Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi sits amid the Shaviyani Atoll on an island fringed by white coral sand and the azure waters of the Maldives. Guests encounter fascinating and abundant marine life in the resort’s lagoons with its Coralarium, the Maldives’ first and only coral regeneration project in the form of an underwater art installation. For scuba divers, the resort offers its nine km-long house reef, home to several species of dolphins, sea turtles and manta rays.
First certified by Green Globe in 2021, a recent independent, onsite audit of Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi has confirmed a compliance score of 87% against Green Globe’s International Standard for Sustainable Tourism.
Steven Stefaniuk, General Manager of Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi, says, “Receiving the Green Globe re-certification is a testament to our true passion and genuine dedication to sustainable practices and responsible tourism.”
“We take great pride in our sustainability and eco-inspired projects, which allow us to provide our guests with unforgettable experiences while minimising our environmental impact. Our team’s hard work and commitment have led to this accomplishment, and we are grateful for their efforts,” added GM Stefaniuk
Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi is also home to The Sustainability Lab, a centre for education and recycling where specialised machinery turns plastic waste into bespoke souvenirs, creative furniture, and essential products for local schools. The Sustainability Lab also recycles ghost nets by braiding them into bracelets and luggage tags.
Enhancing its environmental credentials, the resort has joined forces with the Olive Ridley Project (ORP), a leading non-governmental organisation dedicated to conserving sea turtles in the Indian Ocean. The resort has identified 39 turtles around their reef so far this year and located 18 turtle nests. The island’s resident Marine Biologist leads eco-conscious travellers in various ocean-life conservation activities within the resort, including the Turtle Ranger Program, guided snorkelling tours of the Coralarium, and workshops at The Sustainability Lab.
Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi is also dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint and generates electricity from 3307 solar panels on 11 rooftops, adding up to 1041.7 kW of energy. Additionally, the resort has plans for solar power generation on a floating marine platform, which aims to supply up to 40% of daily energy needs.
Waste management is vitally important in this pristine coral atoll. The resort converts food waste to compost, which is utilised in the recently activated Chef’s Garden. The resort’s culinary team maintains the garden and grows herbs, vegetables, and fruits. It is an excellent example of using organic fertiliser to improve soil, prevent eutrophication, and grow healthy food for guests and staff. The Chef’s Garden’s produce allows the resort to lessen its need for externally sourced products, further reducing the property’s carbon footprint. This sustainable sourcing of fresh produce is highlighted in the restaurant menu.
While The Sustainability Lab recycles plastic waste from the ocean and upcycles ghost nets, the resort’s own waste, including plastic, scrap metals, paper, aluminium cans, batteries, glass and used cooking oil, is sold to an off-island recycling facility. To reduce the overall amount of waste in the first instance, the resort has agreements with relevant suppliers to find alternative solutions for packaging amenities and toiletries, which has led to the resort eliminating all single-use plastics on the island.
The resort’s own desalination plant delivers most of the island’s drinking water, which is supplied in reusable Fairmont Bottles and is complimentary for guests. Water dispensing machines are also conveniently placed around the island where guests can refill their reusable bottles. These initiatives remove the need for single-use plastic bottles.
Every month, Sustainability champions from every department of Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi, meet to discuss further improvements for the resort’s CSR initiatives and develop their action plan. A training calendar and job-oriented training for a more knowledgeable and efficient workforce are maintained for Environmental, Health, and Safety. Local students are also engaged in environmental and hospitality education via the internship collaboration between the Fairmont School Award Scheme and the Maldives National University.
For more information, visit Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi’s Our Sustainability Journey.
