This month, in celebrating Global Recycling Day, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives has brought sustainability to life by creating a colorful team-led sustainability initiative in which the team creatively transforms ordinary wastes into beautiful pieces of art. As part of its team building and sustainability initiative under the theme "Don't Think Waste - Think Opportunity," Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives has challenged all colleagues from different departments within the organization to participate in a Sculpture Competition in which the team creatively transforms ordinary wastes into beautiful pieces of art.
The winning sculpture was entitled "Waste to Wonder" created by the Front Office Team in which bottle tops and recycled glass were creatively arranged to form a beautiful framed art piece held together by wire.
The second position was awarded to the Recreation team for their creative installation of Varah Majaa, which is full of ideas and thoughts but still conveys a very important message about the effects of pollution in our sea and how we need to take care of our sea and sea creatures. The third position was given to the team from Kandooma Spa for their creative installation of Tanya, which is full of ideas and thoughts as it is composed of old magazines, egg trays, and other discarded papers. The inspiration for this work came from the works of marine veterinarians who help in the conservation of sea turtles and female leaders in science who help protect our sea. The quality of these creative installations is a testament to the fact that innovation and creativity are found in all aspects of the resort, not just limited to the traditional functions of a creative team like the marketing department.
The initiative is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially the Sustainable Development Goal 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production, which promotes the reduction of wastes through reuse, recycling, and the efficient use of resources. This initiative is also in line with IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Journey to Tomorrow, the hotel group’s pledge to make a positive difference in the world.
Commenting on the event, Sharon Garrett, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives’ Director of Marketing and Sustainability, said: “This Global Recycling Day, we are celebrating the transformation of what we once considered waste into something worth celebrating. This year, we had all departments in the hotel participate in our creative sculpture challenge with one simple requirement: to transform what we considered waste into something of great meaning and worth. The entries were amazing, and the winning entry by our Front Office team with their recycled glass mosaic was inspiring, although I must confess that the Engineering Department’s entry using recycled mechanical parts and pieces to make a Heron sculpture resonated with me the most. This is now proudly placed in our Chef’s Garden, Magey Bageecha.”
Sharon reinforced this as it is not considered another marketing gimmick or campaign for Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives.
“Sustainable practices are ingrained in our Kandooma culture and special calendar days like Global Recycling Day enable us to inspire and show that we are building that culture together and that it’s an ongoing commitment requiring focus and fun,” she said.
The initiative was led by Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives’s General Manager Mark Eletr, Sustainability Officer Krisel Magallon, and the Sustainability ‘EcoAction’ Team to develop an interesting campaign that promotes involvement, cooperation, and awareness among all participants with prizes. The judges were also composed of resort guests, who gave it an interesting dimension to the campaign.
Furthermore, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives’s Sustainability Officer Krisel Magallon organized a workshop entitled ‘Recycling Workshop,’ where it tackled the do’s and don’ts of segregation of wastes, how to identify recyclable materials, as well as its economic benefits. The workshop was beneficial as it included significant interactive discussions among all participants on the best ways of recycling in Maldives, as well as effective ways of recycling that could be adopted by Kandooma.
As Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives continues to incorporate sustainability in all
Located in the South Malé Atoll, just 45 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives is a lively island resort known for its excellent diving, surfing and family-friendly experiences. With a range of villas, multiple dining venues, a dedicated kids’ club, and the Kandooma Spa by COMO Shambhala, the resort offers a relaxed and accessible private-island.
