Our VisionOur schemeCaring for our environmentCaring for our guests Caring for our staff and local communities Energy Conservation

A pioneer with a responsible vision

Sowing the seeds towards global sustainable tourism

Since 1950, sustainability has been part of the Club Med DNA. Throughout our history, we’ve forged a strong belief: the moments of happiness we offer to our guests are to be shared; they cannot be experienced at the expense of others or nature.

That’s why we’re making sure that our development reflects what we know today as sustainable development: our resorts blend in harmoniously in their exceptional sites, we’re being extremely vigilant with energy efficiency, saving, treating and recycling our water, promoting renewable energy sources, controlling the water treatment and recycling techniques…

All the while we’re contributing to local development and bringing together in harmony people of very different origins, religions, nationalities, and settings… That’s what we want Club Med to be about.

An ancient commitment, a renewed approach

From 1950 to today, a few key dates

§ 1950: Birth of Club Méditerranée, initially as a non-profit association
§ 1965: Opening of the first permanent Village in Agadir (Morocco), chosen for its beauty and hospitality, but also to contribute to the revival of this region devastated by the 1960 earthquake
§ 1973: Construction of the first wastewater treatment plant in Mauritius at Pointe aux Canonniers
§ 1978: Implementation of the largest solar panel field in Europe at Club Med Boucaniers in Martinique
§ 1979: Establishment of the Club Med Foundation
§ 2005: Creation of Club Med's sustainable development department
§ 2012: Valmorel, the first mountain hotel in France certified HQE (High Environmental Quality)
§ 2013: First natural pool in China at Club Med Guilin
§ 2019: Launch of the Happy to Care program

Did you know?

Born more than forty years ago, the Club Med Foundation is one of the oldest foundations created by a company in France. Pioneering employee involvement and later customer involvement, it helps thousands of G.O. and G.E. engage in solidarity projects.

Expert in dream locations, conscious of their fragility

To preserve our exceptional natural heritage

§ Certified sustainable holidays: 80% of our resorts are GREEN GLOBE certified, with a target of 100% in the near future
§ Concrete eco-commitments such as the elimination of single-use plastic, combatting food waste and the promotion of animal welfare
§ Activities to discover and protect nature

Pioneer in tourism, accelerator of local development

Share value locally

§ Charity at the heart of your holidays, with the Club Med Foundation: for example with "Friends around the world", children from local communities meet young GMs and learn from them
§ Support for local farmers and agroecology with the "Green Farmers" scheme
§ Respect for local hosts and support for the local economy such as prevention of child abuse in tourism with ECPAT
§ 75% of jobs are filled locally, with local purchases being developed

Happy G.Os and G.Es make happy G.Ms

Offer more than a job – offer experiences, for self-development and the forging of bonds for life

§ 100% of Chefs de Village come from internal promotion
§ 46% of management committees are women
§ 90% of Resorts have G.Os of at least 9 different nationalities

Some initiatives in our Resorts

Club Med’s commitment to sustainable tourism is built on solid foundations

Awarded by recognised international certification bodies

§ 100% of the construction of our new resorts has been BREEAM eco-certified (or equivalent) since 2018
§ 46 Resorts certified Green Globe for their sustainable management (with the aim to be 100% certified in the near future)
§ Discovery Tours by Club Med certified as ATR since 2017

Green Globe certified

100% of our resorts in Asia Pacific have been awarded "Green Globe Certification" for Sustainable Tourism, including Club Med Bali, Club Med Cherating Beach, Club Med Phuket, and many more!

The Green Globe certification is the highest and most thoroughly tested standard of responsible tourism. It is reviewed twice per year, and resorts must prove amazing levels of sustainability across all aspects, from training and recruiting staff, to food and energy wastage, resort construction and biodiversity preservation, including the preservation of the local culture of the surrounding communities.

We aim to have all of our resorts worldwide certified in the near future.

What is Green Globe eco-certification?

Eco-certifying our operations

Green Globe certification is one of the strictest international and independent certifications for sustainable tourism, and only awards establishments in the tourism sector who are committed to improving the environmental and social management of their business activity.
Eco-certification is granted by accredited bodies which ensure environmental and social best practices at those sites. More than 300 criteria are taken into account in the following areas:

  • actions towards the economic and social development of the host region
  • efficient water and energy management
  • protection of biodiversity
  • reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
  • protection of air quality and noise management
  • training teams and raising G.M. awareness of the need to conserve resources
  • preservation and showcasing of local cultural heritage
  • social policy

80% of our Resorts are Green Globe certified, and we’re on our way to achieving our objective of 100% in the near future.

Our Green Globe certified resorts:

Spreading kindness through environmental awareness

Holidays are a time to relax, but also a time to grow and learn. We love it when our guests, big and small, partake in our efforts to protect our planet. Whether it’s by putting up posters about how our guests can work with us to do their part for the environment or inviting them to our Green Activities, we feel truly rewarded when guests come back home feeling closer to nature, full of ideas on how to live more sustainably.

Organic local produce from farm to fork

On average, 90% of goods, materials, and produce in our resorts is purchased from local suppliers. Sourcing our food from local and agroecological farmers allows us to serve fresh and locally grown produce in our restaurants, providing our guests with in-season, organic and pesticide-free food that goes directly from farm to fork.

