February 17, 2010 – Hotel company Sol Melia has become the first hotel brand in the world to be named and certified a “Biosphere Hotel Company” by the leading researchers in responsible tourism, the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) in Leeds, England.

Thirteen exhaustive months of analysis after the Board of Directors approved its Global Sustainability Policy, Sol Melia’s ICRT certification spans company-wide environmental, social, and cultural requirements.  Sol Melia now meets high environmental standards in many countries with 15 Biosphere Hotels, 8 Green Globe Certified Hotels, 7 with ISO 14001 certifications, and 4 with EMAS certification. 

ICRT’s environmental analyses of Sol Melia revealed standardized eco-efficient lighting, water and energy savings systems, customer involvement in responsible behavior, respectful interaction with the immediate environment, and agreements with the World Wildlife Fund to protect land acquired in Brazil.    

Socially, Sol Melia demonstrated commitments to Intermon and UNICEF, as well as to local buyers and communities where hotels are located.  The brand promotes products in its hotels from sustainable origins and local sources, such as Marcilla Good Origins coffee. 

Within the culture of any hotel’s location, Sol Melia is renowned for utilizing local architects in their designs, promoting traditional cuisine for their guests, and respecting local religious, historic, and artistic heritage.  For example, So Melia has hosted food and craft festivals in Mexico and the Dominican Republic, added 8 different religious facilities in Bali, and fully Feng-Shui’d their hotels in China.     

ICRT certification has been a milestone achievement for Sol Melia, and is supported by senior management through the development of sustainability action plans both internally and externally.  Vice Chairman and CEO Sebastián Escarrer understands the Sol Melia brand is now responsible for ensuring the continuity of their certifications, which “are an essential route by which tourism destinations and companies may maximize positive economic, social and cultural impacts of tourism, while also reducing as much as possible any negative environmental and social impacts.”