Menu Reservations In the Community Food Miles Conserving energy Charity and Partnerships Our Commitment Contrary to popular belief, luxury doesn’t have to come at the expense of sustainability, and at Virgin Limited Edition our teams work hard to make sure one doesn’t compromise the other. Our locations make our teams even more passionate about protecting the area they live in and supporting it in any way they can. We know just how important it is to take care of the environment, and we are extremely sensitive to the impact our properties may have on the local communities within which we operate. This includes working to protect the wildlife and habitat as well as community projects. Take a look at what we’ve been up to at each of our properties around the globe and how they help their local communities as well as encouraging our guests to get involved too. In the Community Community is at the heart of all our properties included in the Virgin Limited Edition collection. Take a look at some of our community highlights in action… Every September Pride ’n Purpose and Ulusaba team up for Arbor Month, a month full of fun projects aimed at improving quality of life in the local community. Ulusaba guests are encouraged help plant fruit trees in the local village of Dumphries as part of a Community Tour. The community spirit doesn’t end there, as the team keep guests updated with the progress of the trees planted long after they've gone home. The Lodge invites local children twice a year for a day in the kitchen to learn about healthy eating and local produce in the community. Kasbah Tamadot has initiated an ongoing rubbish collection project in the village of Asni after the local authorities stopped the service. Now rubbish is collected 3-4 times a week from 9 rubbish collection points built by Kasbah Tamadot with the support of Virgin Unite and the Eve Branson Foundation. At Mahali Mzuri the Maasai community experiences offer guests the chance to visit one of the local villages to get a flavour for daily life in the Mara. 40% of the tour costs go directly to a host family from the local community and 60% goes to the Maa Trust for a variety of community projects. A selected number of treatments at the Mont Rochelle spa support the Kusasa Project. At least 15% of the treatment price will go to assist their work promoting academic, sporting and life skills for underprivileged children in the Western Cape. In the British Virgin Islands we work closely with Unite BVI and Virgin Unite to assist the long-term reconstruction of the BVI through Community & Education, Entrepreneurship and the Environment. Food Miles Four of our properties are accredited members of the Sustainable Restaurant Association; a not-for-profit, membership organisation which aids food-service businesses to work towards sustainability in their sector. Properties are awarded up to a maximum of 3 stars in the ‘Food Made Good’ ratings and are assessed on sourcing, impact on society and environment. Think of them as the Michelin stars of sustainability, rewarding excellence for people and planet. We’re very proud to say that The Lodge in Verbier and Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa have been awarded the highest accolade of 3 stars, with Mont Rochelle in South Africa and Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco achieving 2 stars. All of our properties are fortunate to be able to source the finest local ingredients. When creating our menus our drive is ‘what’s in season?’, ‘what can we source locally?’ and ‘what is great quality?’ From food to wine and cocktails, we favour home grown wherever possible. The final straw We operate a plastic straw free existence at all our properties and opt for paper or bamboo straws instead. The introduction of water filter machines and reusable bottles has meant that the use of single use plastic bottles have been reduced by 100% at our properties. Guilt free indulgence When enjoying selected spa treatments at Mont Rochelle, The Lodge, Necker Island, Kasbah Tamadot and Ulusaba at least 15% of the treatment price will be donated back to the local communities. Even more reason to treat yourself! We've also undertaken a series of measures to support recycling and eliminate disposable toiletry items in our guest bathrooms. Green housekeeping Reducing water consumption is just one of the ways in which we operate sustainably. Our “Save Water” Towel re-use program in our rooms and suites encourages our guests to change their towels mid-week rather than daily to help save energy and water. Sustainable resources Reducing the amount of waste we produce and recycling as much as possible is a great way to protect our environment. We use recycled paper to print our brochures and feedback forms, and we provide drinking water in reusable glass bottles in our guest rooms. Conserving energy We've been taking steps to make our properties more energy efficient by reducing our consumption and using renewable energy. This includes using LEDs and energy saving light bulbs, as well as motion detectors or timer devices on lights in communal areas. At Kasbah Tamadot and Mahali Mzuri solar panels have been installed to heat the outdoor swimming pools. This project reduced 40% of its oil consumption over one year and as a result more solar panels have been implemented to pre-heat the domestic water at Kasbah Tamadot. Necker Island and Ulusaba also make use of the sunshine with solar panels to generate electricity and hot water. Three wind turbines were installed on Necker Island in June 2019 and together with a solar farm and battery system, they allow the island to be without generators for around 90% of the day and save approximately 2.5 tons of carbon from going into the atmosphere each day. Charity and Partnerships Virgin Unite Virgin Unite is the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group. They unite people and entrepreneurial ideas to reinvent how people live and work in the world to help make peoples’ lives better. Their aim is to revolutionise the way businesses, government and the social sector work together; driving business as a force for good. Virgin Unite’s overheads are covered by Sir Richard Branson and the Virgin Group, meaning that 100% of donations received go directly to the front line where they are needed most. VIRGIN UNITE Pride 'n Purpose Pride 'n Purpose is the charitable arm of Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa. It is committed to helping disadvantaged communities living adjacent to the Sabi Sand Reserve. Originally established in 2003 by members of the Ulusaba family, all the charity’s running expenses are covered by Virgin Limited Edition and Virgin Unite. 100% of donations go directly towards much needed projects and it is estimated that Pride ‘n Purpose benefits over 35,000 people across six communities. The Pride ‘n Purpose philosophy is that people are most effectively helped if they are empowered to help themselves, so the emphasis is most definitely on sustainable development initiatives. READ MORE... The Eve Branson Foundation The Eve Branson Foundation was foundered by Eve, Richard’s mother, who works alongside Virgin Unite in Morocco. The Eve Branson Foundation is a charity dedicated to enhancing living standards in some of the most impoverished rural communities in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. It aims to help local people in the long term by setting up sustainable enterprises which so far have included a carpet workshop and a craft house run and managed by local women. Guests can purchase a selection of handmade items in the Berber Boutique which supports the Foundation. READ MORE... Pack for a Purpose Pack for a Purpose is an initiative that allows travellers to make a lasting impact on the lives of children and families living in the community. Kasbah Tamadot, Mahali Mzuri, Ulusaba, Mont Rochelle and Necker Island are all proud members of Pack for a Purpose. Travellers are asked to create just a few kilos of space in their suitcases so that they can bring much-needed supplies for local community projects, and have a big impact in the communities you visit. PACK FOR PURPOSE Unite BVI Unite BVI is a registered not-for-profit foundation based in the British Virgin Islands. The overarching vision of the charity is to bring people, great ideas and resources together to tackle community and environmental challenges for the benefit of this and future generations. READ MORE... Find out more information about the initatives that are currently happening around the globe at each Virgin Limited Edition property by clicking on the images... 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