Sustainability

We are blessed to live in a country rife with natural beauty and resources and to share this bounty with you, our guests. And we at Parador Resort & Spa are duty-bound to help maintain, preserve and improve upon Costa Rica’s considerable assets. Our ideological “We Share” program and our commitment towards sustainable tourism, community outreach and education are but some of the principles and initiatives that guide our business and conscience. Please join us as we participate in the betterment of our community and world.

“WE SHARE”

Principles we share:

  1. WE SHARE with our employees a sense of family and solidarity as well as knowledge, awareness and concern for the environment and community.
  2. WE SHARE our space with the natural environment and are committed to improving existing conditions and reversing any negative impact that the tourism industry here may have affected on Costa Rica’s fragile eco-system.
  3. WE SHARE charity and funds, making substantial financial contributions to local organizations and donating clothing, towels, linens and food, to numerous institutions and schools in our community.
  4. WE SHARE with our community an obligation to participate in its growth and continued enhanced standard of living through outreach and educational programs.
  5. WE SHARE our gratitude to the locals who have welcomed us here and to the our dedicated team of employees who work each day to maintain the world-class luxury hotel standards for which Parador Resort & Spa is renowned.
  6. And last but certainly not least — WE SHARE with you, our guests, many thanks for visiting and joining us in our crusade towards making our Costa Rican Paradise – and our Planet – a better place to live.

Our sustainable programs include:

  1. Protecting 7 acres of secondary rainforest, preserving the many species of wildlife inhabiting our jungles, never feeding the animals, maintaining a natural balance on our environment.
  2. The making of our own compost (fertilizer and insecticides for the gardens) using organic waste from the kitchen.
  3. Energy and water saving programs (through ozone), and controlled water pressure system throughout the hotel.
  4. Filtering and reusing water for irrigating the gardens.
  5. Collecting and purifying rainwater for use in different areas.
  6. Recycling program in all areas (aluminum, paper, glass, and plastic).
  7. The Recycling of complimentary bath products and other amenities.
  8. The use of 100% biodegradable soaps and detergents.
  9. The use of Certified biodegradable cleaning agents.
  10. Providing an alternative use for materials or equipment once they have fulfilled their basic function, usually donating them to community groups or employees.
  11. Participating in reforestation and community beach clean-up programs.

Our support to non- profit organizations:

Titi Conservation Alliance is devoted to protecting Costa Rica’s endangered Titi (squirrel) Monkey in the Manuel Antonio area through Sustainable Development, Habitat Reforestation and Environmental Education. Working closely with the community as well as other like-minded organizations, the Titi Conservation Alliance has – and continues to – make substantial contributions towards protecting and sustaining Costa Rica’s fecund but fragile Central Pacific region eco-system.

 
Copaza is a non-profit group dedicated to preventing violence and providing employment and social opportunities – with a particular emphasis on at-risk kids – in the Aguirre region of Costa Rica. Through the implementation of cultural and sports programs and addressing employment and other public issues, Copaza works diligently towards creating and promoting a viable, self-sustaining and peaceful community.

 
The Omar Dengo Foundation (ODF) of Costa Rica is a private, non-profit organization that has been active in the non-profit sector since 1987. Instrumental in the conception, management, and execution of numerous national and regional projects in the fields of human development, education and new technologies, the Foundation’s initiatives have benefitted more than 1.5 million Costa Ricans -  including children and students, educators, professionals, community residents and senior citizens.

 

 

Parador Resort & Spa was certified by the CST with five leaves out of of five.

About CST

It is a program withing the ICT (Costarican Tourism board) that categorize and certify companies in the  costarican tourism sector according to the degree to which they comply to a model of sustainability. Certification depends on the level on their adherence to the following four areas:

Physical-biological parameters

Evaluates the interaction between the company and its surrounding natural habitat.

 

    1. Infrastructure and services:
      Evaluates the management policies and the operational systems within the company and its infrastructure.

 

    1. External clients
      Evaluates the interaction of the company with its clients in terms of how much it allows and invites the client to be an active contributor to the company’s policies of sustainability.

 

  1. Socio-economic environment
    Evaluates the interaction of the company with the local communities and the population in general.

For each of these items a list of specific questions was designed to help evaluate how thoroughly the firm complies with a series of standards previously established for the social, environmental and economics fields. Each of the questions refers to an aspec of sustainability with which the firm should comply in order to qualify in one of the different stages or levels of fulfillment, which for our purposes we have labeled “levels.” The final rating will be assigned to the company in question according to the lowest level achieved in any of the four fields evaluated.

