As part of its promise to preserve pristine natural environments and conserve resources, Anantara Desaru Coast Resort &
Villas has expanded its CSR programme to further align it with the brand’s sustainability ethos. The new initiatives aim to protect the ecosystems, on both land and water, of Desaru Coast – a beautiful coastal area where a dense mangrove forest gives way to a handsome beach of golden sand.
Rolled out at the resort last month, Anantara’s brand-wide CSR programme, ‘Dollar for Deeds’ matches guests’ donations ringgit for ringgit, with money raised going to ReWild Desaru, a not-for-profit organisation set up to protect resident wildlife species, as well as encouraging native birds and other wildlife to return to Desaru Coast.
The on-site water bottling plant, in operation since 2022, allowed the property to phase out plastic bottles around the resort, replacing them with refillable glass bottles in all guest rooms, restaurants and meeting rooms. After months of careful planning and research, the water bottling plant was set up by a supplier who is familiar with the Anantara brand and capable of meeting its strict standards. Another local vendor – a hydroponic farm – supplies the kitchens of the hotel with organic herbs and vegetables year-round. In addition, to ensure the produce is always fresh and pesticide-free, sourcing it locally considerably reduces the resort’s carbon footprint.
Coffee beans for the restaurants, meanwhile, come from Rainforest Alliance, a certified fair-trade supplier, while coffee pods used in guestroom coffee machines are sent back to the manufacturer to be recycled. Food waste – a big concern for hotels in the past – is today being turned into fertiliser and ploughed back into the crop-growing cycle with the assistance of FOLO farms (Feed Our Loved Ones). Thanks to these efforts, Anantara Desaru Coast recycled approximately 15,000 coffee pods and removed 154,000 plastic bottles from circulation in 2022 alone and recycles 1,600 kg of food waste per month on average.
“At Anantara Desaru Coast, we are passionate about the environment and united in our efforts to ensure future generations inherit a planet that is healthy and habitable,” said Christian Gerart, General Manager at Anantara Desaru Coast. “I am immensely proud to see that our team members actively participate in hotel-wide eco initiatives by recycling aluminium cans and paper products and switching off the lights when leaving the room.”
To nurture a love for nature, Anantara Desaru Coast promotes nature-themed activities for guests such as birdwatching, Beachlife & Tidepool Discovery walk at low tide, and daily nature walks for adults and children conducted by Resident Naturalist who introduces local medicinal plants through engaging storytelling. On Saturdays, guests can join a terrarium-making class and learn to make their own miniature gardens. Birding experts are happy to guide nature lovers in spotting rare birds such as Brahminy Kites, Collared Kingfishers and Oriental Pied Hornbills.
