Sustainability Report 2023

A Message from

Our leadership

Ho KwonPing

FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
BANYAN TREE HOLDINGS LIMITED

At Banyan Group, we maintain a profound connection and responsibility to our environment and people. Over the past 30 years, we have harnessed
the power of design, stewardship and immersive experiences to model a way of doing business that supports our planet and enhances livelihoods.

Environmental Stewardship

In 2023 we took significant strides in climate action, partnering with sustainability leaders South Pole and the SaaS platform Terrascope to map our emissions baseline for Scopes 1, 2 and 3, using 2022 as the reference year.

We achieved a 22% reduction in emissions intensity per occupied room in 2023, alongside a 14% increase in room sales.

We are committed to pursuing similar advancements in waste reduction, biodiversity conservation, and addressing water scarcity.

A Holistic Approach

Our sustainability principles are integrated across our company, with 84% compliance with our Brand for Good standards across all our properties. Our goal is to achieve 90% compliance by 2024, and 100% by 2025.

Looking Ahead

As a purpose-driven organisation, we continually seek ways to support our associates to be advocates and change agents within their own communities.

Our Greater Good Grants, which will continue into 2024, will place a renewed emphasis on community engagement, while closely aligning with the sustainability goals of our business.

We also plan to link sustainability targets to our remuneration framework, to further align individual and team incentives with our broader impact goals.

From early on, we embraced the mindset of doing good for the world and its people. Today, this commitment is shared by our entire team, from board members to associates. We engage all stakeholders to tackle our collective challenges, recognising that unity amplifies our impact.

Claire Chiang

CHAIRPERSON
BANYAN GLOBAL FOUNDATION

Our mission is to create a world of wonder, where guests can appreciate the spellbinding tapestry of rich cultures and natural sights our Earth has to offer. So, we must ensure that the sources of these wonders – the people, the planet, nature and culture – are well cared for.

We Work Together

Our 75 properties span 22 countries, with a family 13,000-strong. Across our properties, we carried out more than 1,300 environmental and social initiatives in 2023. Vital to the success of these initiatives is the active participation of our guests, associates, and broader communities.

As we continue to scale our efforts with external partners, we also continue to engage and upskill our team. Banyan Group’s Green Team leads and coordinates our sustainability efforts, with oversight from senior leadership.

We’re Proud of Our Progress

For 30 years, we have consistently worked in harmony with local ecosystems and cultures, from ecologically-sensitive hotel design, to efficient operations and impactful community initiatives.

In 2023, we supported 119 young people with training and vocational education through the Seedlings Programme, an increase from the 97
mentees in 2022.

We planted 12,963 trees in 2023, including 7,500 saplings in Phuket through our revitalised Greening Communities programme, in partnership with rewilding specialists, SUGi. Since 2007, we have planted 551,337 trees.

Our Step-Up International Laguna Kindergarten (SILK) nurtured 140 children aged between three and six, instilling in them an understanding of local ecosystems and fostering a sense of environmental stewardship.

We’ve partnered with the China Environmental Protection Fund (CEPF) since 2021, to ensure that students at the Central Primary School in Yangshuo County have access to safe drinking water. As of the end of 2023, we provided 55,454 litres of water, and we will continue these efforts in coming years.

Leadership and Accountability

In this, our 18th sustainability report, we are sharing our progress across our key material issues, including climate change, waste, water, biodiversity, communities, the wellbeing of our people, and the promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion.

This report aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs), and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). Since 2022, we have also aligned with the reporting recommendations of the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX), which in turn aligns with the frameworks of the TCFD, SASB and WED.

Alongside formal reporting frameworks, we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire positive change. We have always, and will continue, to design with nature, create destination stewards and uplift the true hosts of our developments – our local communities.

Sustainability Report 2023

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© 2024 Banyan Group

Sustainability Report 2023

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© 2024 Banyan Group