At COMO Hotels and Resorts, we act as custodians, rather than managers, of each destination. We recognise the privileges and responsibilities of being part of the community and are committed to celebrating local culture, supporting the domestic economy, and minimising our impact on the environment. Operating sustainably inspires and drives us to better serve our guests, develop our teams and plan for the future.
We recognise that each COMO location is unique and faces different local challenges and opportunities for sustainability. Yet, the basis for our efforts are the same — a firm belief that we can deliver distinct, memorable experiences for our guests while operating responsibly.
Reducing consumption
We are committed to reducing our use of precious natural resources and minimising our impact on the environment. We manage our water and energy consumption by installing efficient equipment and fixtures. At COMO Point Yamu in Phuket, we use low thermal emissivity glass in all glass features to reduce the amount of heat transmitted into the bulding. In all cases, technology is merely our first investment. Employee engagement and training are equally, if not more important. We welcome our guests’ participation in these initiatives, even as you enjoy COMO’s luxury experience. At all properties, you can choose to re-use towels and linens during your stay. Small gestures, such as shutting windows and sliding doors to conserve energy, also help a great deal.
Sourcing locally and sustainably
COMO sources locally whenever possible, supporting local producers, entrepreneurs, social enterprises and non-profit organisations. We choose these vendors not only because they often have the best and freshest produce, but also because they are leaders of sustainable economic development within their communities.
At COMO Uma Paro in Bhutan, we have helped a local female entrepreneur set up Bhutan’s first prayer flag printer and shop. All our food served at COMO The Treasury is purchased from within 100kms of Perth, and we produce own honey on our hotel’s rooftop. At COMO Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos, we take pride in our banana and coconut plantations, where our youngest guests at the hotel can plant their own trees and discover native fauna and flora.
We partner with local charities, educational institutions and government organisations to achieve lasting impact in the community. We support efforts to build sustainable livelihoods for underserved communities, in particular for women and youth.
Supporting lifelong learning
At COMO, we champion educational efforts in language and literacy. In Bali, local kindergarten students enjoy a hands-on curriculum that includes gardening, hygiene and storytelling. The classes, developed and taught by COMO employees and held at the hotel, also use these activities to teach spoken English. COMO Cocoa Island in the Maldives supports two schools on neighbouring islands through facility and equipment upgrades. At COMO Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos, we enjoy a fruitful relationship with the local high school, providing funding, job training, industry exposure and building maintenance services.
Developing local talent
Every COMO hotel also takes a great interest in enabling local youth to gain employment within the hospitality industry. Through training, internships, industry talks and tours of our properties, we hope to inspire the next generation of dedicated hoteliers with passion, creativity and style. COMO The Halkin in London extends mentorship to youth while COMO Maalifushi in the Maldives and COMO Uma Ubud in Bali provides scholarships in hospitality training for underprivileged youth. COMO Cocoa Island has partnered with our dive operator to give interested local high school students the opportunity to obtain dive certification — a valuable skillset for employment in the Maldives.
Community investment
At COMO, we support our local community partners with our skills and relevant assets, with a particular focus on health, education and income sustainability. Within our Bali community, for example, COMO Shambhala Estate treats and shares safe drinking water with some 500 villagers daily. COMO Uma Paro and COMO Uma Punakha also operate a water management system for their respective communities, ensuring that local farmers have enough water. In 2016, we are privileged to have been able to touch the lives of more than 300,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries through in-kind donations, including more than 1,500 volunteering hours. For an in-kind donation request, please submit the request through this link.
We believe in sustainable development, hence our partnership with local organisations to preserve cultural traditions, habitats and biodiversity. We also recognise that destination stewardship is a cooperative, long-term endeavour, in which every individual employee, partner and guest can play an active role.
Habitats and Biodiversity
At COMO, we aim to preserve natural habitats to allow the ecosystems of each destination to thrive. Sixty per cent of COMO Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos, for example, is minimally developed to preserve the rich biodiversity, especially that of the wetlands and mangroves. Our Bhutanese hotels, COMO Uma Paro and Punakha, cultivate indigenous tree species and work with local authorities in reforestation efforts of local blue pine and cypress trees. COMO Uma Paro is also committed to developing wildflower meadows, organic gardens and more mixed species woodland, using oak, hemlock, fir and maple saplings. These measures are paying off, attracting a rich variety of birdlife. In the Maldives, we partner with the Maldives Marine Research Centre to catalogue sightings of mantas and turtles, as well as to monitor ocean debris. We run a coral propagation programme at both COMO Cocoa Island and COMO Maalifushi, where you may sponsor and install coral frames following its progress online even after you leave.
Preserving Culture
Every COMO hotel is developed to respect and showcase the natural and cultural heritage of the destination. The architecture at COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali, for example, references indigenous Indonesian building styles and materials, combining local stone, wood and traditional alang-alang roofing to create sophisticated spaces that are at once contemporary and thoroughly traditional.
We also celebrate artisanal skills unique to each culture and tradition. At COMO Uma Paro and Punakha, our interiors feature Bhutanese wall art hand-painted by our in-house artist. who also produces one-of-a-kind mementos for our boutique.
We welcome your interest in our sustainability efforts and invite you to learn more when visiting our hotels.
At COMO Cocoa Island, for example, you can swim amongst some of the most abundant marine wildlife in the Maldives, while at sister Maldivian resort COMO Maalifushi, you can get up close with whale sharks. In Bali, at COMO Uma Ubud, attend one of our free guided birdwatching walks or visit a traditional Balinese healer. At COMO Parrot Cay, you can explore our banana and coconut plantations or kayak through the mangroves to discover native species such as the Cassiopea, a unique “upside-down” jellyfish.