Spa & Wellness MexiCaribe 52, Winter 2023-24

5
Steps
to Sustainability
Spa businesses should embark on a comprehensive plan with
business policies that support sustainable development and
allow a timeline for change to be communicated and delivered.
Sustainability is a group of interrelated activities guided by ‘people,
planet and prosperity’.
Follow these five steps for a more sustainable spa business:
1. Set the intent
Believe that goals can be achieved. Small actions can make a
difference and embrace sustainability as a way of conducting
business.
2. Set achievable goals
Consider setting annual goals for each category: people, planet and
prosperity. For example:
• the development of your team, such as community work,
wellness activities, etc.
• re-use or reduce a particular waste stream.
• enable prosperity by engaging with local, national, or global
causes, such as carbon reduction projects.
3. Gather support and identify your enablers
Communicate your goals to your team and ask for their help in
sharing the responsibility. How can team members contribute? Can
suppliers and guests take part? Give clear guidance and a timeline
to achieve each goal.
4. Report, share and verify the successes
Recognize everyone who contributed and openly share
achievements.
5. Build on your goals
Set a new goal each year to achieve new targets
and initiatives. Your goals will begin to form layers of
sustainable success through an organic process of
growth. The interrelated nature of these goals will start
to become the bedrock and success of your business.
Developing your team brings loyalty, which reduces
recruitment and lost hours. Planetary care brings new,
meaningful, and long-term clientele and attracts the best
talent. Economic sharing brings trust and values that are
respected and build your brand reputation.
The spa and wellness industry should aim for businessto-business
encouragement and support. It takes lots of
companies making as much effort as possible to generate
a positive impact.
By Lucy Brialey, Co-Founder and Director
Sustainable Wellness
www.sustainablespas.org
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www.spawellnessmexico.com