We source sustainably, and you reap the benefits - it's better for the environment and for YOU. Plus, your tastebuds will go on an extraordinary journey, discovering the local culinary culture and local delicacies at our buffets. You can even enjoy cooking lessons with local chefs!

Local farmers are supported, we know where our products come from, and our guests get to eat healthy in-season food! That’s a real luxury.

Club Med G.Os dedicated to biodiversity

More than 15,000 G.O.s are trained each year on sustainability, learning how to help preserve our environment. Our G.O.s then raise awareness among our guests through eco-initiatives, bring forward new ideas on how Club Med can become more sustainable, and coordinate the environmentally friendly initiatives in our resorts.

We’re also lucky to have real experts on biodiversity and sustainability in our resorts, including our “Green G.O” at Club Med Cherating Beach and our marine biologist at Club Med Kani!

Partake in unique resort initiatives

Protecting wildlife with our Turtle Sanctuary

Playing a vital role in local fauna conservation, our Turtle Sanctuary at Club Med Bintan Island protects the beachside breeding grounds of two endangered species, the Green and Leatherback turtles. The Sanctuary also acts as a research facility, and as a sickbay for injured turtles to be nursed back to health.

Last summer alone, over 200 baby turtles have been successfully released from our turtle sanctuary at Club Med Bintan Island!

Ecological walks to discover the wildlife

At multiple resorts, our G.O.s organise ecological walks every week to collect waste from local areas – and guests are invited! Those educational and fun eco treks are the perfect opportunity to reconnect with nature.

In Club Med Cherating Beach for example, guests get to reconnect with nature, discover the incredible preserved forests surrounding the resort, and learn about wildlife protection, guided by our Green G.O.

Committed to restore the Maldivian marine life

The Maldivian marine life is suffering from global warming and pollution. At Club Med Kani, we’ve partnered with marine biologists to create the Mobi Reef Underwater Trail, a snorkelling tour teaching our guests all about underwater life and how to preserve it.

We also have an artificial reef installation, sheltering fishes and marine life in our resort’s perimeter. Furthermore, guests can sponsor replantation of coral plants with our coral propagation program.

Teaching sustainability to the little ones

Learning about plants, nature and nutrition

Our “Super Radish” programs and Pedagogical Gardens* sensitize children to healthy and responsible nutrition, teaching them about plants’ needs and how to grow fresh vegetables.

*In Bali, Marrakech, Opio, La Palmyre, Guilin

Sharing eco-attitudes with children

We believe in helping kids better understand and appreciate the local environment through fun and inspiring activities. They’ll never forget seeing the turtles hatch at Club Med Bintan Island, or discovering fishes’ ecosystem on the underwater trail at Club Med Kani.

Encouraging mutual cultural exchange

Your little ones get to make new friends from all over the world! Local kids are invited to come play at Kids Club – playing local games in small groups, creating artwork and painting together.

Contributing to local development

Respecting our host country and its population is one of Club Med’s founding principles. Our vocation is to promote the well-being of all concerned, and we could never have established ourselves in countries of such varied cultures if hadn’t built our resorts in a profound spirit of responsibility and respect towards our hosts and staff.

Partnering with Local NGOs

For 10 years, we’ve been working with the NGO Agrisud, a local farm that practices agroecological farming, and we are training the farmers on the standards of Club Med to supply our global resorts.

We’ve partnered with over 400 ecological farms worldwide, allowing us to reduce our carbon footprint, promote human exchanges with producers, and ensure all of our guests get access to fresh, seasonal and organic food.

At Club Med Bali, we’re working closely with local farming families who deliver us fresh vegetables daily. Our close relationship with them allows us to tailor our menus according to each delivery, using only products that are in season. And in 2018, we’ve been able to fund a water tank to help them during the dry season!

Educating and bringing happiness to local communities

Every year, more than 2,000 voluntary G.O.s take action to educate local communities on recycling, and equality, and to bring them joy through entertainment and games.

Whether it’s inviting local children to the resort to interact with holidaying families, welcoming them in the resort for sports lessons, organizing English and computer classes, or providing them with school support, our inspiring G.O.s lead over 140 projects to support thousands of families.

Developing Local Talents

The international success of our resorts combined with the nomadic nature of our staff allowed us to develop a unique expertise in the management of people from different origins, culture, nationalities and religions.

§ 100% of Chiefs of Village are recruited internally

§ More than 40% of top management positions are occupied by women, and we’re in the top 10 companies in the SBF120 for the percentage of women on the board of directors

§ In France, the employment rate of disabled people is 4.7%

§ Over 100 nationalities are represented in our resorts worldwide

Let’s all adopt eco-acts!

This winter, we’re stepping up our efforts to reduce our energy consumption by
reinforcing the measures implemented in our Resorts, offices and travel agency
branches.
Rest assured, their impact on your holiday will be as light as powder snow!

And what’s the plan for our Resorts?

Discover the measures in our Mountain Resorts in Europe for this winter

Rest assured, these measures won’t diminish the quality of the experience with us and the comfort of our guests and teams is guaranteed.

  • Our jacuzzis are hibernating this winter.
  • Our hammams and saunas will be operating from 2pm onwards.
  • A little nip in the air in our Fitness and Ski Rooms.
  • No overtime work for our digital screens, which are switched off at night, and for our guest rooms TVs, which are switched off on arrival and departure days.
  • No impact on our heated pools.

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