort that focused on developing the skills of local village people thereby preserving both their culture and environment. Begawan Giri Estate was voted No. 1 in the 2002 Conde Nast Readers’ Travel Awards Top 100 “Best of the Best”.
The GreenAsia Group will work with Camco to carry out the carbon footprint assessment. It will source the required emissions reduction certificates generated from carbon reduction projects in Asia and verified to either Gold Standard or Voluntary Carbon Standard, the highest standards in the voluntary carbon market. They will satisfy twin criteria of benefitting the environment and the lives of less privileged communities.
In addition, The GreenAsia Group will produce a specially tailored guide for Alila’s staff and management to promote understanding and the practical steps each individual can take towards greater energy efficiency and the reduction of GHG emissions. For guests to Alila’s hotels and resorts in Asia, The GreenAsia Group will develop a programme and tools to enable them to measure their emissions – from air travel to the individual choice of accommodation and leisure-related options. Guests will be able to voluntarily offset their emissions and enjoy carbon-neutral holidays.
Mr Bradley T. Gardner said, “It is clear businesses in Asia have a role and responsibility to urgently address how their operations affect our environment. The institution of business and industry which is currently degrading the planet and its resources is also the institution that has the ability to lead humankind forward.
As an advocate of voluntary carbon management, The GreenAsia Group believes that voluntary action by businesses and industries to measure and curb their carbon emissions is the most effective way to counter our impact on climate change, at least until long-term solutions can be found. It is up to us to decide – What are we doing for the environment?
About The GreenAsia Group
The GreenAsia Group is one of the first in South-east Asia to provide companies with integrated carbon management and energy reduction solutions based on highest international accepted standards for the voluntary carbon market. Established in Singapore in 2007, The GreenAsia Group works with businesses and industries to tackle climate change through voluntary action or to become carbon neutral, thereby conserving the environment while benefitting the lives of the local communities most affected by climate change. With its global network of leading international specialists, The GreenAsia Group delivers innovative and customised solutions that put into practice the commitment of their clients to triple bottom line (profit, social responsibility, stewardship of the environment)
About Alila Hotels & Resorts
Alila Hotels and Resorts offers a stylish, relaxing environment with a new level of guest experience which is continuously redefined by the latest developments in design and living. Alila Hotels and Resorts fashions uniquely different lifestyle concepts in creating luxurious destination experiences for its guests. The management company has gained much repute as a niche innovator of exclusive resorts that differentiate themselves by adding that special lifestyle component. The Alila Experiences are centered on building unique emotional "moments of truth" between the guest, the hotel and destination. More information about its current hotels and resorts in Bali, Jakarta, Thailand, Laos and the Philippines can be found at www.alilahotels.com
Alila Hotels and Resorts currently manages seven hotels and resorts in Bali, Jakarta, Laos, Thailand and the Philippines. Many of these properties, including Alila Ubud and Alila Manggis, are well-known for their contributions to environmentally sustainable tourism. Both Alila Ubud and Alila Manggis achieved the Green Globe Certified Status in May 2007 and were conferred the inaugural Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards in November 2006 for their efforts and support towards responsible tourism in Asia.
Currently, Alila is embarking on its next generation of high end luxury resorts in Bali, China, India, Indochina, Maldives, Oman and the Gulf region, Thailand and Vietnam.
About Camco
Camco, a leading climate change business in the growing carbon and sustainable development markets, offers a full range of carbon-related services to public and private organisations worldwide. The Group has a 20-year track record and manages one of the world’s largest carbon credit portfolios, currently 150m tonnes.
Camco’s international network of more than 300 experts across 17 offices establishes long-term partnerships that create real value for clients. With a presence on the ground in many local markets, the Group understands the challenges faced by clients every day, and can provide local solutions to a global challenge. The Group also has the world’s largest dedicated team of carbon analysts and has completed over 1,000 carbon assessments.
Issued by Professional Public Relations on behalf of The GreenAsia Group.
