Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has become one of the first signatories of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, thereby committing itself to becoming plastic-free by 2022.

Led by the United Nations' (UN) Environment Programme and UN World Tourism Organisation, the initiative unites more than 450 businesses, governments, and other organisations behind a common vision and targets to address plastic waste and pollution at its source.

To realise this vision, tourism companies and destinations commit to eliminating the plastic items they don’t need; innovate so all plastics they do need are designed to be safely reused, recycled, or composted; and circulate everything they use to keep it in the economy and out of the environment.

The goal is to take serious action in a coordinated and determined manner on plastic pollution, to enable the tourism sector to help preserve and protect the places and wildlife that make destinations worth visiting.

“All hospitality leaders have a responsibility to stand up and be accountable for making a sustainable difference and achieving measurable results,” said Neil Jacobs, CEO of Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas.

“Our health and wellness ethos is around making our guests feel better inside and out, so it makes sense for our social and environmental policies to make them feel good about their choice of vacation and their impact on the ecosystems around them too.”

Having signed the Global Tourism Plastics initiative, Six Senses pledges to:

• Eliminating remaining unnecessary plastic packaging from rooms and bathrooms by 2022
• Removing all unnecessary plastic packaging from service areas by 2022
• Introducing more reusable solutions in kitchens to replace unnecessary plastic packaging by 2022
• Introducing reusable solutions in service areas (host shops) to replace single-use packaging by 2022
• Sourcing naturally compostable packing and other materials where appropriate
• Working with suppliers to avoid plastic packaging, source plastic-free alternative products, and arrange packaging take-back programs wherever possible
• Working with other hotels and industry partners to share best practices, supplier recommendations, and other information to help the industry move away from plastic
• Sorting all waste materials, upcycling or composting when possible on site, sending to offsite recycling where available - all with the aim of zero waste to landfill.