Constance Ephelia: Seychelles Leading Sustainable Destination
(photo: Falcon Safaris)
Constance Ephelia Seychelles enjoys a unique location set within 120 hectares of land with luxuriant and rare vegetation, situated on two of the most beautiful beaches on the island of Mahé overlooking the Marine National Park of Port Launay and the Morne Seychellois National Park.
Over the years Ephelia aimed to improve the management of biodiversity within the resort as well as of the surrounding areas, by enhancing the collaboration between the resort and its community partners. The focus was to minimise our impact on the surrounding environment by following a proper energy, water and waste management plan, enhancing the structural efficiency as well as creating awareness amongst our employees and guests to follow best practices.
Green Globe recently re-certified Constance Ephelia Seychelles in acknowledgement of nine consecutive years of certification. In addition, the hotel was re-certified with the Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label being certified since 2012, representing the cornerstone of Sustainable Tourism in Seychelles.
Constance Ephelia follows a comprehensive sustainability management plan that includes innovative green ideas. We do the utmost to refuse, reduce, recycle and reuse so as to decrease our impact on the environment. In order to achieve this end, we strive to improve the communication of sustainability practices through more awareness campaigns and activities. In addition to our wide-ranging recycling program, that includes recycling of plastic and glass bottles, scrap metal and batteries, aluminium cans, electronic waste, coffee capsules, food waste and used cooking oil, our main focus was on reducing single use plastics.
Or biggest achievement was to switch from plastic bottles to glass bottles in our restaurants, which helps us to avoid approximately 250,000 plastic bottles yearly. In addition, we have an in-house water bottling plant for drinking water in the guest rooms that currently reuses and refills approximately 300,000 bottles yearly, which substantially reduces the amount of plastic bottles used.
Straws and take away items are made from bagasse material or PLA plastic, in-room amenities are packaged in stone paper, refillable dispensers are made from wheat and our carrier bags are biodegradable.
The Covid-19 pandemic has made people more environmentally conscious and guests are showing more interest in sustainability initiatives. For that reason, we emphasized the visibility of our practices. Our sustainability team is available to meet the guest showcasing Ephelia’s sustainability initiatives and answering any related question. The frequency of nature-based activities and tours, like mangrove kayaking, the Ephelia hike, and mangrove sustainability tour etc. has increased to accommodate more guests and to share our best practices.
Our valued guests are also invited to celebrate international environmental days, like the World Environment Day, World Wetland Day, Earth Hour, World Ocean Day, Clean up the world etc. which is always much appreciated by our visitors. In addition a sustainability corner with all necessary information was created on our Touch TV which is in the lobby and accessible by all guest. Sustainability information was also included in our Constance APP, that guest can download on their phone to search for the information they require.
Constance Ephelia supports various environmental and social initiatives to enhance regional development. In line with our Mangrove Management Plan the hotel implemented the project Community based Management of the Port Launay Mangrove RAMSAR Site in Seychelles in collaboration with the Port Glaud environment club, the local NGO Sustainability for Seychelles and Mangroves for the Future (MFF). In 2020, a new collaboration started with Nature Seychelles to implement the project "Enhancing coastal and marine socio-ecological resilience and biodiversity conservation in the Western Indian Ocean" also known as Locally Empowered Area Protection (LEAP). Following the project the LEAP Junior club was set up for students from the primary and secondary schools who reside in Port Glaud to learn more about the ocean that surrounds them so that they may develop and encourage more positive attitudes towards the marine environment.
Many students visit the hotel for environment educational tours and workshops with community members. This includes planting and clean up activities in which guests are encouraged to participate for a unique holiday experience. All planted mangrove seeds are monitored in our nursery and we have established sample plots within the Wetland to monitor the transplanted saplings. This will help us in a scientific approach to mangrove propagation and rehabilitation in regards to growth and survival rate of the seven different mangrove species growing in that area and in Seychelles at large.
The incorporation of local culture is integral to the hotel’s sustainability plans. Constance Ephelia uses elements of local art, architecture or cultural heritage in its architecture and promotes creole cuisine, handicrafts by local artisans and local musicians. Guests are invited to experience the local culture and traditions in Creole themed evenings offering a taste of authentic Seychellois cuisine prepared with locally sourced products against a backdrop of local live music and the chance to enjoy the Resort’s locally made rum, Takamaka Bay the Constance edition.
For More information:
Markus Ultsch-Unrath
Health, Safety & Environment Project Manager
Tel: +(248) 439 5046 | Cel: +(248) 253 1308
Email: healthsafety@epheliaresort.com | Website: www.epheliaresort.com
