GRI 102-14

As CEO of Cisneros, I welcome the annual opportunity to share Tropicalia’s Sustainability Report, and our progress in becoming one of the most sustainable luxury resorts in the world. Nine years ago, we started our journey towards championing sustainable development on the northeastern shores of the Dominican Republic. Today, we are helping to grow the region’s economy, conserve its natural resources, and create new opportunities and brighter futures for the people who call this special place “home”.

Because transparency is at the core of our corporate values, we applied the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standards in our sixth Sustainability Report. We are proud to be among the first implementers of the new G-4 GRI indicators. This allows us to align our strategy and reporting efforts with the tools and best practices that guide global decision-making on sustainability.

We believe that Tropicalia’s long-term success depends not only on our team, but also our partners, stakeholders, and our relationship with the community of Miches. In 2016, we brought on new partners and cultivated relationships with existing stakeholder groups and associates. We also continue to work closely with The Ocean Foundation, a nonprofit that specializes in ocean health and coastal conservation, which serves as our third-party auditor and verifier of the information reported here.

Four key commitments to sustainability guide our most important decisions: economic sustainability, environmental balance, thoughtful architecture, and community advancement. We adhere to the 10 principles of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), and embrace its global sustainability agenda.

This year provided ample opportunities for translating commitments and strategies into action. In 2016, we made substantial progress across our existing and new environmental, economic and social initiatives. Through inclusive supply chains, community-based development programs, support for education, and environmental management initiatives, we are rapidly advancing our goal to promote sustainable economic growth and diversification in Miches and nearby communities.

We are using our proprietary Sustainability Management System (SMS) to monitor the connection between our overall strategy and the internationally recognized best practices and standards it supports. This year we further vetted our SMS with our partners, and continue to incorporate this tool in our decision-making processes.

Together with Fundación Tropicalia, we have already established much of the groundwork detailed in the SMS, especially as it relates to community development and sustainable destination management. We are eager to keep working towards our ambitious commitments and serving as a global leader as we promote sustainable development.

The United Nations (UN) declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development–calling upon the tourism and hospitality industry to take the lead in transitioning from conventional to more sustainable and innovative business practices that can effectively contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Tourism represents one in every 11 jobs, and generates 10% of global GDP and 30% of world services exports.¹

At Tropicalia, we articulated a business model that spoke to this global agenda long ago and are perfectly positioned to pioneer the building of a better world via Tourism for Development. As in 2016, we envision ourselves continually being at the forefront of this movement and advancing the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.