EIU: Green management pays off

[NewsWhore]

The Economist Intelligence Unit is publishing the story of Grupo Puntacana and its work towards sustainable tourism development in the east of the Dominican Republic. The EIU discovered the many ways the corporation has generated substantial cost savings and boosted their bottom line by managing their environment in a sustainable way. EIU says this is a step beyond capitalizing on their good corporate citizenship and green image. Jake Kheel, environmental director of the Grupo Puntacana and head of the Puntacana Ecological Foundation explained that innovative environmental management forms an integral part of the company's corporate strategies and sets it apart from many competing Caribbean resort complexes. "We derive multiple benefits from our efforts, only some of which are monetary." The group is most interested in a sustainable, environmentally friendly business model, and has shared its know-how with other companies in the industry. Among the green mechanisms implemented are: water management, energy conservation, garbage recycling and incineration, organic recycling and natural resources preservation. This is in addition to supporting community development through educational programs, environmental education for community members, community-based water-quality monitoring systems and support to rural clinics to improve free health services in the area.
Grupo Puntacana and the Ecological Foundation have received several awards for corporate social responsibility and excellence in environmental protection and sustainable tourism. Most recently, in January 2009, the group was a finalist for the prestigious World Tourism and Travel Council's "Tourism for Tomorrow" award.
http://viewswire.eiu.com/index.asp?... (http://viewswire.eiu.com/index.asp?layout=VWArticleVW3&article_id=1274388112&region_id=440000444&refm=vwReg&page_title=Latest+regional+analysis)

More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#12)