To measure and fix these different levels, the CST program provides a system of “sustainability levels””, on a scale of 0 to 5, in which each number indicates the relative position of the firm in terms of sustainability. This scheme provides a way to classify the tourist firms in terms of “levels ” in a system very similar to the commercial categorization of hotels by means of the well known stars system.

If the first level of a category is achieved (level 1) this means that the firm has taken the first step on the road or process of sustainability. The higher levels correspond to stages that are each one more advanced than the previous one, peaking on level of level 5, which means that the company is considered as outstanding in terms of sustainability.

In terms of sustainability, the degree of fulfillment signified by each level should be concomitant with the different aspects mentioned. For example, to achieve a level 3 category, it is necessary to complete at least with 60% of the established conditions for the four areas evaluated.

The level assigned to any firm will always be the lowest level achieved in any of the areas. It is expected that this policy will encourage the firms to advance towards the model of sustainability by giving the same degree of consideration and importance to each of the four areas evaluated. Although the program has been designed for all types of companies in the tourism industry, the first stage will include only the lodging companies. Within this group, the program will generate a clear differentiation between the hotels according to the level achieved.

The CST system is designed to include a series of incentives that will increase in benefits for each company, in direct proportion to its increased rating. This means that as the rating increases, more and better benefits will be received; international and national publicity and promotion, specifically designed for the CST; training for its personnel; priority participation in various world tourism fairs and events, etc.

What are the implications of the CST?

  • For the national tourism industry

At the national level, CST represents a new form of competition; a new way to differentiate our tourist industry with respect to our competitors, and one which enhances those tourism products which show a connotation of sustainability, opening new possibilities for marketing and international promotion.

On the other hand, this program directly attacks the problem generated by the unethical behavior of some companies operating as “greenwashers” (abusing the concepts of “eco” and/or “sustainability”), by providing reliable information on the firms that are really making progress in producing a tourist product that is sustainable.

Undoubtedly, this will enhance the country’s image as an authentic naturalist tourist destination, thus increasing considerably the competitiveness of our national tourism product.

 

  • For the tourism business individual

This program provides the business person with an opportunity for utilizing a new element of competition, based on a new way of differentiating his product, a concept that will be fully reinforced and enhanced in the national and international tourism promotional programs.

The CST motivates tourism executives to improve their use of company resources, promoting savings and their efficient utilization. This will have a positive impact not only on the quality of the product, but also on the cost-benefit ratio of the firm, as well. For example, the use of energy-saving technologies and devices promotes and improves the quality of the product in terms of sustainability and, at the same time, produces a significant reduction in the cost of these services. For other productive sectors

The CST program is a spear head that opens up all kinds of opportunities for the development and production of goods and services by firms with a sustainable orientation. The demand for recyclable and reusable products, for water and energy-saving devices, for efficient systems for the proper disposal of waste matter, for better systems of information management, as well as many others, will be the key that opens a new market for products that are environmentally friendly. This will strengthen an industrial sector that operates within parameters of sustainability, and a sector that, within a medium-range time frame, will be able to supply as well the needs of other productive sectors, generating a synergy and a globally positive balance in terms of sustainability.

 

A program for everyone

  • Who manages it?

The official entity in charge of this program is the Costa Rica Tourist Institute (ICT). Notwithstanding, this initiative is supported by a National Accreditacion Committe which has been officialized by executive decree where all sector related to this subject take place. In addition, the educational sector is represented by the Costa Rican University (UCR) and the Central America Business Administration Institute (INCAE). The private sector is represented by National Tourism Chamber, International organizations such as UICN and The Earth Council. Finally, the public sector is represente by the Costa Rican Environment & Energy Ministry (MINAE), The Biodiversity National Institute, besides of the ICT, which is the responsible of the program implementation. Technical Support

The national organization will be assisted by a technical commitee at highest level which main task is the parameters and indicators designing. This group will also establish the respective methodic procedures to carry out the evaluations as well as the execution, supervision and process audition. This Commitee will propose the program marketing strategies. Every two years the national parameters are improved and improved by the International Commitee, as we intend the CST not to be a static measuring program, but rather one that continually improves, to include the new technologies that become available in each country, as well as responding to the ever changing environment.

 

Parador Resort Sustainable Tourism Policy

Hotel Parador Resort & Spa is committed to its community and guests by providing the highest standards of services and amenities in an environmentally and culturally responsible milieu. We are dedicated to a “green” philosophy in all areas of our resort and work diligently in implementing policies, educating and interacting with our staff, colleagues and guests towards sustaining the fragile eco-system and maintaining a harmonious balance between nature and woman. We adhere to the strictest codes of sustainable tourism and are consistently upgrading the benchmark by which we measure and manage our resort.

 

Conservation and Protection Projects in Manuel Antonio -Quepos