Sustainability Pledge

1. Members endeavour to be good neighbours, and actively contribute to the improvement of the community in which they operate. Examples include:
   •  Hiring locally
   •  Purchasing locally
   •  Conserving water and resources
   •  Not depriving local communities of natural resources or local access rights
   •  Not putting undue pressure on local services and amenities
   •  Offering equal employment opportunities to all, regardless of gender, age, race, religion, sexual orientation
2. Members adhere to fair and transparent employment terms that comply with local laws
3. Members have a zero-tolerance policy on child labour, prostitution and human trafficking
4. Members manage their waste in a responsible and sustainable manner. Examples include:
   • Composting organic waste
   • Recycling or upcycling plastic, glass, metals
   • Treating grey and black water at least to a secondary level. Tertiary is preferred.
   • Properly disposing of harmful substances such as batteries, mercury
   • Reducing use of disposable plastic drinking bottles and plastic carrier bags
5. Members strive to minimize their operation’s carbon footprint whenever possible. Examples include:
   • Integrating energy from renewable sources, such as wind, solar, and tidal
   • Choosing low-wattage fixtures, appliances, and lighting
   • Encouraging staff and guests to conserve energy by turning off lights and air-conditioning when not in use
   • Encouraging wise use of transport to minimize carbon emissions
   • Reducing the use of chemicals
6. Members will not contribute to the trade and/or consumption of threatened species, whether as food products, traditional medicine, jewellery, souvenirs, pets, etc. Threatened species are defined under CITES Appendix I and II (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Examples include but are not limited to:
   • Pangolin: Chinese, Malayan, Sunda, and Indian
   • All species of Sea Turtle, including jewellery made from their shells
   • Shark fin soup, Whale sharks, Oceanic White Tip, Scalloped, Smooth, and Great Hammerhead
   • Manta ray gill rakers and all products made from mobulids
   • Elephant and ivory products
   • Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Bluefin Tuna
   • Giant Panda
   • Red Panda
   • Sawfish: Knifetooth, Smalltooth, Large-tooth, Common, Longcomb
   • Whales: bowhead, minke, ordinary minke, sei, eden’s, blue, omura’s, fin, giant bottle-nosed whales, North Pacific, North Atlantic, and Southern Bottle-nosed Whales, Pygmy Right, Southern Right, North Atlantic, and North Pacific Right Whales, Grey Whales, Humpback, Sperm
   • Saltwater and Siamese Crocodiles
   • Sumatran, Javan, and Indian Rhinoceros
   • Leopard, Snow Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Sunda Clouded Leopard, Leopard Cat
   • Sunda Slow Loris, Pygmy Slow loris,
   • Sloth Bears, Asian Black Bears, Sun Bears
   • Tigers
   • Leopards, Snow leopards
7. Members will aim to ensure any plant materials used in meals, construction, etc., are from sustainably harvested sources.

Together we can help and reduce tourism negative environmental impact on the Earth. Our commitment to sustainability is integrated into every aspect of how we do business.

Approved by Secret Retreats Members since March 2015