We have developed and marketed the first of its kind carbon neutral holidays to our customers. Our strategy can be separated into two stages. Firstly, we audit our own operational carbon footprint, which is negligible compared to other similar upmarket accommodation providers and then measure the client carbon footprint when staying with us, taking into account their travel and time spent within our facilities.
We then offset their carbon footprint and our own operational footprint, enabling us to remain carbon neutral as an organisation. We in turn enable the customer to have no carbon footprint in the component that we provide in their holidays.
We have purchased a bank of UN certified carbon credits or CERs (Certified Emissions Reductions) and hold it in one of the carbon registries. We have ensured that the credits we have purchased have an ethical value addition. For example, the project activity that produced the credits will be from an activity that has enhanced communities or the environment, as opposed to the destruction of industrial gases. We are retiring the credits in blocks of 10 tonnes of carbon (10 credits at a time).
Our Mission towards Social and Environmental Sustainability
We are a local organization with a global focus that facilitate world class tourism experiences and wilderness accommodation that are socially and environmentally responsible, that embraces our motto to provide innovative and passionate service to our customers in a manner that is financially rewarding for our employees and stakeholder.
Eco C-R-E-A-M
Community-Responsibility-Environment-Awareness-Management
We at Mahoora are governed by our owning company, Eco team’s Environment & Community policy
We at Eco Team aim to re-invent the tourism model in Sri Lanka by staying ahead to ensure that our business has a long term benefit for our communities, the environment and our customers.We believe that the people, our community, are central to any strategy that involves protecting the environment and its communities.
We, more than any other tour operatorand accommodation provider in Sri Lanka, depend on the unspoilt and pristine outdoors of this magical island to run our business. Our wilderness and eco system is our heartbeat therefore protecting our most important resource is not only a responsibility but a necessity for our own existence as a company.
Some of the key components of the Eco C R E A M
Community Responsibility
We recruit and train staff from the locality we work in and purchase locally produced goods and services.
We build products around the local community knowledge in fauna, flora and farming methods.
We support community tourism initiatives by incorporating community lifestyles seamlessly into our programmes, such as picnic stops in village homes and fishing with local fisher communities etc.
We work towards capacity building in schools, communities, in entrepreneurship, knowledge farming and value additions.
We, along with our clients, contribute financially to uplift the standards of the underprivileged schools, children’s homes, homes for the elders, hospitals and places of worship.
Wildlife and Environment
We protect endangered species in line with the red list issued by the ICUN.
We actively educate our communities and campaignagainst animal abuse of all forms. We educate and invest in protecting our fauna and flora whilst supporting development projects including environment education, wildlife conservation and reforestation as we work closely with the Sri Lanka Wildlife Foundation.
We discourage the collection, removal or cutting of any plant or plant parts (seeds, roots or leaves) by our customers, staff and communities.
We participate in programmes that involve the removal of invasive species such as cactus andlantana whilst setting up our operations with scientists in and around the national parks for reforestation activities.
We have launched conservation programmes for the protection of endangered species. Our clients are also welcometo actively participate in these endeavours.
We avoid using products packaged in plastic in keeping with our plastic free philosophy. The biggest challenge that we face is the lack of an alternative to the PET water bottles used. However, all emptybottles are being collected and sent to the Balangodatown Council Recycling Centre.
We convert all organic waste into compost waste.
All paper, cardboard,aluminium andmetal waste is collected separately and recycled through the Balangodatown Council Recycling Centre.
